New Flower Varieties for 2016

Every year we like to include some new varieties that we haven't grown before to add to the mix of colours and forms in our existing repertoire of flowers and foliages. It also means we can respond to requests for emerging colour trends etc - the wedding flower market is very fluid and the popularity of certain flowers and colour combinations is forever changing.

In terms of current trends, the desire for the "just-picked", garden style is showing no signs of abating and is growing ever stronger, which is fine by us! Evolving from this for 2016, we've noticed an increased demand for having lots of different colours in a range of tones to give a more meadowy, random feel. Also, the demand for the apricots, peaches and burnt oranges seems to be still going strong. We've also noticed over the last couple of years that the deeper pinks and maroons are really liked. Here are some of the new varieties that we're including this year in addition to all the old favourites....

Snapdragon "Pretty in Pink", a new perennial variety

Lily Acapulco

Dianthus "Kensington Mix"

Dahlia La Recoleta

Dahlia Cornel Bronze

Dahlia Palmares

Dahlia Labrinth

Dahlia American Dawn

Alstroemeria Eris

Dahlia Peaches

Snapdragon Lipstick Silver

Thalictrum Delavayi

Cosmos Cupcakes

Cosmos Xanthos

The Cut Flower Garden in Winter

So, it's the middle of February and the weather has been pretty dire to say the least over the last few weeks. The incessant rain and resultant waterlogged ground has put the brakes on any digging and planting which is a source of frustration! However, in between the bouts of drizzle, lots of weeding, cutting back and general tidying has been done, as well as mulching when the ground has not been frozen. It's always good to get as much done and out of the way before the busy seed-sowing and planting out in Spring takes over. The poly tunnel is filled with seedlings and young plants between the dormant dahlias. It's not a huge tunnel so every last inch is productive. Will be glad to have some dry sunny days soon and am imagining the teeny seedlings as a mass of stems and leaves, topped with flowers in all different colours...

Autumn sown ammi, cornflowers and larkspur in the poly tunnel

Dahlia bed in poly tunnel interplanted with dutch irises, cornflowers and larkspur in between the dormant dahlias

A bed of baby feverfew in the field, one of the best fillers for bouquets

Eucalyptus bed in field, with both varieties Gunnii and Parvifolia

Dahlia bed in field with wood chip mulch to protect them over winter

Greenhouse

Autumn sown sweet peas to be planted in the poly tunnel for an early crop

Seedlings in the greenhouse, including salvias, orlaya and fennel

Rose bed edged with Rosemary Miss Jessopps Upright

Rose bed edged with newly planted lavender

A Lovely Tipi Wedding in West Sussex

Welcome to 2016! At this time of year the growing side of things can only be done in short bursts when it's not pouring with rain or the ground not rock hard with frost. It's always nice to think back to sunny days and buckets of freshly picked blooms overflowing with their flowery harvest. Last May we did flowers for a perfect English country wedding. The brief was natural, relaxed, seasonal flowers in a jumble of shapes, sizes, colours and textures. The church was decorated with a garland over the lynch gate, milk churns at the door and little buckets of mixed arrangements tied to pews. The reception was held in a nearby field in a gloriously capacious tipi, with trugs and jam jars of flowers galore. It was a truly English country affair! Beautiful photos taken by Scott Wilson at Life in Focus.

Rustic Box Centrepieces

What sort of arrangements work well on the ceremony and/or top table, and which sorts of containers work well as centrepieces on long rectangular tables? When the flowers need to be long and low to suit a rectangular table and not obliterate people's view it really works well to have the flowers in a rustic wooden box. I think these look amazing in a more informal venue such as a barn where they tie in with the timber structure. They also work really well in a country marquee setting where a more relaxed look is sought. They make a lovely alternative to the conventional low arrangement in floral foam and as an added bonus make really nice giveaways afterwards!

Dahlias, stocks and roses by the Homegrown Flower Company

Rustic box for a June wedding at Hendall Manor Barns

Dahlias, ammi and feverfew by the Homegrown Flower Company

Lovely delphiniums! (found on Pinterest)

Peach roses and stocks (courtesy of Pinterest)

Summer flowers (found on Pinterest)

Rustic meadow

Rustic box with stocks, roses and hydrangea by us for a wedding at Hendall

Lovely pink gypsophila! By the Homegrown Flower Company

Photographer Georgianna Lane

I am always on the lookout for flowery inspiration and on a recent online quest I found some beautiful images of my two favourite things - Roses and Peonies. The pictures were so ravishing I wanted more, so I was led to the website of the US-based photographer Georgianna Lane.  All I can say is "wow", and suggest very strongly that you take a look! She takes the most mouthwateringly stunning pictures of flowers, often in the form of still-life studies and every one is simply gorgeous. She also travels extensively and there are many shots of flowers in garden settings, with a recent blog post of her trip this summer to the David Austin rose gardens. I contacted her and she very kindly said I could show you a few examples of her work on my little blog, so here goes.... (It was really hard to narrow down which ones to use!)