Wedding fever

Well there's only one way to describe the state of my garden after two weeks away and that is 'seven shades of mental'. To say things have 'shot up' is a bit like saying 'I suppose I quite like cake', i.e. a powerful understatement. If only someone would have a weed-themed wedding then my ship would have come in. Here's hoping. I spent all afternoon weeding, and once I'd finished I stepped back to admire my hard work.....it looked exactly the same. Blast! I think the weeds grow faster than I can take them out. Anyway, amongst the weeds are oodles of cornflowers, stock, sweet peas, amaranthus, zinnias, dianthus and other treats for the discerning weeder.

Show me a florist who says that, on the morning of a wedding, they get up at a respectable hour, have a proper breakfast and the calmly get into their pre-loaded van, having checked everything off their check list, and I will show you a liar. It doesn't matter how well prepared you are, wedding mornings involve: getting up at an hour previously undiscovered by humankind, finding that at least one arrangement/type of flower has drooped/fallen over/gone purple overnight, you've run out of ribbon even though it was RIGHT THERE!, all the stuff doesn't fit in the van, it fits but you can't find your keys, you realise you've lost the directions to the venue, you rush out without breakfast and eat an entire packet of choccie biscuits in the car on the way while you get stuck in a traffic jam the length of the Great Wall of China, whilst the maid of honour calls you every twenty minutes just to 'check on your progress'. And YET, at the end of the day, somehow, it all gets done, everything looks beautiful, the bride looks beautiful, and you can go home and worry about that packet of biscuits...

Here are some photos of today's wedding in Dartford. If I ever work with gerberas again I give you permission to kick me in the face. Wilful flowers, gerberas...

Non rosie posie

OK I totally lied, THIS is the last post before I go on holidays. I just wanted to put up a piccy or two of a very sweet little bridal posie for a laid-back wedding, and also to say that Pines Calyx, the wonderful eco venue where I am sort of 'florist in residence' has redone its wedding pages, and they look smashing, so check them out.

It's apollen! (get it?)

Blogeens, I am going on HOLIDAYS. Yes, that's right. But when I come back it is weddings a go-go so you can look forward to a flurry of bouquets, buttonholes, centrepieces, garlands, and lots more besides on my return.

Usually I forget to take photos because I am in such a flap about getting everything done, and loading up, and making sure I haven't forgotten anything, and I have the best man's mobile number, and I've got a spare bit of this that and the other in case suddenly 52 people who previously weren't coming arrive anyway and a new table needs to be set up (this has happened!). Then I have to work out how to drive to either some beautiful venue in a village named Obscure-under-Wherethehell, or, the opposite of that, some incredibly famous, trust owned, national treasure of a venue, where every brick has been sneezed on by Henry the VIII, every sink has been personally unplugged by Charles Darwin, and I am followed around by a staff member on the verge of a nervous breakdown, screaming "You can't park THERE! That's the tomb of Saint Francis of Asisi!!!" (this has not happened).
But I will try to not forget to get snap happy, even when I'm desecrating national monuments in the name of floristry. I shall leave you with some photos tooken round the garden this evening.

Hello Blogettes! This month you can find Rebecca Frere Flowers featured in none other than that prestigious publication, Kent Life Magazine. RUN from your houses to buy a copy, or just click on the link! It's a lovely feature about growing cut flowers, featuring all sorts of like minded persons and great contacts for people looking for a more natural way to do things. I will overlook the fact that they have included large photos of everyone involved APART from me and only hide my head in a bag for a few days.

A lucky local lady down the road has a very romantic husband. He's had to go away on business for three whole months, and has arranged, every Friday, for a bouquet and a card to be left secretly on her doorstep, as if from the fairies. Luckily I live so close I can just pedal down there on my bike with the bouquet in the basket. Sadly my bike, whilst being an object of great antique beauty, is designed for Edwardian ladies wearing bloomers, petticoats and all manner of rustling skirts, and so, unfortunately, does not go uphill or round corners.

In other news, the lovely Fiona, a new Bride-on-the-Books, or 'Bob', as I have just this minute decided to call new clients, has introduced me to three AMAZING websites which, I think it's safe to say, I am now totally obsessed with. All three are beautiful, unique, inspirational, and American, which I think might say something about the somewhat staid, cookie-cutter nature of a lot of British weddings. Is it just me, or are so many weddings these days identical? Anyway, Style Me Pretty (ignore hideously twee name) Once Wed and Saipua are all amazing websites for inspiration on how to make a wedding beautiful, individual, and budget friendly!

Summer flowers

On the windowsill

Rose-a-rama
Buckets of Delphiniums

Mock up of little centrepieces for wedding

A very special flower in the garden

The Secret Life of Flowers

So this is what happens when you buy a bouquet on the interweb from "Cheep Bowket FlowErz"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3pzV4vunGo

And below is the lifecycle of a bouquet from ME!

Flowers from the garden get picked...

Turned into an attractive bouquet...

Once wilted, get collected...

And put on the compost pile...

Where they become lovely compost to dig into the soil to help new flowers grow...

Helped on with rain water collected in waterbutts...

So that new flowers can make new bouquets!

Now isn't that a nicer story?

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose