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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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Growing cut flowers course – the spring season

By on May 8, 2011 in Cut flowers, Floristry Courses

 

Last month saw the final growing cut flower day for the spring season. So I thought it was a good time for a sum up. The dates ran through March and April, on either a Wednesday or a Sunday and we were very lucky to have gorgeous weather for all five of them. I have had about seventy people, sixty eight women and two men. Come on guys where are you all? People came from all over the country to attend, which was both flattering and slightly pressurising. But I have had some really flattering feedback so I am now taking bookings for September dates (posted on the courses page).

 

It has been really interesting to hear about everyone's burgeoning cutting gardens from a raised bed in the city to a few acres in a walled garden on a country estate. Experience has ranged from complete beginners to people with allotments already growing their own veg to professional gardeners sent by the boss. There have also been a surprising number of people (mainly florists) wanting to set up something similar to us, no one too nearby thankfully.

 

Everyone seemed genuinely in awe at the area we tend with two full time people (myself and my partner Ashley) plus our wonderful part-time volunteers Irene and Sally. It is partly down to hard graft and no social life but I do try to demonstrate techniques to make the growing and harvesting of flowers less labour intensive. Another aim of the course is to show people how to plan for a continual supply of flowers throughout the season without any wasteful gluts or flowerless gaps…always a challenge, especially with the extreme weather we've been having. My shiny new projector and screen has done a great job in showing the highlights of the year, favourite flowers selected for their productivity, low maintenance, colour, scent and what I call nostalgic value. Lastly I try to demonstrate the cultural difference between flowers picked from a border and those destined to be a cut flower to rival anything bought in the shops.

 

Of course the main objective is to have fun and go away feeling inspired with a few seedlings to make a start and a hand tied bouquet to spur you on.  One of the highlights of the day was our home cooked lunch made with produce from the garden. A few people have asked for the Spinach Pie recipe which comes from my neighbour Vicky's book 'The Kitchen Manual'. If any of you are planning to come to our open day Vicky will be serving up her marvellous cakes, scones and ice cream. I will ask her to have a few copies of her book available too.

 

 Spinach Pie

I use Nigel Slater's recipe for the pastry (180g plain flour to 100g butter and a splash of cold water), this is baked for about 15 mins and cooled.

 The filling ingredients are combined in a blender:

 1 onion peeled and quartered

500g spinach chopped

½ tsp salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup cottage cheese

100g feta cheese

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

4 – 5 eggs

a small amount freshly grated nutmeg

 Pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake for 40 – 45mins at 180 C. It is good eaten hot or cold.

 

Here are a few pics of from one of the days

 

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Pricking out half hardy annuals to take home.

 

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Putting together a hand tied bouquet in the flower studio.

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A beautiful combination of ranunculus and honesty.

 

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Getting the aquapac (cellophane bubble with water reservoir) for the long journey home.

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