 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;
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
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
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 A good day... tired & happy after supporting fellow Members of the Farewell Flowers Directory at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025.
The stunning display of British-grown seasonal flowers & foliage, arranged plastic-free by @fieldhouseflowers, @gentleblooms, @tuckshopflowers & @commonfarmflowers deserved the GOLD MEDAL for every beautiful stem. Thank you for the skill demonstrated & your countless hours of behind-the-scenes work to get the display to Chelsea. It was the first time funeral flowers have been featured at the Show. The response from Show visitors was enthusiastic. I appreciated the (often moving) stories shared about flowers arranged for loved ones, personal funeral choices & the delight to see environmentally sensitive options at the Show. I spoke to Church Ministers, Hospice workers, Nurses, Florists & Floristry Students, Church Flower Arrangers, Flower Lovers & so many more over the day. All were keen to get rid of the tons of plastic currently going to landfill after funerals every year. There were so many good questions about the 'how', the practicalities of making arrangements another way, when plastic foam has been the norm for years. Before the show, there were 190 Members of the Farewell Flowers Directory in the UK. It's aim is to make it easier to find a florist to arrange flowers for funerals without foam or other single-use plastics. After the Show, more people know what's possible & know to ask their florist for environmentally sensitive options. So yes, it was a good day.  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.  A handmade Heart Wreath made for the Funeral of a Lady who loved flowers. A keen gardener, she grew many herself & was very knowledgeable.
In her later years, I took a bunch of flowers to her every month. Always different, including whatever was coming in to bloom at that time here. So when the time came for her final flowers, a selection to reflect the Springtime & her interest was the natural choice. I make these Wreaths by hand from the Birch grown here & trim with seasonal flowers. No wire, no plastic or floral foam, & so fully compostable. Wreaths aren't always round - Farewell flowers can be just as unique as the loved one remembered!  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?  Photo credit Willow and Wilde 'And Something for the Ceremony Area...'
A request in several recent wedding consultations - & there are so many options! Bunches of flowers & foliage tied to the ends of pews & on to chairs continue to be a pretty way to decorate the aisle area.. This one at Balmagkie Kirk last Summer included Eryngium Thistle, dried Lavender & Ivy trails as well as white flowers. Arranged by Rosie of Galloway Flowers. Photo credit: WillowandWilde.co  Tulip 'Merlot' Tulips doing their thing...
Too full blown to include in a Customer bouquet, yet still rather fabulous in my kitchen. I don't think I can ever so much 'arrange' Tulips as set them free. Just let them twist & dance as they please. They'll always be facing a different way when I come down in the morning anyway! These are lily-flowered Tulip 'Merlot' - a deep, rich burgundy colour - placed simply in a classic green Sylvac vase.  Timing is everything... & this year it came just right.
Lily of the Valley is often requested for weddings but it can be very fickle about when it flowers here, in outside conditions. Any time between mid-April & early June is possible! I cut the first bunch on Friday & sent it off in a mixed DIY bucket of flowers for a weekend wedding. Who wouldn't be happy to have these for a bud vase on their wedding day?  It's easy to see why these are called Peony Tulips...
Big & blousy, blooms like this are going to be just perfect for a wedding this week . I'm having a bit of a crush on lemon, clotted cream, primrose shades at the moment. How about you?  A 'Magic' Wand, the essential accessory for every 3 year old Flower Girl at an Easter Sunday wedding.
I made it from pussy willow, trimmed with Spring flowers & (the important bit) plenty of swishy ribbons  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.
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  July Bridal Bouquet March was a remarkably dry month here & so I'm made the most of it to prune Roses (we've about 100 so it takes a while...) But it's not a very inspiring picture of a chopped Rose bush or dozen is it? So here's a more colourful close up of one of our Galloway-grown Roses in a Bridal Bouquet made for (another) Rosie in early July last year. The scent of this bouquet was a knockout - Roses, Honeysuckle & Sweet Peas. Rosie chose from our Wedding Packages options. I made the Bouquets & Buttonholes for the wedding party, & supplied a 'Bloom Bucket' of our locally grown flowers too. The flowers were collected late afternoon on the day before the wedding, giving Family & friends time to arrange the stems in simple bud vases for the tables at the reception. The 'Bloom Bucket' is pictured below. It did of course include a good bunch of Sweet Peas! Our Wedding Packages can be tailored to suit your requirements & are a great option for smaller weddings. All the information can be found here on the Wedding Flower Packages page  'Bloom Bucket' of July flowers  Preserved Bridal Bouquet 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  August Bridal Bouquet  Photo credit; Duncan Ireland Photography 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...
Venue; Auchen Castle, Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway    Photo Credit Colin Carpenter Photography 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; A HUMONGOUS thank you for the flowers you made for us that were more beautiful than I could ever have imagined. Thank you, thank you, thank you for them all - they were so unbelievably stunning and admired by all. In Judith's dusky pink & white Bridal Bouquet, I used frilly Lincolnshire Hellebores & Tulips, Isle of Scillies Narcissi & Cornish Eucalyptus. Everything else - Pink Heather, Pieris, Viburnum, Ivy, Pink Pussy Willow - we grew here at our Flower Farm in Galloway. So even in late February it's possible to have 100% British-grown wedding flowers with the lowest possible carbon footprint.  Thank you Judith & Ben for sharing the lovely photo with us.
Photo credit; Colin Carpenter Photography Florist; Galloway Flowers  Photo credit; WillowandWilde Details...
So often the wedding flower photo's posted across Insta etc focus on the Bridal bouquet, the bridesmaids, the flower girl, the venue decor. And with good reason - these tend to be the most showy flowers & where most of the budget is spent. But don't let's forget the Buttonholes for the Gentlemen too. These little mini-bouquets can be intricate, highly individual & really mark out the occasion as 'special'. I enjoy making them, where possible including elements used elsewhere for bouquets & arrangements. This one was made for Leigh to wear at his mid-September elopement ceremony at Galloway House. All the ingredients (I included a touch of late Heather, a small Thistle, seedhead, Phlox & soft grasses) were grown here in Galloway & appeared in the bridal bouquet too. Photo credit; WillowandWilde.co Venue; Galloway House Estate  Waiting for collection last week...
A fluffy giant foliage wreath made to welcome guests as they arrive at a 40th birthday party. It'll be easy to spot the house where the fun is happening! I included in tiny lemon Viola plants, Blue Muscari & Narcissi Tete A Tete bulbs to give a continuing pop of colour. Wreaths are definitely not just for Christmas, imho.  If you're planning to be married soon, maybe you'll be planning to wear flowers in your hair. Flower crowns, or small sprigs woven into hair are always popular. And I wondered if you had considered a floral hair comb as an option? Made from either fresh or dried flowers a comb can feature flowers included in your bouquet. It can be neatly inserted into hair for a special touch. Usually more budget friendly than a flower crown too so maybe a lovely touch for your Bridesmaids hair too. Here are a few examples of combs I've made from our locally grown flowers. Above is a Comb made for a late February wedding, worn by the Bride. Trimmed with fresh seasonal flowers - Hellebore, Pieris, Heather & Larch. All flowers included in her Bridal bouquet. Below is a floral hair comb made for her Matron of Honour. Late February in a Scottish garden, in miniature. Every wedding season I make many floral hair combs & every single one is unique, as I use the flowers & foliage at it's very best that week.   Thanks a bunch!
A bouquet of dried flowers & foliage collected by a Customer last week to cheer up a friend. All natural colours, no dyes or bleach used to preserve & dried by myself here in Galloway. The Dahlias keep their colour particularly well. Dried flowers last a long time & particularly welcome while there are still few colourful flowers to cut here in Scotland. We dry a good supply of flowers each year & make bouquets., wreaths, posies & other arrangements to order. If you would simply like a mixed bunch of dried flowers to use in your own craft projects, I'm happy to make up a bunch. Send a message about your requirements, & I'll be delighted to help. Contact  February is definitely still Winter but you can begin to feel Spring is a little closer can't you? The mornings are lighter & it's nearly 6pm when I come in at the end of the day now. And we enjoyed our mug of afternoon tea sitting outside on the bench today, the first this year. Well wrapped up with scarf, gloves & hats, yes of course. But a gardeners milestone nonetheless, telling me the seasons are moving on.
I hope you were safe through Storm Eowyn? It was, without doubt, the worst Storm I've experienced. So sad to see many great trees down as a result. I've said often we bought the high hedges around our field when we moved here, not the house. The Leylandii is a lot of work to cut each year, but oh my, they did their job on that day. The greenhouses lost windows (amazingly none broken so could be popped back in) & the Polytunnels were all fine. This was a huge relief - Polytunnels cannot be insured & if we had to replace the covers, the costs soon add up. Full of plants, the cost would be even higher if we lost them to a following cold snap. The results of last month's Armchair shopping are arriving - such exciting deliveries! Lovely rattling packages of seeds & newspaper wrapped Dahlia tubers. Several Dahlia tubers (new to me varieties) will be started off to generate cuttings, a cost effective method to build up stock. The Sweet Peas sown last Autumn are developing side shoots & looking for something to climb. January-sown seeds are germinated & going into root trainers to grow on. Final batch to be sown this next week on Valentine's Day. This will give me a good continuity of flowers through the Summer months.Our Sweet Pea frames were destroyed in the Storm, lying flat on the ground. So we're on the lookout for strong coppiced branches to weave new frames for the outside crop. Wedding Consultations continue so I'm getting a good feel for the flowers I must grow & the numbers of each. Popular dates are filling so if you know a couple interested in top quality locally grown flowers for their wedding, in 2025 or 2026, feel free to point them at my Wedding Pages on my website. Our Wedding Packages are again proving popular. These give the option to have key bouquets, buttonholes etc. arranged by myself plus buckets of flowers to arrange with family & friends. I'm planning a new workshop date for those who would like to grow their own wedding Flowers too - see below. Rose pruning is a big task for me (about 100 bushes here now) & many Gardeners will begin this month. I'm cautious as a late cold snap could cause further die back. If the weather forecast is mild I may begin later in the month. If I delay too long, flowers are later too so it's a tricky judgement call. But 'The Beast from the East' wasn't until mid-March... What Can I Cut in February? This month sees me pulling out some of my largest vases to accommodate the long stems of Hazel Catkins, Pussy Willow & Cornus. Arranged as single varieties - no more fuss is needed to make them look stunning. My Forsythia is showing a touch of yellow & I'll cut a few stems to open in the warmth this week. And at the other end of the scale, my teeny vases, jugs, even eggcups, are perfect for the tiny jewels appearing this month. A few Aconites, a bunch of Snowdrops, even a few brilliantly coloured Cyclamen. I enjoy the detail of these where I can see them close up such as by my desk. The buds of our Wild Daffodils are just bending (growers call this Gooseneck stage) & will open this week too. Hellebores are opening now but don't cut too soon - they'll droop in the vase. Upcoming Events 2025 Dates for the first workshops are live on the website now. I'll add more dates as wedding dates firm up.
Jobs for February;
How To Buy Our Flowers;
The Sparrows are noisily arguing over the nest boxes by my window & kites gliding in groups overhead. These are sure signs Spring is on the way. Let's check the weather daily so any mild, bright spells can be enjoyed. I'm looking forward to sharing our flowery progress with you this season! And the last word for this month? 'There is always in February some one day, at least, when one smells the yet distant but surely coming Summer' Gertrude Jekyll (1843 -1932 Horticulturist, Garden Designer & Author) Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers  Colourful cottage garden flowers bring a fresh, relaxed vibe to a marquee wedding at Dabton House, Thornhill last Summer. I love the way the vintage glass vases sparkled in the afternoon sunshine. Using vintage vases brings a unique look to the tables. It's a very sustainable option too, as they can be reused again & again. I've a large collection of vintage vases to arrange flowers in, & they're available to our Bespoke wedding couples to use. And of course, the flowers were all locally grown & arranged without any floral foam. All practical steps to keep the 'flower miles' & carbon footprint of a wedding low, without compromising on the beauty.   Just little Bud Vases of Spring loveliness to brighten up a dreary Sunday Afternoon.
Simply arranged in a line down the centre of a Dining table, or perhaps in small groups between candles or larger bowls of flowers. Perhaps arranged in a circle at the centre of a table around a chandelier or along a window sill, a mantlepiece... So versatile, make any table look like a Garden Party! I love to include the stems of special flowers, too short for bouquets, yet deserve to be enjoyed close up. These were arranged for an April wedding celebration at the beach last year.  For a flower farmer, the year rolls through many seasons....
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter obviously but there are more subtle distinctions to focus & priorities. There's seed sowing, propagation & planting season. (Actually Spring & Autumn primarily) The wedding season. Autumn season of mists & mellow fruitfulness. Or the 'muddy season' as I think of October & November. Dahlia lifting & storing plus planting out new stock for next year. Festive season, of course - with the delicious blend of pine, scented candles & hand cream in the workshop. And these quiet days of January & February, I think of as 'List Season', (I think I got that phrase from Miriam Osler & it sums it up well). There are some tasks outside, farewell flowers & wedding consultations to do. The Tax return of course. But mostly this is about planning & making lists. I'm poring over my notes from past years - what did I grow, what thrived & was highly productive? What was not? Which flowers & colours were most desired by Customers, every stem precious - & what was left uncut? What requests have been made by this years wedding couples? From this, I begin the process of deciding what to grow more of, less of or just the same. What can I fit in? An acre may sound like a lot of flowers but it's easily filled. I'm designing bouquets & arrangements in my head - what goes with what, what's out at the same time, spotting the gaps to fill. And making lists. Lots of lists. Seeds, tubers, bulbs, new plants to buy or propagate from my stock. The Armchair shopping is well underway...  A few pale pink favourites growing at the Flower Farm near Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway in September 2024.
 Photo Credit Ken Leslie Photography As 2025 began with a big freeze, I was grateful this is our quiet month, without urgency to go far on icy roads. This is our time to rest & recover after a hectic year full of flowers & life's challenges. Best of all, it's the time to cosy up by the wood burner, under a patchwork quilt. The detailed planning & preparation for the year ahead begins here.
It's our 10th full season growing flowers here at the Flower Farm (we began in 2015) & as always, there'll be changes. Every year we try something new, both plants, colours & of course, methods. There's always something to learn. We continue learning which flowers excel here - & some of those that don't! At first sight it might not look that different in the field in high Summer to any other previous year. But fashions change & so do the flowers in greatest demand. As we've taken on more weddings, these drive our colour & plant choices. Take Dahlias as an example - we grow more each year as they're having a fashion resurgence. (Oh & I've been growing them 30 years & just love them!) Six years ago, the dark burgundy shades were very popular (often mixed with a pale blush pink). The oranges/red/yellows grown were minimal, rarely requested. Last year, only 2 burgundy varieties remained in the field & these were soft, blended shades. In 2024, the tropical, sunset & autumnal colours were most requested. For 2025? Well, I'm still figuring it out! I think of January as List Season as I ponder possibilities. What do Customers tell me they love - colours, shapes, textures? What will I have in flower each month? What goes with what? (It might sound a bit mad but I'm basically designing bouquets in my head). Where are the gaps I need to fill? What do I grow now that I could propagate quickly & inexpensively? And the hardest bit - where can I fit it all in? The plant & seed catalogues arrive & with so many tempting varieties, it's easy to add more. But that means something else has to fall off the list to make room. It's HARD being a plantaholic, you know... At times, I feel as if my head will explode as I juggle the lists. I have to remind myself there's no perfect 'right' answer, just my best guesses. Wedding consultations for 2025 & 2026 are underway & with every conversation, the lists are refined. The fun bit starts with the armchair shopping! This is a busy month for wedding bookings so if you know a couple planning to tie the knot in 2025 or 2026, 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. The cold snap has slowed down January jobs such as Tulip planting. Usually I plant my bulbs in early January - this means they flower in April & May when I need them most, Also, the soil is less likely to blight the flowers with the nasty virus 'Tulip Fire' after a a good freeze. A busy week lies ahead as the soil warms again. It's already getting a teeny bit lighter each evening, isn't it? Social media is full of seed sowing posts already. But I'm cautious. Seeds sown now will struggle as light levels are low, They'll become thin & stretchy. March sown seed quickly catches up, often overtaking the early starts. Just Sweet Peas & Antirrhinum seeds for me this month. What Can I Cut in January? It's thin pickings for my vases, making me treasure anything I have. The coloured stems of Cornus & Willow glow in the garden & vase. Mix in Catkins from Hazel, Birch, Garrya or Alder plus Ivy, Skimmia, Viburnum Tinus, Camellia or Heather perhaps? By the end of the month, scented Shrubs such as Daphne, Lonicera Fragrantissima (Winter Honeysuckle) & Wintersweet will flower. Picture the ground carpeted with Snowdrops - it won't be long. Bowls of Hyacinth, Narcissi & Amaryllis are scenting my house nicely in the meantime. I'm sure the garden centre will have plenty of bulbs to pot up if you need a little 'pick me up'. Upcoming Events 2025 Dates for the first workshops are live on the website now. I'll add more dates as wedding dates firm up.
It's set to be much milder this week so hopefully we can all enjoy any dry, bright spells that appear. A potter about to see any plants stirring already is good for the soul, in my view. And doubtless we'll have more cold weather yet so do enjoy the excuse to stay in the warm. Just day dream about the beautiful flowers to come & do that armchair shopping! And the last word for this month? 'What good is the warmth of Summer, without the cold of Winter to give it sweetness' John Steinbeck (American Writer) Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers |
AuthorRosie Gray of Galloway Flowers. Cut Flower Grower & Florist near Castle Douglas, in South West Scotland. Using 100% Flowers & Foliage grown in British Isles, all year round. 
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Growing Gorgeous Seasonal Cut Flowers & Foliage in Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
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