 Photo credit Ken Leslie Photography I'm looking for the positives this wet February afternoon. I love Hazel catkins wiggling in a breeze, my Snowdrops are wonderfully long stemmed & my water butts are brimming with rainwater ready for planting out time...
I see Spring slowly arriving - buds on Daffodils & the birds are definitely pairing up. I found two Newts lounging about on my doorstep in the rain overnight so they're on the move. I've not spotted any Frog or Toad spawn yet - Have you? But oh, it's been such a frustrating few weeks hasn't it. I'm itching to get ahead outside, yet it seems to have been too wet, too cold, too windy to work outside consistently, Just snatched hours when I can move a few deckchairs around on the Titanic - or that's how it feels! (And I know here in Galloway we've had much less of a deluge than other areas...) My cutting beds remain unweeded, compost isn't riddled. let alone spread. The polytunnels are still unwashed - other than by the generous downpours! So I've spent unexpected time indoors watching the Winter Olympics instead & am even beginning to understand how Curling matches are scored (I think...is that another positive? Maybe it's good to rest?) Having a plan is key for me to feel progress is still being made. I've a list for dry days & another for wet so I can get on with something most days. This last week I've been in the potting shed pricking out seedlings sown last Autumn. Now I'm getting ready to ramp up sowing this week. Sometimes it's too easy to focus on what I CAN'T do, & overlook what I can. And on the really wet days, I've been catching up with the wedmin. Valentines Day is a popular day for the romantics to pop the question, & so begin their wedding plans. 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 February? At last there are flowers! The first Hellebores are ready to cut now & I adore them. Those luscious plummy pink shades, the delicate greenish whites. And the frills, the speckles...so beautiful! I've pressed a few too this week as they can keep colour well. The scented shrubs such as Daphne, Winter Honeysuckle, Witch Hazel & Viburnums are great to cut just now. I've been cutting colourful Willow, Cornus, Hazel & Alder Catkins, & Pussy Willow, the first stems of the year I have in quantity. Lots of buds on the Primulas & Narcissi too - they'll not be long. This week I bought some gorgeous double Tulips from Lincolnshire & a few Cornish Daffodils to boost my own for events. The colours really shone out together in the workshop. It doesn't take much to lift February spirits with bold colour & need not be expensive. 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;
Days are lengthening fast now. As soon as it stops raining (it will, eventually, surely) our gardens will change colour to the 'yellow months' full of Daffodils. Until then, keep warm, splash in a few puddles in your wellies perhaps, & look for the glimmers of Spring... Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers “February is the shortest month, so if you're having a miserable month, try to schedule it for February' Lemony Snickett.”
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 There aren't many flowers here just now - it makes every stem extra precious.
Yet when I look carefully, there were still plenty of little details to make the buttonholes for this February wedding. The pink Pussy Willow, tiny cone, a stem of blue Muscari & of course, a few stems of pink Heather for a special Scottish touch. I try to reflect the season in every wedding I prepare flowers for. Always hoping it comes as a lovely reminder of a very special day when those flowers bloom in future years.  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.  Silver Washed Fritillary on Marjoram Last Summer, I saw these butterflies here for the first time at our Flower Farm in Dumfries & Galloway. It's a Silver Washed Fritillary. Instantly recognisable as they have a lovely floaty way of flying.
But I hadn't seen any here before in 10 Summers - not saying they aren't about but certainly not common. Indeed, my 1991 edition of 'Butterflies of Britain & Ireland' book advises these aren't found this far North. (Must see if I can find a more up to date edition...) Perhaps it was the hot Summer down South encouraging them up the country. Or is it just another example of habitat & climate change? Did you see them too? They were always seen around a large bed of wild Marjoram. To put it mildly, Marjoram self seeds generously & I let it. Last year, I had about 8 square metres of it flowering in a big patch. It's fabulous as a cut flower - smells lovely, long stems & lasts well in water too. Flowers can be pink or white. I cut hundreds of scented stems from it over several months. It gives a natural, wildflower look to a bouquet or arrangement. Even if I wasn't growing it for cutting, I would make room for Marjoram. Anything unused provides a 'nectar cafe' for so many pollinators. The patch was always buzzing with life in sunshine. Nothing wasted! As well as Butterflies, it's loved by the Honey Bees, Hoverflies & so much more I can't name. In turn, those creatures will have made a meal for the birds & bats. A simple, tough native plant creating a better habitat for us all.  Photo Credit Sarah Craig Joy Story Photo 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  Photo credit Sarah Craig 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!  Photo credit Sarah Craig Joy Story Photo 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.  September Wedding Buttonhole 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.  Photo credit Sarah Craig of Joy Story Photo 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.  Some of the freshly Cut Flowers Ready for Delivery 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  To be frank, our flower farm in Dumfries & Galloway looks a tad messy just now after a January-full of relentless wind & rain. But I have to start somewhere.
The last of the Tulips are in finally & so time for a bit of tidying. The wind seems to have blown pots all over the place! These Agapanthus are tucked up snug in the tiny greenhouse just now, & will be strutting their stuff again in July. With an acre of flowers, there's always something lovely to cut from April to late September. It's becoming trickier to predict timings as climate change is already throwing away the rule book. There's always something lovely though - just might be a bit earlier or later than it used to be! This month I've been cutting Pussy Willow, colourful Willow stems & contorted Hazel - interesting shapes to admire in a vase. And I began cutting Pussy Willow in mid-December to include in our Christmas bouquets - a full 2 weeks ahead of last year. Mad.  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;
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;
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  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. |
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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Flower Farmer Florist Castle Douglas, Flower Farm Scotland, Wedding Flowers Castle Douglas, Florist Castle Douglas, Funeral Flowers Castle Douglas, Sympathy flowers Castle Douglas, wedding florist Dumfries & Galloway, Wedding florist Kirkcudbright, wedding florist Gatehouse of Fleet, natural funeral flowers Dumfries & Galloway, wild wedding flowers Dumfries & Galloway, wedding flowers Ayr, wedding flowers Ayrshire