Thursday 27 November 2008

Dahlia of the Triffids


Yes, it's happening, we're going for a botanical-literary-cinematic pun for every post. Start the groaning now.


So I dug out my dahlia tubers yesterday. They truly were monsters. I wish I could tell you which varieties they were, but of course I have totally forgotten. I think I went wild and ordered them from Sarah Raven as a treat (for me, not for her, I doubt she was that thrilled). Anyway, there were two delicious dark burgundy kinds and a bright orange one. They all grew like topsy* once planted, although I have to say that the vase life of the orange ones was pretty disappointing, they went rather crispy and curly round the edges - like a sandwich left out in the sun. They did pretty well in floral foam, and I made some lovely table centres out of them, which you see pictured, in September, which I thought were an autumnal delight, if I do say so myself. Was just about to divide them when it started hailing in a thoroughly aggressive manner, and I had to take cover in the greenhouse, with a rather worried dog. After the icy deluge I have to say I rather lost the will to garden...


Have not made a SINGLE wreath today as direct consequence of eating the biggest Thanksgiving dinner ever in the history of the world (fact) and being simply too full to deal with moss and wires and spiky things.


* Factoid of the day. I was just about to wonder out loud what 'topsy' was, thinking maybe it was a sort of weed, but I looked it up and in fact it comes from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher-Stowe. The character Topsy is a wild ragamuffin, who says, "I s'pect I growed. Don't think nobody never made me." and it passed into common use. You see! Putting that English degree to good use, and maybe making up for horrendous puns? No.


Saturday 22 November 2008

Wreath Encounter


Hello loyal readers!


Well it's day two for the Rebecca Frere Flowers Blog of Ultimate Destiny, and it's got two followers, so if it continues to grow in this rabid 'a-person-a-day' manner, then... well...you can work it out for yourselves, you mathematical whizz kids.


Today I took Christmas wreaths of all shapes and sizes (this is a lie - they were all round) to the Bonnington Christmas Coffee Morning. Whilst perhaps not being the world's most glamorous event, it was very jolly and in aid of a good cause, and the wreaths quite literally flew off the (makeshift) shelves. One over zealous would-be customer had to be prevented from buying one which was only half made! This means that either a) people are quite mad, or b) I should not bother finishing them off properly, as people clearly don't notice when they're a bit askew. I'm leaning towards A. It was an excellent dress-rehearsal for the Day of Days - the Great Dixter Christmas Fair.


Gearing up for a lovely wedding in Lympne Castle in December - a real christmas treat. I seem to have been talked into doing not only the flowers, but also running a creche in the castle during the reception... Not sure if I should diversify so soon, and in this direction, but we shall see!
Before I sign off, many MANY thanks to the multi-talented and tirelessly tasteful Kerry at www.dottydogdesigns.co.uk for creating my beautiful new website AND setting up this blog, enabling me to bore people with my incessant chatter even more often than in the past.
Pip pip.




Thursday 20 November 2008

December's News


Rebecca has a lovely stall at the Great Dixter Christmas Fair, held on the 6th and 7th of December. Come along to this wonderful house and garden, support local small businesses and do some Christmas shopping.