​  Over a season I make so many wedding bouquets & just like the wedding couples, every one is different. ⁠
  I'm not following a strict recipe used every time. Instead, I select locally grown flowers & foliage at their very best here that week, that month. ⁠
  While working on a wedding bouquet, I'm totally absorbed. Selecting stems in chosen colours, varieties & shapes. Taking note of special requests & scents. Moving the bouquet round in my hands to position those stems, checking they're where I want them. Next morning, any final tweaks are made & the ribbon trimmings added. ⁠
  Of course, I love to see those bouquets captured artistically by the talented Photographers attending a wedding. But once the bouquet is ready, few are photographed properly here. Time is of the essence on wedding morning. I must get that bouquet delivered on time! ⁠
  So most are given a quick phone snap in front of my workshop wall or perhaps the hedge. Never mind the poor lighting, dreary backdrop or my not-so-stylishly dressed arm! ⁠
  Unsurprisingly, those quick snaps rarely make it on yo social media. They're lost in my phone, simply an 'aide memoire'. They help me remember a couple, what I made & exactly what was flowering on their wedding day.⁠
  And this is one of those 'lost' bouquets, I made it for Ruth last July. I rediscovered it when looking for reminders of flower availability. This helps me plan my planting & sowing schedule in 2026. Yes, I keep written cutting lists but a visual record is much more vivid for me. ⁠
 I notice the first scented 'Ispahan' Roses & white Agapanthus. Both very early last Summer. Lavender Sweet Peas. The last of that batch of Corncockle & Nigella. All added into the plan again for this year. ⁠
  Looking forward to cutting them again soon for this years events... Let me know if you or somebody you know would love our locally grown flowers for that special touch too.⁠

  When you see others smile, you just have to smile back don't you?
And this is such a joyous & colourful selection of wedding photos of Jemma & Lisa at their Dalduff Luxury Barn wedding in Ayrshire last September. ⁠
  Those smiles & special moments captured brilliantly by Top Photographer Sarah Craig of Joy Story Photo⁠

  The Bridal Bouquet included bold, Autumn colours. Garden Roses for scent, Dahlia, Rudbeckia, Amaranthus & much more. 100% grown & arranged by myself here in Galloway. Minimal flower miles for this wedding!

  The Ceremony area in the main Barn at Dalduff was dressed with this giant hoop (couples own) draped with British grown Hops. A touch of colour was added with the large jars of seasonal flowers arranged at the Hoop base & on the Signing table.
​  Jars are a budget-friendly decor idea as they 'double up' the flower impact. Lightweight & easily moved by guests after the ceremony, large jars of fresh flowers can be used elsewhere at the venue. 

  Buttonholes for the wedding party were made from seasonal, locally grown flowers & foliage, simply trimmed with ivory ribbon. Every one was unique & included everlasting flowers, berries & whimsical grasses.

  Family & friends pulled together to create table florals for the Barns. Large buckets of locally grown flowers from Galloway Flowers  (including a LOT of Dahlias!) were delivered to the venue the afternoon before the wedding. Gin & wine bottles plus bud vases were filled with flowers for colour, personality & a party atmosphere.

Many thanks to L & J for sharing the photos with me & of course, thanks also to Sarah Craig @joystoryphoto for capturing such a fun moment in her fabulous photos!⁠

Supplier Details;
Photographer Sarah Craig, Joy Story Photo https://joystory.co.uk/
Wedding Venue; Dalduff Luxury Barn Weddings, Ayrshire https://www.dalduffweddings.com/
Flowers; Rosie Gray & Ken Leslie, Galloway Flowers https://www.gallowayflowers.co.uk/​

​  Starting another batch of Sweet Peas ... after such a wet day yesterday, I decided it was time to cheer myself up by getting a few more going.⁠
  There's debate about whether soaking Sweet Pea seed helps or hinders their germination. If you search the internet you'll find many posts on the 'best' way to grow such a popular flower. ⁠
  To be honest, I don't think there's only one way, many methods work. Just do it in a way that's easy & successful in your growing conditions. ⁠
  What seems to make the biggest difference to mine (just my humble opinion & experience) is using fresh seed & actually sowing them. ⁠
  Buying seed is great fun & very easy to do, especially late at night on the internet after a glass of wine. ⁠
  But Sweet Peas don't grow well inside the packets. Yes, I've been guilty of losing seed, buying far too many or simply never quite getting around to sowing! Please tell me it isn't just me who does that...⁠
  So I soak Sweet Pea seed for about an hour, that's it. Just enough to soften the coat, not enough to rot them. Seems to work for me so here we go again- we'll be cutting buckets full of scented beauty in no time.
  For more practical insights on growing beautiful cut flowers in your flower patch, join me on my 'Cut Flowers From Your Garden' workshop. All the details & online booking Here

 January is the time for quiet strolls around the cutting beds with my notebook & a dog, noting actions required. Gaps to fill, plants to divide or move, repairs, plans...
  Still a long time until anything I could call 'Spring', yet I've felt a subtle shift this week. A couple of afternoons working without a jacket, listening to birds singing about territory already & noticeably a little more light in the evenings. Best of all, I can see flowery changes too. Wiggling Catkins on a sunny bank, buds swelling on Roses & Honeysuckle, Daffodils & Snowdrops pushing up from nowhere overnight. 
  And so the promise of a year full of flowers here begin again... I'm re-energised after the long Christmas break, impatient to get my hands in the soil again. And of course, cut even more flowers this year! There are always lessons learned, new ideas to try & new beauty to create.
 
  It's our 11th season growing cut flowers here & it's time for consolidation & a refresh. We use about an acre for flowers (including greenhouses, tunnels, compost corner etc.) That's about capacity for us to manage.The weeds become unmanageable incredibly fast in Galloway rain if we turn our backs! So I'm concentrating on using space better, more productively. It's always better to continue producing quality rather than more quantity.

  Some flowers, while I might love them, produce few stems or are less in demand, compared to others. So my 'Dump, Grow More, Grow the Same' list is probably the most important. For example, Dahlias - some varieties pump out masses of fabulous flowers, others make you grateful for a paltry few delivered late in the season, sneaking in just before the frosts. (Cafe Au Lait I'm looking straight at you, despite your glamour...) The flower business is led by fashion & fickle. Colours & styles change, floral designers are always looking for something new to make their designs stand out. So some of my old favourites are on the move to my private garden to make way for more bestsellers. (But I daresay, many will be back when fashion shifts again!)

  This is the month of imagining, tucked up beneath a patchwork quilt by the wood burner, scrolling plant & seed catalogues. I've declared my Dahlia & seed shopping done a couple of times now, only to find 'just one more'' is indispensable. And then I'm on to the planning. Consultations with wedding couples drive much of my choices. What will flower when, sowing & planting schedules to keep flowers coming, & critically, how do I fit it all in!

   Last year, flowers were typically 2-3 weeks ahead of 2024 blooming dates. It was difficult to predict with certainty exactly what would be in flower when. I knew there would always be something lovely in colour schemes as we grow so many varieties. Climate change is very real & beginning to impact us here faster than we could have predicted 10 years ago.

  I'm itching to rip open the seed packets & get started. Despite the advice of many so called experts on social media, I'll wait until the Equinox when light levels are increased. Seed sown now will likely rot in damp cold soil as germination without heat is slow. Or if it germinates, the results will be straggly thin light starved seedlings quickly overtaken by seed sown next month. Only exceptions to the 'no sow' rule for me are more Sweet Peas, Antirrhinum & Chillies at the end of the month. A couple of Perennials needing freezing weather to get them going will go in too. Unless you have grow lights & a heated greenhouse, I advise patience.

  Tulip bulbs became very expensive last year (wholesale bulbs roughly 30% up) so I reduced the number grown. To fill the gap, I've increased the number of Ranunculus, Anemones & Poppies for the early May - early June period. Mice protection in force as they love them. All are being kept in the cool tunnel, on a table the mice (so far) haven't scaled.
  
  This is a busy month for wedding bookings so if you know a couple planning to tie the knot, feel free to point them at my Wedding Pages  on my website. The most popular Summer dates book quickly & I take on only a few wedding dates each week. We offer options to suit all budgets - from full service, bespoke occasions to 'bloom buckets' of mixed flowers for DIY Weddings. Most popular choices are somewhere in between. Couples choose their package of bouquets & buttonholes to be made up by myself, & order buckets of flowers to decorate the venue tables etc.
 
 What Can I Cut in January?
  This month, we must seek out the treats - often our nose finds them! The scented shrubs are wafting perfume about on calmer days & many are good for a vase. Just a few stems of lemony Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera Frangrantissima) transformed an arrangement I made yesterday. The Customer noticed it immediately.
  I've been cutting colourful Willow, Cornus, Garrya, Hazel & Alder Catkins, even Pussy Willow this week.
  Look under Shrubs too, a few Hellebore, Snowdrops, Cyclamen & Aconites are peeping through. Just a few short weeks & these will carpeting the ground. The easily missed details are precious to cut just now. Perhaps a few Cyclamen or Heuchera leaves, Violas from a pot outside, the gorgeous scented Narcissi from the Isles of Scilly. I've a line of egg cup sized bud vases along the kitchen shelf with these tiny treasures!
  I'm sure garden centres have Hyacinth & Narcissi bulbs to pot up in your own bowls for a deliciously scented  'pick me up' in the house.

Upcoming Events 2026
  We'll be hosting Flower Workshops here at the Flower Farm again this year. As always, there'll be a generous supply of fresh flowers & of course, tea & cake!. Groups will be small (maximum 4 adults) so please don't delay if you're planning to book. (Plan an Escape from the endless World Cup tv coverage perhaps...)
The dates are;

• 'Cut Flowers from Your Garden' Sunday 12th April (3 places left)
• 'Making a Hand Tied Bouquet' Sundays 14th June, 19th July & 16th August
• 'Arrange a Vase' Sundays 21st June, 9th & 30th August

Jobs for January

• Sow Sweet Peas (indoors) in deep pots & protect from Mice!
• Order & plant bare root Roses & trees - still plenty of rain to come to get them established
• Hellebores are coming into bud - trim away any dead, tatty leaves to reveal the flowers. This prevents them marking flowers
• Check your seed supplies - do you have everything you need? 
• On a mild day, wash greenhouse glass & polytunnel covers - the extra light makes a big difference. Wash & sort seed trays. Wash labels & pots so you're ready to begin - looked after these last years & minimise plastic waste
• Remember the birds &  Squirrels in cold weather. They appreciate feeders full of peanuts, sunflower seed & fat balls. Clean fresh water is a great help to them when normal sources are frozen Clean out bird boxes ready for nesting season.

How To Buy Our Flowers;

• Deliveries or collections  Our fresh bouquet season has closed until Mother's Day. Deliveries will be on Friday 13th March. Orders are open now - we will sell out so time to drop hints if necessary!
• We arrange flowers for funerals, parties & events using 100% British-grown flowers all year round - pre-order essential
• Regular Flower Subscriptions. Book for the 2026 season – choose the dates, & we’ll cut fresh for local delivery or collection Order Online
• Florists Wholesale. In 2026, we're opening up the opportunity for more Florists to buy our flowers regularly & increase delivery options Message for details.
• Weddings - the order book is open!

   And you can, of course, telephone me on 01644 420407 or email if you prefer talking to a real person rather than ordering flowers online. Much of my work is 'bespoke' for House flowers, parties & funerals so doesn't really fit the neat boxes necessary for online ordering. 

  There'll be more cold, wet weather to come yet so be sure to make the most of any dry, bright days. Notice whats stirring already, & make the most of the lovely sparse ''bits & bobs' available to fill your vases. There's something very calming about a vase of twiggy catkins, perhaps experiment with adding a few dried flowers too.

  Just day dream about the beautiful flowers to come & do that armchair shopping!

Until next time,
Rosie
Galloway Flowers
 
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
Frances Hodgson Burnett Author of 'The Secret Garden'

   It's undeniably Autumn, & it seems the season changed extra early this year.  As I walked among the flowers this morning, there was a light mist, a stillness in the air. All I could hear were Geese flying South above, crispy leaves underfoot & the frequent 'clunk' of acorns falling to the ground.
  The volume of stems to cut has reduced fast, Storm Amy & a few light frosts saw to that. We protected Dahlias from frost on several nights with fleece for a last, late September wedding.  Peak wedding season over, we'll stop the protection now & let Jack Frost win. If we don't begin the end of season clearing tasks, it becomes much harder in cold, wet soil. We can easily fall behind with preparations for 2026.
   There are still flowers of course. Colours are vibrant - coppers, peaches, hot pinks & purples glow in softer Autumn sunshine. We'll use them for funeral flowers & parties, supplementing with extra flowers from trusted growers further South, if necessary.  Just not enough variety or volume now for plentiful bouquets or 'Bloom Buckets' for flower arrangers. 
   Often we think of Autumn as the end of the gardening year, time for 'putting the garden to bed'. For us though, it's very much the beginning of our 2026 season with so much to do. It's a busy time & we must make the most of dry spells - it will not last! There are more than 350 Dahlia tubers to lift & store, Perennials to divide & propagate, bulbs to plant out & more seeds to sow for early flowers next year.
  After the whirlwind Summer season of weddings & long days, it's time to take stock, tweak our plans to keep the business healthy. I keep a notepad open as this is a key time to review planting while my memory is fresh. Fashions & tastes change, particularly colours in demand for weddings & our wholesale orders from Florists. Some plants thrive in our soil & climate - others don't. And of course, irresistible new varieties are promised in the nursery catalogues every year. So I'm noting which stems sold well, which were left behind. What should I grow more of next year for happy Customers? What should I do & grow less of?
  We'll be hosting Christmas Wreath Making workshops here at the Flower Farm again this year. As always, there'll be plenty of fresh, British grown foliage to make your wreath (without floral foam) & plenty of trimmings to dress them up too. Groups will be small (maximum 4 adults) so please don't delay if you're planning to book. The dates are;

• Sunday 30th November
• Sunday 7th December

 What Can I Cut in October?
  The Dahlias, Michaelmas Daisies, Hesperantha & Acidanthera are the stars this month. Combined with a last few garden Roses perhaps, plus Autumnal foliage, golden bracken & berries we can still fill a stunning vaseful. It's the time for gathering in the last 'crispy bits' such as grasses & seed heads to dry for the long winter months. After Storm Amy, there's a plentiful supply of fallen twigs (many with lovely Acorns) to make an Autumn wreath for your door. I've begun gathering cones for Christmas wreaths...

Upcoming Events 2026

• 'Cut Flowers from Your Garden' Sunday 27th April (3 places)
• I'll add dates for 'Making a Hand Tied Bouquet' & 'Arrange a Vase' soon

Jobs for October

• Prick out & grow on Hardy Annual seeds sown last month. Sow another batch & perennial seeds to grow on in a cold frame over winter
• Rake up leaves & store for beautiful Leaf Mould, a wonderful soil additive for your plants
• Time for the big divide while soil is warm. Perennial plants such as Astrantia, Lupins, Achillea & Campanula are revitalised by this. You'll have more plants, more flowers & some extra to swap with a friend
• Dig up & store Dahlia tubers
• Sow Sweet Pea seed for an early crop next year. Protect from mice as they love the seed. I sow a few now but wait until January to sow more for this reason
• Plant bulbs now for a gorgeous display next Spring - Narcissi, Allium, Hyacinths, Muscari & Crocus can all go in now. How about planting a bulb lasagne in a pot for a long lasting display?
• Bare root season for planting Roses & other shrubs has begun

  Enjoy the glorious Autumn colours in the coming weeks & do make the most of any sunshine - it really is a beautiful time of year. KIck up the leaves like a five year old, collect conkers for your 'Nature Table' & fill your vases with glorious golden foliage & berries. 
  While our 10th season of growing flowers here has come to an end, the Wreathing season & 2026 flowers begins...

Until next time,
Rosie
Galloway Flowers

  A 100% compostable Wreath made in early May.
Made from natural materials & zero plastic. All the flowers & foliage were grown here in Galloway, except the cheerful little Viola plugs. ⁠ The Gentleman remembered was a passionate Scottish Country Dancer so as a nod to that, I included a touch of our Heather in the wreath too. ⁠
  No wire, no floral foam & no plastic is required to make a wreath like this. ⁠ Yet it's estimated UK Crematoriums fill the equivalent of 6 Olympic swimming pools each year with floral foam & single use plastic. And that's just crematoriums, even more foam & plastic is left in churchyards & at other memorials.⁠ All that plastic currently goes to landfill. Isn't it time to consider alternative, sustainable methods?⁠
  Next week, I'm excited to be supporting other Members of the Farewell Flowers Directory at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London. There'll be an inspiring display of natural, compostable flowers for funerals. ⁠ All will be made using sustainable methods without any floral foam & single use plastic.   The flowers & foliage will be British-grown too.
  I'm looking forward to helping spread the word about natural flowers for funerals to a wider audience.⁠ The Farewell Flowers Directory Team are working hard at the showground over this weekend building the display in the Pavilion. I'm looking forward to seeing the result! ⁠
  The Farewell Flowers Directory is a valuable resource for anyone tasked with organising flowers for a funeral. It has details of 200 British Florists able to create arrangements without using plastic, making them much easier to find. ​

​ Aquilegia are a Spring favourite of mine - I love the way those frilly flowers flounce about in the breeze, or dance above everything else in a bouquet.⁠
  And they hybridise shamelessly, creating new favourites & surprises each year.⁠
This dear little blue & white one came from seed in a precious envelope from a gardening friend. Sown last year, it's opening for the first time this weekend.⁠
  I'm going to exercise great restraint with the snips (probably...) & collect seed to sow again. It might not come true but a whole row of these would be a lovely thing, wouldn't it?⁠

    While working outside this week, there’s been no doubt it’s Spring! The soundtrack of Red Kites calling against the bluest sky, gently buzzing Bees & bleating Lambs on the hill. Colour returns to the flower farm beds. Finally, we’ve flowers to cut!
 
  One moment, I remove a gilet as I get too warm. Then turning a corner from the hedges shelter, I want that gilet back! The cold, easterly wind reminds me not to get carried away with warm weather. The nights are still cold. (Perfect for germinating tricky seeds, like Larkspur, stimulated by fluctuating temperatures btw.)

  It's so much easier to work here when it’s dry. Our days are long now, we know it will not last & must make the most of it.
 
  The cleanup after Storm Eowyn has been hard. We got off lightly, but it took time to see all the damage. So much mess to clear up. Several trees stayed upright, then collapsed without warning. Fortunately, nothing large or dangerous, but sad, nonetheless.  A couple of Conifers have been blasted, almost scorched looking. They look bare branched – I’m keeping fingers crossed for recovery. I’ve never seen that type of damage before so don’t know.
 
  Our old Alpine greenhouse took far more of a hit than we realised. After the Storm, there were a few visibly broken panes, easily fixed. We saw the back end was wonky. Only when Ken began repairs did we realise how much work was necessary. We considered taking it down completely, it’s over 35 years old.
 
  Instead, Ken spent 3 solid weeks (thank goodness for the dry weather) on repairs. Rotten wood frames replaced with new, much of the glass replaced with polycarbonate sheets. With luck & no more 70mph winds, it should see us through a few more years. It’s vital for overwintering tender plants & spring propagation, very expensive to replace.
 
  But the greenhouse reminds me of Triggers Broom from ‘Only Fools & Horses’. (Trigger the Road Sweeper claimed to have used the same broom for 20 years. He maintained it well, with 17 new heads & 14 new handles over that time! I googled the clip earlier & it still made me smile.) Sadly, our Alpine Greenhouse hadn’t received the same loving care all it's life…

  Our smaller Polytunnel is now full & ready to burst into flower by late May. Early Sweet Peas down the centre for June Weddings. A snowstorm of white, palest pink & lavender in the other borders. Many other plants are gradually being acclimatised to go outside but I’m careful. The strong, cold winds could set them back badly. But they'll need to be moved on soon as I must start the Dahlia tubers off. I was told recently all Flower Farmers are gamblers at heart. Maybe. I definitely think you need to be an optimist. And a weather forecaster.
 
  Over the years, I’ve made many arrangements for Funerals. I’ve used British-grown flowers & avoided floral foam & other plastics. Most arrangements are completely compostable. Last year, I joined the Farewell Flowers Directory with eco-minded Flower growers & Florists across the UK. Grown to over 200 members, it’s getting easier to find environmentally friendly funeral arrangements at a difficult time for grieving families.
  This year, Directory members are taking flowers to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May! This is the first time funeral flowers have been displayed at the Show. The stand will be in the main Pavilion. We want to demonstrate environmentally friendly options for funerals to a wider public. It’ll be a long & tiring trip but I’m so excited to do this, helping to put natural funeral flowers in the limelight.
 
  As I write this morning, I’m aware of the wild fire over at Glen Trool. The ground is dry & SEPA are already warning us of the abnormal lack of rain across South West Scotland. Wonderful weather for the Flower Farmer but tough on plants. If you’ve planted new Roses, Shrubs or trees over Winter, do keep them moist with a good soak. I’m giving my Tulips a good soak this evening as the stems will be shorter otherwise. Two more rain barrels are being set up to catch rain from the repaired greenhouse gutters.
 
What Can I Cut in April?
  Suddenly, the choice widens. Blossom is emerging – my Magnolia & Cherry are almost out, Amelanchier soon. All are lovely in a vase either alone or mixed with Tulips & Narcissi. The Tulips are ridiculously early. I plant mine late as I want them in late April & May. This weather is bringing them on fast! See below if you would like a bunch to arrange at home. Tiny treasures such as Fritillaria, Cowslips & other Primulas are lovely to cut now too & last a good week in a vase.

Upcoming Events 2025
Dates for the first workshops are live on the website now. I'll add more dates as wedding dates in July & August firm up.

• 'Cut Flowers from Your Garden' Sunday 27th April (only 1 place)
• 'Make A Hand Tied Bouquet'  Sunday 4th May (2 places)
• 'Arrange A Vase' Afternoon' Sunday 15th June (1 places)
• 'Arrange A Vase' Afternoon' Sunday 22nd June (3 places)

Jobs for April;

• Sow seeds! It’s better for cutting to sow small batches at 2-3 week intervals rather than the whole packet at once. Unless you’re planning a mass of bloom for a particular date (such as a wedding) this keeps your supply for cutting all summer long
• If you’ve planted new Shrubs. Trees or Roses, keep them generously watered so they can develop strong new roots. This dry spell is tough for anything new in the ground
• Keep on top of weeds, clear space around perennials pushing up shoots. Still a good time to spread a generous mulch of compost too
• Do you (or a friend) have a wood burner? If so, give a generous dollop of the wood ash (no coal/coke burned) to flowering shrubs such as Roses & Clematis. Raspberries, Blackcurrants & Strawberries would benefit from it too. It will encourage flowers & fruit
• Clean fresh water is a great help birds in this dry weather
• Dahlia tubers can be started now IF you have somewhere frost free, under cover

How To Buy Our Flowers;

• Deliveries or collections  Next Bouquet delivery will be on Good Friday 18th April
• Tulips – bunches (in 10’s) of our speciality Tulips available from Friday 11th for collection only. Message to book yours! These are tall, fancy varieties & very different to supermarket Tulips Order Online
• Regular Flower Subscriptions. Book yours for the 2025 season – choose the dates, & we’ll cut fresh for local delivery or collection Order Online
• Flowers will be available across a wide area through the Galloway Food Hub again this year. Thought we would make it for this week but now planning by end April
• Flowers for Funerals, weddings, parties available all year round using 100% British grown. Pre-booking essential
• Florists Wholesale. This year, we're opening up the opportunity for a few more Florists to buy our flowers regularly. Wholesale Flowers

   And you can, of course, telephone me on 01644 420407 or email if you prefer talking to a real person rather than ordering flowers online. Much of my work is 'bespoke' for House flowers, parties & funerals so doesn't really fit the neat boxes necessary for online ordering. 

 For now, the sun is shining & dry weather forecast for at least another week. Time to get out & sow more seeds!
 
  And the last word for this month?

"In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours."
Mark Twain, American Writer 1835 - 1910

Until next time, 
Rosie 
Galloway Flowers 

  So you have spent hours scrolling through Instagram & Pinterest images for inspiration, deliberating over the perfect colour combinations & flower shapes. There have been detailed discussions with your Florist about flowers in season & your favourites. And finally, on your wedding day, the Bridal Bouquet will be placed in your hands for the very first time. I hope you love it, enjoy the scents & colours, knowing this bouquet will be captured in photographs to look back on for years.
  And then what?
  Perhaps you'll pass flowers on to your Mum to enjoy in a vase. Or toss in the traditional way for the next Bride to catch. But an increasing number of Brides choose to keep it as a lasting keepsake.
   If that sounds like you, this will be of interest. I'm often asked by wedding couples if I would preserve their wedding flowers. While I do dry & press flowers, taking them to the next stage & presenting them as a finished piece of art is more than I've ever attempted. ⁠
  So I wanted to shine a light on the work of Sue MacBride, as her work is beautiful & it's an unusual skill to find.⁠ I gladly recommend Sue to those couples instead!⁠ Sue preserves flowers & arranges them into pictures full of memories of a special day. It makes a fabulous keepsake doesn't it?⁠
  I arranged wedding flowers for Hannah & Dan last August, & a selection was taken to Sue after the wedding. The flowers were bright & colourful when fresh (see photo below of Hannah's bridal bouquet).
  The photo at the top of the post shows the result. Sue has captured the vibrant shades so well, even the Sweet Peas!⁠ 
  The preserved flowers were arranged on a backing & carefully placed in a frame so the results can be enjoyed for a long time.⁠
  Sue is based here in Dumfries & Galloway. To arrange for Sue to preserve your wedding flowers as a unique & lasting keepsake, her business can be found on insta @border_gardens ​

Work in Progress...⁠
  Here I am, in my element, about halfway through decorating the magnificent mantlepiece at Auchen Castle, near Moffat last September. I had put in the foliage & hops & just beginning to 'colour in' with Dahlias & grasses. A LOT of Dahlias - see below.⁠ The brief from the wedding couple was 'Autumnal' with Pheasant feathers from their Shoot.
  So I added Bracken, Autumnal leaves, Berries, seedheads & shiny Horse Chestnut Conkers.
  And if we haven't met before, here's a short intro...⁠

• I'm Rosie & our Flower Farm, Galloway Flowers, began in 2015. We grow an acre or so of flowers near Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway in Scotland ⁠
• We supply flowers for weddings, funerals & events across Dumfries & Galloway, & into closer parts of Ayrshire⁠
• From March - October, there's a succession of flowers produced. Many are scented, all grown naturally & include plenty of the Cottage Garden Favourites I adore⁠
• My favourite crops are Tulips, Sweet Peas & Dahlias (but don't tell the Roses, Delphiniums etc that!) So many varieties, colours, scents & shapes to choose from...⁠
• I arrange sustainably without floral foam always. When additional flowers & foliage are required for large events, special requests & in the Winter months, these are sourced from other Flower Farms in the UK. All steps designed to keep carbon footprint of our work low⁠ ⁠

  Our 2025 season is just getting underway now. As temperatures rise, the speed flowers grow amazes me every year. One week there seems to be nothing but mud & dead leaves in the field, & then off we go cutting quickly to fill buckets with flowers again. ⁠ Looking forward to it!⁠ ⁠
Venue; Auchen Castle⁠, Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway

​   It makes my day when a set of wedding photo's arrives in my inbox from our wedding couples. And these did just that!⁠
  Here's Judith & Ben at their Gretna Green wedding ceremony in late February. Couples still travel from across the world to the traditional venue for it's timeless appeal.
  The wedding couple stayed @Buittle_Castle (near Dalbeattie) with Family & friends before their wedding so it was an easy delivery of flowers for me.⁠ All travelled to Gretna & then back to Buittle for the party.
  Judith messaged to say;   

​Thank you Judith & Ben for sharing the lovely photo with us.⁠ ⁠
Photo credit; Colin Carpenter Photography
Florist; Galloway Flowers