Roll on the sniffly nose....Autumn is here!!

This week has been glorious as I have been able to indulge in my love of all things vintage crate like!! Hurrah I hear you cry.....

Our new display outside Hartley Farm shop is complete, with a truly scrumptious Autumnal display! I would urge you to come visit and check it out!!

I wanted to create a door wreath to welcome Autumn in, I think they make such a gorgeous talking point! The Americans have down to a T with these things. They shouldn't just be for Christmas, enjoy the season that we are in and celebrate with a fabulous creation like this.

Autumn a go-go, with wicker basket to
complete the look!!

See I even got some corn in there! How Autumnal can you get AND....I picked a load of pumpkins from our Allotment this afternoon, but fret not I won't force a picture of those on you.

Clash the colours as much as possible. xx

Well, I wish you all a beautiful rest of the week, I am off to find some cucumber slices {late night out with my Brother} Never start talking about politics at 10.30pm, it doesn't work.

xxx

A day off...

 I love an adventurous bride. This photo came from a wedding we did this last weekend. She had two sets with flowers to welcome her guests in the entrance way.

I always think its a great to use items which are completely unique to you as it makes your day that bit more special. And what a fabulous talking point for all your guests!!

We have also been in marquee heaven for the last couple of weeks. Marquee's are interesting as they are a blank canvas from which to create your day.

This wedding was more about the little touches, as the Bride loved butterflies and had left them for us too put into the flowers on the day.

I would always say don't be afraid to add your own finishing touches after the flowers have been done! Though do always talk to your florist about what you have in mind.

I am not sure whether to be concerned about my love of vintage crates. I would happily buy them until the cows come home. I'm building an collection of them up at the workshop as they are fabulous to display flowers on

I also love photographing flowers on them as they give that extra vintage touch.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

I thought I would keep it simple today, had marvelous afternoon with friends, just hanging out! Cause frankly that's all that Sundays should be about!

We have been building up a collection of bouquet photos so feast your eyes on these as I am off in search of a cup of tea....

Enjoy.....

Luxury is the answer.....

Well, what can I say! Last weekend was officially a belter. The new Mr & Mrs are in Bali somewhere and we are only just recovering!! It was a fabulous weekend with the closest wedding we have ever done! We walked across the field and into the marquee to set the reception up, round the corner to the Church and across the car-park to drop the buttonholes off! The bride was down a country lane and oh was I enjoying it!!

The flowers were fabulous, the Bride kept it elegant with gorgeous David Austin roses called 'patience' and trailing jasmine for her bouquet! The reception was awash with vintage green hydrangea and a fabulous new scented rose called 'Norma Jean'.

A very excited groom..

The wedding was a success all around, ask anyone at Hartley Farm  and they will look at you with a knowing smile......

Anyway I off to the pub for a happy pint......

A most bemused Father of the Groom...

Fabulous table-centres

Bouquet of yummy-ness for Bridesmaids

Enjoy the photos, there will be more on Monday xxx

Who needs the Gym when......

Who needs the gym when your a florist? We certainly didn't this weekend, we drove down to a gorgeous barn near Tisbury to decorate for a wedding reception. The weather was certainly VERY mixed, between horrendous downpours & bright sunshine we hung garlands high up in the ceiling of the barn.

The bridal bouquet was vintage to the core, from trailing jasmine to the lavender picked from the Mother of the Brides house. The blowzy peonies helped make it a stunner.

No fear of heights.....

As you can see it was all very natural in style, we created loose garlands of ivy, trailing jasmine and eucalyptus with explosions of flowers. Which included hydrangea, peonies, roses and lisianthus. I felt the style really suited the barn, it was a very rustic look that was needed and thus we created it!!

Outside the barn there was a beautiful courtyard, where drinks were going to be served and seating was arranged. We decorated the pillars with these garlands and had great fun making them, they were so unstructured it was fabulous and the suited the barn so beautifully.

I think sometimes as florists we work in a very structured way, when in fact nature is so unstructured and free.

Will be attempting more free style floristry in the future me thinks......

Our differences are what make us fabulous....

My future home....

I know I have said before, but one thing I love about my job is how no one wedding is the same. Couples might have read the same wedding magazine or seen the same blog as another but how they interpret those ideas is unique and completely their own. Below is the stunning Court Essington which is on the outskirts of Bath. Its a privately owned house that can be rented for weddings!

This place boasts a swimming pool, tennis court and the best thing of all chauffeur service!! Know where I want to stay when I'm next in town.

The couple had a marquee in the garden which overlooked the expansive lawns. We arrived to set up the flowers with the sounds of Michael Buble wafting through the gardens....

If only every set up of a wedding could be that chilled!

We shouldn't have favourites! But....

The Brides bouquet had our favourite rose of the weekend.
Illusion roses are just gorgeous, if your wanting a country garden style bouquet, these are perfect! Added in with the ever luxurious majolika spray roses and surprisingly scented Queen Anne's lace! (the stuff that looks like cow parsley but is MUCH nicer)

A triumph of the floral kind....

Top table flowers

 This weekend has been a floral triumph. I won't tell you how many weddings we did.....safe to say they were all fabulous! Brides were gorgeous, flowers were stunning and safely delivered, the weather held (just) and we were a happy team of florists.


These are photos from one of the weddings. I love delphinium (tall blue flowers) the colour of them is just sensational and really stands out in the reception flowers. They work well in high-ceiling rooms and are certainly noticed in churches!!

For this wedding the Bride had three small cubes along the top table and to get the midnight blue colour in to the smaller arrangements had large beads wired in. This can be a very affective idea if your struggling to match your colour palette to flower choice

Pedestal arrangement for the church

The reception for this wedding was held at the fabulous Bowood house. There reception room is lovely and spacious and the tall delphinium worked well. Sometimes you can forget to encourage Brides to think about the overall affect of what flowers will look like.
So if your wanting statement flowers, think height and colour!!

Reception tables