Blooming Green Flowers

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:53:00 +0000

Excuse the delay in blog posts, but we are busy redesigning our website and planning an exciting year ahead. Much as we like to lock the door to our office at this time of year, and keep our heads down, we cannot ignore all the lovely people who have got in touch asking for up-to-date information on our courses and events in 2012. So, here are the dates... Lots more info will follow, on our new-fangled website.

Sunday March 25: Willow wigwams course
Friday April 20: Grow your own cut flowers course

Sunday April 29: Spring Open Day

Sunday May 13: Wedding flowers course
Thursday May 24: Wedding flowers course
Friday June 8: Wedding flowers course, The Walled Nursery, Hawkhurst

Saturday July 21: Summer Open Day

Sunday September 23: Autumn Open Day

Saturday October 6: Grow your own cut flowers course
Sunday November 25: Christmas wreaths and natural Christmas decorations

Belgian blooms (and the odd waffle)

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:07:00 +0000

The other day we got a last-minute invitation to a Belgian plant fair, from our gardening guru Anke. Beervelde is held near Lochristi and, dare we say it, leaves Hampton Court in the shade and, erm, looking a bit tacky. Plant sellers gather in the mature parkland around a country house, with the whole event landscaped and styled, as only the Belgians know how. When you run out of steam, you can stop at an island cafe for hot chocolate and waffles.

Before heading to the plant fair we took a detour to a wonderful cutting garden near Brussels. We had met Yolande, the cutting garden's creator, at the Silene stand at the Great Dixter Plant Fair. It was fantastic to gather tips, enthusiasm and cuttings from her, before heading to the most incredible plant fair EVER! We cannot recommend a visit highly enough. Beervelde will, as Anke's husband warned, 'blow your mind' and make you look at plants in a whole new light.

What others said about our open day!

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:25:00 +0000

We have just received this link, from the lovely girls at the Festival Bride blog. They came along to our open day, and seemed to have a rather lovely time. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did! Click here to read more

Where's Jen?

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:50:00 +0000

Ooops. I had a feeling this might happen... Though being engulfed in hops is not an entirely unpleasant experience.

What happened next?

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:23:00 +0000

Last week we went to Stuart and Linda Highwood's hop farm at Collier Street, to pick hops for a wedding. There's something magical about wandering through the towering hopbines... and the smell in the hop garden (never called a field) is wonderful. This area was once covered with hop gardens, though they are now a much rarer sight. Enjoy the 'before' and after shots...

Flowers to Hackney

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:30:00 +0000

Last week we provided flowers for a wedding in Hackney. The family was a little worried that the bride's street would still be standing... Luckily, by the wedding weekend, eveything had calmed down. We hope that our flowers transport a little peace and calm from our Kentish plot.

Come painting with Carole!

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:42:00 +0000

In a couple of weeks' time, the plot will be getting all 'cultured' when Carole Robson comes along with her easel, to show us how to capture our flowers at their best. Anyone who has visited Carole's studio (it was her annual 'open studio' last month) will know how stunning her pictures are. If you would like to come along too, she still has some space left. Maybe it's time Bek and I donned our Breton tops and flexed our brushes? For more info, visit: www.carolerobson.com

Bee Symposium

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:33:00 +0000

Despite working on a field of flowers, Bek and I still like to broaden our horizons. The other day we were invited to the Bee Symposium, a gathering of bee fans and campaigners, organised by Neal's Yard and Sam Roddick. Sam is the daughter of Anita Roddick, who founded the Body Shop, and is a clever and successful woman in her own right. She's also really sweet (and remembered me interviewing her years ago, when I was a journalism student). We spent the day at Sheepdrove Organic Farm in Berkshire, and listened to talks by representatives from: Buglife, the Natural Beekeepers Association and the Soil Association. Needless to say, we came away feeling utterly inspired to plant even more bee and insect-friendly flowers on our plot. That said, according to a visiting entomologist friend (bug-lover) our plot is already a-buzz with life. The same cannot be said for a lot of other urban and rural areas across Britain. Bees need our help! For more information, click here.

Fun at the gardens

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:47:00 +0000

On Saturday we got to play with flowers at Yalding Gardens, as part of our wedding bouquet and buttonhole course. Our plan to use peonies from Buston Manor was thwarted by the recent dry weather, but our attendees (doesn't that sounds grand) said they liked our 'BG plot selection' even more. Everyone's bouquet looked different, but equally lovely. I sometimes get a bit nervous before leading a course, but as soon as everyone turns up and we get started, I remember how relaxed and fun it is. I may have to include a buttonhole pic in another post!

This is more like it...

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:54:00 +0000

Despite last week's excitement over large agricultural machinery, our new self-propelled seed planter is much more up our street. Or should we say furrow? With a bit of practice, we got up quite some speed, and managed to plant nearly all of our annuals (cornflowers, larkspur, nigella, sunflowers) in one day. Heath Robinson eat your heart out. Thanks to our assistant Mary, for keeping us in line. (Oh dear, the seed-planting jokes go on).

Nice tractor!

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:29:00 +0000

This week we've expanded our plot, to make room for more annuals. We're planting such lovelies as: cornflower, larkspur, sunflowers and bupleurum, so there's lots of goodies for us and our PYO customers. It'll certainly make a pretty backdrop. Thanks to our neighbour, James Forknall, and his huge tractor, it only took a short while to get it ploughed and harrowed. It's not often he gets asked to sort out such a small acreage... The expression 'using a sledgehammer to crack a nut' springs to mind!

Pic for Nellie in the US!

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:57:00 +0000

One of Bek's wigwams... at Yalding Gardens, in their topiary border. Bek really likes to use colour, and also loves stripes. You can definitely see her influence here!

Calling in the big guns

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:47:00 +0000

This morning I arrived on the doorstep of the gardening gurus, David and Anke Way, to let them know that we had come to cut their willow (which they had kindly offered us). "Oh, is it just you?" asked David. "Oh no," I said. "I've brought the big guns." The "big guns" being Uncle Alan, with his lethal-looking electric secateurs, Auntie Mary with loppers, plus Bek and me with sharpened snippers. We need the willow for Bek's wigwam-making course next week. What would have been an enormous job for one person, was completed in less than an hour, leaving us with time to stroll round this amazing garden - famed for its snowdrop collection - and enjoy the sudden change in the weather. The Ways open their wonderful, mature garden a couple of times a year, as part of the National Garden Scheme. Their next open day is Wednesday May 25, from 11-4. For those of you who want to know the names of the lovely willow pictured, they are: Salix alba 'Britzensis'(red) S. alba 'Hutchinson's Yellow' and S. alba 'Tristis'(almost black).

Not a bad start to 2011!

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:57:00 +0000

Bek and I were shocked, delighted and rather chuffed to come in at Number 13, in The Independent's list of Britain's 50 Top Florists this last weekend. In case you missed it, this is what they said: Since appearing on the series 'My Dream Farm', presented by Monty Don on Channel 4 last year, Blooming Green has earned a reputation as a well-respected eco-friendly florist and flower farm,' says Victoria. 'If you're looking for locally grown, seasonal flowers or would like to pick your own flowers for your wedding, this is the florist for you.' The lovely hand-tied bouquets come in home-compostable and recycled packaging.

Happy Christmas and see you in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:10:00 +0000

We've spent today huddled in our cosy office, hatching plans for 2011. It's been snowing all day and the view from the office window is something special. To celebrate the end of the year (and getting our accounts done) we thought we'd have a spot of mulled wine on the plot. With the help of Bek's camping stove, we've been able to brew up a few glasses for passing wassailers, who included Uncle Alan, Sue the fabulous curtain-maker, and Farmer James. Thought we should share it. (Well, the view at least!)
Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year from us both. Jen and Bek

November is... Tulip Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 16:10:00 +0000

Now's the time, not for picking tulips but for planting. Bek and Gary have been hard at work planting over 2000 bulbs in two days. Bless Gary, he just keeps on smiling, whatever we throw at him. Even if that means tulip bulbs. As well as tulips, we've been planting Dutch Iris and Allium bulbs with a few interesting new varieties we've not tried before.
The idea with planting tulips in November, is to get them in before the really cold weather hits. And, if the sub-zero tempertures that have just arrived are anything to go by, I'd say we've timed it just right. That said, GQT (Gardeners' Question Time, on BBC Radio 4) did advise that you can plant tulips in January. But we're not taking any risks. We've planted some of the luscious colours we had last year, and lots of others... Bring on the the Spring!

Wrapping up for Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:54:00 +0000

The frost has made our minds up for us, as to whether or not we are seasonal florists! The zinnias have copped it, as have the dahlias... so now we are concentrating on gardening, ordering seeds and plants, and gathering goodies for our Winter wreaths. In case you haven't seen one of our funky wreaths before, here's a pic.
Somehow, whenever I try and type 'Christmas wreath' it comes out as 'Christmas wrath'... which, for those of you who are not fans of the Christmas season, may seem appropriate! As the shed gets colder, and our fingers freeze, prepare for other amusing slips of hand...

Our own guerrilla gardener! Thank you

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:45:00 +0000

It seems it's not just in the city that you find guerrilla gardeners

Yesterday, I'd just nipped out for an hour, when I got a phone call. "There's a man here, says he's got some delphiniums," said my friend Adrian. By the time I'd got back, this kind gentleman - who wants to remain anonymous - had planted 16 plants, and left the others carefully nestled in a pile of compost, to keep their roots damp.
He wanted nothing in return, not even flowers, and said he simply wanted to pass on his love of the classic garden flower. Though these are a little bit special; pink and 'cranberry', rather than brilliant blue. Here's a big thank you for this man's random act of kindness.

Bouquet course at Yalding Gardens

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:26:00 +0000

Last week we ran our first-ever hand-tied bouquet course at the gardens... and were chuffed to bits by how things turned out. We had 11 people on our course, who all learnt how to make a simple hand-tied bouquet using seasonal, local flowers. Everyone seemed to have a fun time, and we have had several nice emails since, reporting that the bouquets are still going strong, that the lemon cake in the cafe was 'sublime' and asking when we're having our next course... (October 16, for those who missed out on this month's course). Thanks to Paul and Sam, at YaldingGardens for letting us use such a fab venue.

It's no secret that Paul is Bek's brother and my cousin. Since he took over the gardens, he's been struggling to keep us family out, and we are all getting a little bit chubbier round the middle.

A nice kind of complaint...

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:05:00 +0000

Over the weekend I found a pretend-grumpy message on my phone from my friend Zoe, telling me it was time we updated the blog. She said she was in need of her fix of Blooming Green news. So, for Zoe, and all our other friends...

We've been crazily busy with weddings for starters. Weddings in tee pees, in Indian marquees and lovely old churches. Last month we were asked by Riverford Organic to provide flowers for the Riverford Travelling Field Kitchen What a privilege! Their yurt was the most stunning venue and we got to enjoy the whole experience ourselves, one Saturday night, along with Patricia and Matt, two faithful helpers.

The plot has been busy every Thursday and Friday, with people wanting to do 'pick-your-own-flowers'. Whether they are florists or brides-to-be, everyone seems to enjoy some time-out, out on the plot. We've also just run our first hand-tied bouquet course at Yalding Gardens. I think that may need a separate posting! So, there's a little update. Enjoy part 2!

Look what our flowers have inspired!

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:14:00 +0000

Kapitza is an independent design company run by sisters Nicole & Petra Kapitza who share a passion for everyday life, minimalism, patterns & colour. Their studio is based in East London, a vibrant and dynamic area which forms part of the inspiration for their work. Other inspirations include nature, people and software... (and Blooming Green!)
http://kapitza.com/shop/fonts/we-love-nature-stems-two
http://www.kapitza.com

All a-buzz at the Open Day

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:48:00 +0000

After a mass of picking, tidying and making cakes, our Open Day has been and gone... But it was worth all the effort. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves and no one seemed in a hurry to leave. We think there were about 180 visitors in all, although it was difficult to count the children who were running around looking for butterflies as part of the national Big Butterfly Count. We could have done with a butterfly net to round up the children at the end of the day. There were masses of cakes, strawberries from Clock House Farm nextdoor and the odd glass of the Chapel Down Rose, "English Rose". Plus buckets and buckets of flowers. We were chuffed to receive so many compliments on our plot, but one of the best came from Erika McAlister, who works in the insect department of the Natural History Museum in London, who said: "I've never been a fan of cut flowers, for obvious reasons, but having seen the mass of different bee varieties on your plot, I have changed my mind."

Blooming trendy

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:17:00 +0000

Last week our flowers were seen in Whistable... beautifully arranged by Lorna Pugh, a freelance florist and owner of Pod Floral Design which is based in this fab seaside town. Her arrangements were on display at 'Made in Whitstable', a showcase of works by a co-operative of artists and 'craftspeople'. Didn't she do a great job? We loved the heavy earthenware containers she used too... very 'farm'.

Coals to Newcastle...Flowers to Sissinghurst

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:03:00 +0000

Sometimes it's tempting just to sit and look at our field of flowers and not actually sell them. Even some of our customers struggle to wield the secateurs and take our flowers away. At times like this, we have to remind ourselves that one of the main reasons we are doing what we are doing, is 'sharing the love'. Or sharing our flowers, at least.

Recently we've started supplying Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse with buckets of flowers. It's a pleasure sending off our flower buckets, knowing that they will be enjoyed by all the guests, in this most glorious setting at Sissinghurst.

The B&B is run by Sue and Fraser Thompson (Fraser is perhaps best know as the MD of Chapel Down Winery) in the National Trust's Victorian farmhouse (www.sissinghurstcastlefarmhouse.com ) Sue kindly gave me a tour of the rooms, so I could see our flowers in situ. What with the fab decor, high ceilings and the views of Sissinghurst Castle and Gardens, I really don't think our flowers could end up in a lovelier spot. It seems the guests have been tickled by the real, English flowers too. If only I could justify a mini-break just a few miles from home...

The excitement of life as a chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Blooming Green Flowers) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:11:00 +0000

This morning I was sitting in our little office, looking out on the lines of flowers being buffeted by the breeze and enjoying the sense of relief one feels when muggy weather breaks into gentle showers. I love the rain. Though not so much when I'm cycling around the lanes.
As I looked out on our plot, one of our 'TV chickens'(bought to keep the TV people happy) strutted past in the way that only chickens can; all nonchalant and self-assured. I marvelled at the idyllic scene, thinking 'this is the life'. A minute later the same chicken shot past my window, wings flapping, legs striding out as if its life depended on it. It had me in stitches. Farmer James says there's a manky fox prowling round the orchard next to our plot. So maybe Chicken Lickin really was running for her life?
After a couple of hours at the computer, I decided I needed a strut around the plot myself so grabbed Bek's hat (to put me in the right frame of mind), some gardening gloves and went to attack the weeds. Who needs an executive toy to relax you when you can grab weeds by the neck and lob them into a pile...