O the heather and gorse on old Bradda’s broad back…

…A mantle of purple and gold !
(No purple or gold need the Manxman e’er lack
While there’s heather and gorse on old Bradda’s broad back)…

(Excerpt from ‘A Book of Manx Poetry)

(Image courtesy of DEFA)

This morning I left the shop to do my deliveries in absolute torrential rain.  Grey, damp, cold…. not my idea of a great way to start the week I can tell you!

By the time I was driving back over the Sloc to St Johns, the clouds were parting, the rain had stopped and an eerie mist was rising from the trees.

The beautiful landscape of our Island never fails to take my breath away and I love September, because the hillsides turn into a patchwork of yellow gorse and purple heather, separated by the stitching of the grey stone walls.

(Image courtesy of IOM Gov Image Library)

 So, in honour of our pretty patchwork landscape, our Plant of the Month for September is the lovely heather.  We have two different types in the Garden Centre at the moment, Calluna, which is ‘Common Heather’ and Erica which is also known as ‘Bell Heather’.

All heathers prefer a slightly acidic soil, and most varieties are a pink to mauve colour although we also have a small quantity of white and red plants.

And what better plant to incorporate into a late Summer or Autumn wedding?  Pots of heather can be used as table centres, and why not use it in your bouquet or buttonholes?  I made this one this morning and tied it with a little Manx Tartan bow.

For more Heather Wedding Inspiration, you have to check out this Blog – The Brass Paperclip Project a wonderful world full of beautiful ideas for eco-friendly, yet stylish living!

(Image from the Brass Paperclip Project) 

Happy Tynwald Day!

For those not on this beautiful Island, Tynwald Day, 5th July, is when new laws are declared in a ceremony which has remained largely unchanged in over 1000 years.  There are processions and salutes and all in all, a fantastic sense of patriotism as the Manx people celebrate their National Day.

As I drove through St John’s this morning on the way to the shop, there were already hoards of people gathering, in the pouring rain, with only plastic ponchos and windswept brollies to protect them!  Manx flags lined the main road leading up to Tynwald Hill and Boy Scouts and Army Cadets were rushing around in preparation for the parade.

You can follow the ceremony in a live stream from the BBC news website.

In the meantime, here are some more flowery pictures from our weekend weddings.  Yesterday we said congratulation to Kirsty & Tom, and today we congratulate our other happy couple, Sally & Gary, who also married on Saturday.

Happy Tynwald Day everyone… don’t get too wet x

Happiness is to hold flowers in both hands…

That is the Japanese proverb we have written above our shop door, and I well and truly agree with it.  Flowers make me happy, and I love the oohs and aahs that my staff make when we unpack a new delivery.  And then you have the smiles on the faces of the people that come into the shop.  Utterly priceless.  And the flowers do all the work!

So to put a smile on your face this rainy afternoon, here are some pictures of a few of our latest and most beautiful arrivals….

First of all, let me introduce to you the magnificently enormous Delphinium ‘Strawberry Fair’!  I am in love with the delicate lilac colours of this flower, and you only need a couple of these in a vase to make a statement.

Yes these are Chrysanthemums, and yes I do sell them in my shop and no, I’m not ashamed of it!  These are funky, vibrant flowers which usually last for at least 3 weeks in a vase… what’s not to love?

Paeony season has started and as well as the well known pink varieties, these gorgeous flowers come in shades of cream and dark red, like ‘Red Charm’.  The centre of this flower will continue to open over the next week or so until it resembles a big tissue paper pompom.  The scent isn’t as strong as some of the pink varieties, but it is still a stunning bloom.

I love the minty colouring of this Anthurium with its delicate pink veins, again a super long-lasting flower that looks great in a tropical arrangement, or with these colours, even matches in with a vintage theme.

And last but by no means least, one of our local lovelies… Calendula.  This plant is a herbal super-hero and can be found in a huge variety of creams, treating everything from eczema to burns and nappy rash.  Or you can scatter some of the petals over a salad to brighten up your lunch!  I love the vibrant faces of these flowers, and the fact that they have been grown on our own doorstep makes them even more amazing!

I hope I have made your cheeks ache from smiling so much – if I have brightened your afternoon for even 5 minutes, then I am a happy florist. Happy Thursday x

Fantastic Foliage!

Foliage is something that often gets overlooked in a bouquet… I admit it myself, I always used to see it as the least exciting part of a design, after the pretty colourful flowers, giftwrap, ribbons , bells and whistles that go into a bouquet

However, since opening my shop, and getting to see just what is on offer at my wholesaler, I started to become more adventurous with my leaves.  Gone was the standard eucalyptus and salal, and in came grasses, twigs, and tropical leaves.

One of the Design School students' foliage creations

We even dedicated an entire class of our Design School to a design that was just foliage.  The ladies were a bit dubious the week before when I told them, but their designs at the end of the class were beautiful and they lasted for weeks… maybe even months!  What better value for money could that be?

So every Tuesday I get a little excited (actually a lot excited!), because it is the day I usually get my local delivery.  Rob has a nursery a few miles away from the shop and brings me a bootful of freshly cut foliage, bamboo, grasses and other delights.

Today was no exception when he arrived with armfuls of Aucuba, Fatsia, Phormium, Griselinia, and the biggest, fattest, Laurel leaves I have ever seen! 

I also had a special treat, with a preview of some new flowers he is growing this year… some gorgeous Sweet William and delicate Verbascum. 

I realise that in the UK, our climate is not favourable to home-grown flowers, and even Rob grows most of his flowers in greenhouses and polytunnels to protect them from the harsh Manx weather, so these locally grown treats are only available for a very short season.  But it is a short season that I am more that happy to support.  Maybe I will discuss the pros and cons of this subject in more detail in a later blog… but in the meantime, feast your eyes!

And what did McVitie think of all this excitement?  Not a lot.  Muttered something about ‘posh sticks’ and then went for a lie down.

 Well, I’m off home now to do some baking… we had a gazillion limes left over from a wedding consultation and I am toying between making Key Lime Pie, or Courgette and Lime cake.  Or maybe a bucketful of Mojitos.  Or G & T.  I will let you know tomorrow!