birthday

mine. 
not 40 yet but not 30 either.

laura ashley

the flowers!

the ruffles!

the smocks! 

the tea cosies! 

back in the day laura ashley was the bomb.*

*to celebrate their 60th anniversary, they're running laura ashley memories on facebook where you can upload and view all of those loveable 80's gems.

the floral coalition presents: flower school

last week we had the first ever floral coalition flower school. i had the best time and we have plans for many more...

it was a brilliant group of women, who came from very far and very wide (los angeles! south korea!) we felt very honoured. everyone's favourite photographer cara volunteered to come along for the day and of course we jumped at the chance. we've since made her promise to be our ratified photographer on all official floral business. her beautiful account of the day is here.

i adored working with miss pickering, drinking gin and swapping tales of glory and horror. on the eve of the class we filled a dutch bucket with stems and walked into the nearby fields, clipping and flowering on a balmy summer evening. we giggled at the kinfolk-ness of it all, but probably secretly loved it anyway.

we've started a spanking new mailing-list, so for latest class dates when they're announced as well as a hilarious (but probably infrequent) newsletter sign up HERE on the double. 

lotte and bloom make top british florists list by harper's bazaar

as a wise man once said BOOM-SHAK-A-LAK
full piece here

reduction

a.k.a lately my retinas hurt from seeing so many arrangements rammed with hundreds of ingredients. 

five stems of hydrangea. some snapped into florets, some left au natural.

FIN.

daffodil day

overcooked it at chelsea? ready to take your horticultural day-tripping to the next level? two words for you: DAFFODIL DAY. 

one for the purists, don't be dismayed that almost every other visitor you meet here is 75+. it's a mere decoy, a test to ascertain your commitment! DD must be the gem in the crown of any self-respecting horticultural calendar.

you think i'm kidding. i promise you i'm not, this was the best day out i've had in ages. by a country mile. 562 varieties of cut daffodil from the garden's collection, a fiddle quartet, a stall full of old flower/garden books (3 for £1). a tearoom to rival any other: immaculate home-baking and pots of tea served by a delightful crew of senior ladies in tabards (the drop scone with lemon curd was a particular highlight).

god bless the national trust and all who sail in her.

b+w