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Mail Order

By on May 17, 2011 in Blog

  Finally we are ready to launch the mail order service. Our 'Pick of the Garden' bouquets will be available via courier nationwide starting this Friday 20th May. We have decided to time it with the peonies blooming, which are flowering for the first time after two years of waiting, time to celebrate and spread their sumptuous beauty. They will be accompanied by lots of scent: sweet peas, sweet williams, sweet rocket, stocks, mint and alchemilla. Our delivery day is Friday so you can make the most of your gorgeous, seasonal flowers over the weekend. They will arrive in one of our specially designed transit boxes which holds the bouquet all snug and secure in its aquapac (cellophane water bubble) keeping it as fresh and pristine as possible. I have tried to make the packaging as environmentally friendly as possible with recycled cardboard for the boxes and biodegradable cellophane to wrap the bouquets in. If you look on the order page there is a little border to bouquet photo story. It shows the flowers being picked in the morning, arranged in the flower studio and packed into the boxes ready for collection by the courier in the afternoon. We have tried to make the payment process as straight forward as possible by using paypal. If you would like to place an order I will need to know by 9am on the Thursday so that all the flowers are picked early to condition which means they are able to relax and drink lots of water before being put together in a bouquet.

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Fun with Flowers

By on May 17, 2011 in Corsage, Cut flowers, Floristry, Floristry Courses

 

I've really enjoyed teaching the floristry workshops this spring. It's amazing how different all the arrangements turn out, even when we're all working with the same ingredients. Everybody has their own style and something to add. There is usually a broad spectrum of experience within the group, but that really doesn't seem to matter. Every one is there to have fun with flowers, pick up some handy tips and hopefully feel inspired to create some arrangements with their own garden ingredients.
The day starts with a few demonstrations of how to create a hand tie. I show 2 different techniques and talk about how to create texture and keep the bouquet looking soft and natural. After that, each person is offered their own bucket of garden flowers to create a hand tie bouquet to go home with.

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After a coffee break and a slice of Rachel's home baked cake, I talk through different containers. I explain what makes the perfect jug and give a few 'cheats' on how to make the 'not so perfect' jug work. I give a couple of demonstrations of larger arrangements, before arranging flowers into a tea cup. Everybody gets their second bucket of flowers and a tea cup to work with.

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By this time we're all ready for our hard earned (ha ha!) lunch, usually prepared by both Rachel and Ash with garden ingredients and served from our flower studio. So far, the weather has been kind enough to allow to lunch outside, which has been lovely. Rachel is usually around to give everyone a garden tour and a few planting tips. Our final creation in the floristry workshop is a ribbon wrapped corsage, which really does show off everybody's individual style. Mine usually ends up a bit on the large side, when working to my own brief, I can't seem to hold back. When it's time to end, it's quite a sight to see all the ladies proudly wearing their corsages, carrying off armfuls of flowers. I do hope they wear their corsage all the way home, even if they stop for petrol and coffee!
 Jo Wise

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Artweek – the oxfordshire artists’ festival

By on May 9, 2011 in Cut flowers, Pottery

 My flowers are enjoying a bit of art this week at Ewelme Pottery in South Oxfordshire. They have been arranged into the expertly thrown and glazed vases by Harriet Colderidge. I have my eye on this one and am hoping to strike a deal with some chrysanthemum plants.

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Her beautiful workshop and studio are located in the picturesque village of Ewelme opposite the church. If you are in the area the artweek exhibit runs till the 15th May from 12 to 6pm daily (till 8pm on Thursday). There are also three others artists' work to enjoy;  Jane Peart's etchings, Mary Lowry's handwoven scarves and John Parrey's sculpted wooden fish.

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