Archive | Ranunculus

Green is Gorgeous

I thought now is an appropriate time to celebrate the many shades of green. All of this rain has been rather challenging but looking on the bright side it certainly has turned up the green dial.

 

IMG_5008

IMG_5094

I might not have many other colours in the cutting garden right now with the cold putting everything on pause, buds are waiting to burst and me too with desperate anticipation, but at least my favourite colour is at it's spring best.

 

IMG_5093

 

IMG_5085

Fresh and full of promise I have been cutting plenty of Euphorbia robbiae, Sorbus whitebeam, beech, Solomon's seal, Viburnum opulus, apple mint, sweet cicely and Arum italicum to use in bouquets. 

 

IMG_5163    IMG_5172

The polytunnel has a good row of Nicotiana 'Lime Green', Bupleurum and florists dill for the next wave of fresh, acid greens. 

Rachel Siegfried

0

Must have Muscari

It has been lovely to be back in my studio arranging flowers. I have spent a lot of time over the winter months at my laptop designing weddings and preparing quotes. I have been talking about flowers for months and finally I’ve been let loose.

The last two weddings have been a mixture of pinks and blues. I have mainly been working with anemones, ranunculus, narcissi, tulips and muscari.

The spring flowers are quite challenging to arrange due to their fleshy stems. They are often heavy headed and don’t like being in oasis. I think tulips have the most diva-like tendencies. They take a lot of careful handling and then once I’ve finished arranging after a few hours they’ve moved and pleased themselves anyway. Like true divas though, they know they are worth all the fuss! 

I’ve really enjoyed working with the muscari this year. The stems have been long and the graded blue heads have offered a delicacy to the palette. They are a fabulous bridal flower to use as they last well out of water, making them great for hair flowers and button holes. Here is a flower crown created with muscari and lily of the valley.

  IMG_4874[2]  

Here it is again mixed with narcissi and viburnum for a corsage and used with lily of the valley to create a hair clip:

IMG_4839[2]    IMG_4867[2]

The anemones have been amazing this year. The fully open heads have been so huge a couple of people have mistaken them for oriental poppies! The stems have been straight and long, perfect for constructing a hand tie bouquet.

 

   IMG_4820[2]

It’s always fun to do something big and bold. For last weeks wedding we created three flower balls. I used a base of choisia and viburnum then added ranunculus, anemones, solomons seal and scilla. We also used some magnolia from the family’s garden. They certainly made an impact!

 

  IMG_4901[2]   IMG_4913[2]

 

At the other end of the floristry scale, just a few stems in a bud vase can be heavenly too. Simple, natural and beautiful.

  IMG_4851

Jo Wise

 

 

0

Promising Peonies and Poppies

My ranunculus have been cooking in the oven of our polytunnel but whilst mourning their demise I have been considering the alternatives for our May weddings and 'ready to launch' mail order service. Fortunately the peonies and poppies are showing a lot of promise.

In fact I am amazed at the number of buds on my peonies which are only two years old, I have four varieties to choose from: Kansas, Festiva Maxima, Duchess de Nemours and Sarah Bernhardt. They have obviously enjoyed the cold winter and warm spring, so fingers crossed. I will pick them at the 'marshmallow stage' and combine them with my sweet peas, hesperis and mint for beautifully scented arrangements and bouquets.

 

IMG_0736 

Now the poppies: Icelandic 'Meadow Pastels' …they are dreamy in lemons, apricots and creams. I can't believe how long they last in the vase, their petals look so delicate and tissue-like but even unseared I have had a good five days in this hot weather.

 

April 25th 2011 024 

Other flowers making an early apearance this year by a good three weeks include cornflowers, alliums, nigella, iris and delphiniums.

 

April 25th 2011 003 

All we need now is some gentle rain for about a week to water in all the recent plantings and encourage nice long stems.

RS

 

0