Roses are red….

8 Feb

… but don’t limit yourself!  At The Flower Studio this Valentine’s Day we have a full rainbow of beautiful roses to choose from…

From pure white ‘Avalanche’ roses, to fresh yellow tones of ‘Ilios’,  shades of pink, including ‘Sorbet’ & ‘Heidi’ (I couldn’t resist those!) and pretty spray ‘Mimi Eden’.

But if you are a traditionalist, we have a selection of red roses, including ‘Red Naomi’, ‘Black Baccara’ and ‘Upper Class’.  All of these can be handtied in a bouquet with mixed seasonal foliage, or arranged in a container or vase of your choice.

We know that not all of you are in to roses, which is why our Valentine’s Bouquets will also include tulips, orchids, and plenty of scented spring flowers.  We are truly spoiling you!

For those of you that would like to handpick your blooms for your loved one, you are welcome to visit our studio at Tynwald Mills, but for those of you that are in a rush,  you can now order flowers (with FREE delivery!) through our online shop.

Go on… get romantic x

Glen Helen Wedding Fair – Sunday 29th January

24 Jan

Ooops, a whole week has passed since my last post in Project 365…   I knew it was going to be a challenge, but it was all going so well!  I guess that this happens to a lot of people towards the end of January as motivation dips towards the end of the most depressing month of the year (scientifically proven fact!).

Anyway, while I carry on beating myself up, I thought I would share some of my ideas with you for the Glen Helen Wedding Fair that we are attending at the end of the month.  I have word from Scott that it is going to be their biggest and best wedding fair to date, and if last year’s is anything to go by, then it is going to be a great day.

The flower industry has trends just the same as other fashion lead areas, and these are some of my favourite that have been tipped to be big in 2012.

Vintage Glam

Is anyone sick of the ‘V’ word yet?  2011 saw a massive following of all things vintage and antique, either genuine or DIY’ed, bought, collected or hand-me-downs.  This year will see a continuation of that trend, but with a more glamorous feel.  Think ‘House of Elliot’ (I always wanted to be Evie!), lots of pearls, gorgeous fabric and soft peach and pink colours.

This dress belonging to the Metropolitan Museum of Art perfectly captures the vintage, romantic yet glamorous feel that a lot of Brides are going for this year.

Country Brights

A lot of my Bride’s last year wanted very natural garden style bouquets, with purple and blue being very popular colours.  Again, this trend seems to be continuing but with brighter pops of colour, bright yellows, oranges and greens, giving a fresher feel.  I am excited that I am going to get to indulge in my love for the Craspedia!

Bunches of Buttonholes

This is a trend that has flown over the Atlantic from our friends in the US and matches the cottage garden wedding themes perfectly.  Some of us will wave goodbye to the traditional wired buttonholes and go for the more casual tied buttonhole.

Buttonholes are definitely getting a bit of a makeover, and this style is perfect for a casual, yet co-ordinated wedding.  They don’t all have to match, they don’t all have to be the same colour, they can be tied with ribbon, raffia or twine, even made from paper flowers.  The possibilities are endless and that makes my job so much more exciting!!

These are just a couple of my ideas, but whatever your floral tastes are for your wedding, go with what you love.  Go with what makes your heart jump a little.  Go with something you will be happy looking at for the next 50+ years.  Go with what is ‘you’.

And more importantly, go to Pinterest!  I have fallen in love with this site!  As a designer I use it to collect inspiration when I’m browsing on the internet, and I recommend it to my Brides for exactly this reason.  It is like a big online cork-board and it is free to register.   Have a look at some of my boards to get an idea… I warn you now… it is a little bit addictive!

Day 15 – Leucospermum saxosum

17 Jan

Leucospermum are evergreen shrubs native to South Africa, with these fascinating ‘pin cushion’ flowers that gradually unfurl like spindly spider legs.

They always create a stir when I have them in stock and although on the slightly pricey side, they usually last at least 3 weeks in a vase.  They also don’t need much to accompany them… maybe some tropical leaves or grass to compliment but not overshadow the unusual flower.

We have a fresh flower delivery in the shop tomorrow… I wonder what I will pick to show you next!

Day 14 – Frost!

16 Jan

Ok, so I had a busy weekend in and out of the shop, including a rather windswept wedding consultation in Maughold, so my Project 365 posts were neglected.

Today though, I am treating you to not just one photo, but four frosty examples, seeing as it has been quite a chilly few days!  Enjoy!

Day 11 – Ceropegia

13 Jan

One of my favourite little plants (I say favourite a lot I know, but it’s true!)  Ceropegia woodii, or commonly known as ‘String of Hearts’ which describes it perfectly!

This plant is fairly easy to look after, keep the soil a bit moist and give it plenty of light, but not direct midday sun as you will frazzle the delicate tendrils.

I love to use Ceropegia in my wedding work because of the romantic heart-shaped leaves…

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Day 10 – Lemiscus pulchellus*!

12 Jan

Today started of with some fairly mundane tasks… filing, pricing new stock, washing vases… then the postlady dropped off a parcel.

I love receiving parcels, even if I know what is in them… the excitement and anticipation of what goodies are going to be inside, makes me feel like a 5 year old at Christmas!

I knew who this parcel was from (my lovely Mum) and I kind of knew what was in there (something she bought in a haberdashery shop in Dorset whilst visiting my Grandparents), but there was still a little element of surprise left.  And what a beautiful surprise it was!

Lots of Lemiscus pulchellus (*pretty ribbons!)  Enough to make me smile for the rest of the week!

Day 9 – Hamamelis

11 Jan

Hamamelis mollis, or ‘Witchhazel’ to give it its more well known name, smells DIVINE!

I always remember the first time I smelt this plant, and it was on my first visit to the wonder that is Kew Gardens.  For those of you that haven’t had the pleasure of visiting this extraordinary place (you really should go!), there is a walkway that is flanked by lots of different species of Hamamelis.  Luckily for me, the day I visited the gardens, it was warm and sunny and the light breeze was wafting the sweet scent of the flowers down the path.  It was heavenly.

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