'Lots of interesting textures please' was the request from the Family for this Funeral Casket Spray. And the June weather gave me an abundance to choose from.
As well as plenty of foliage & the deliciously scented white Garden Pinks from our tunnel, I added seedheads from Allium, Lunaria & Rocket. Extra Eryngium from Lincolnshire plus Cornish-grown Ruscus & Veronica added to the mix (mine aren't ready yet). So all British-grown to keep the carbon footprint low.. And the arrangement is 100% compostable too for a sustainably-made tribute. Floral foam is commonly used to make funeral tributes, tonnes of it is disposed in landfill sites every week in the UK. Floral foam is banned by the Royal Horticultural Society at all it's flower shows. Floral foam is made from oil, a plastic breaking down into microplastic particles over time. It's a hazard to the marine environment & as this natural tribute shows, completely unnecessary too.
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We deserve a bit of a colour pop today, don't you think? Just so dreary. And to think on Monday it felt as if it just could be Spring soon. I recklessly cast aside one clothing layer while weeding - that's definitely back today!
This Sheaf bouquet was made for a mid-April Funeral - grown in Galloway, 100% compostable & Zero plastic or nasty floral foam. As sustainable as I could make it. March has been so cold that our Tulips are running a little behind. But they're on their way & worth the wait! Still plenty of British-grown beauties available this week & for Easter bouquets. Orders can be made via the website for local delivery & collection. Looking at my recent posts, it looks a bit like all I grow are Dahlias...
And of course, it's not true at all! I do grow a LOT of Dahlias, but it takes much more to make an interesting, botanically-inspired bouquet or arrangement. This Wreath made last week for a funeral contains several varieties of pale pink Dahlias plus Nerines, Sedum, Michaelmas Daisies, the last few stems of Astrantia, wisps of silvery Honesty seedheads. The flowers are slowing down, becoming less predictable from week to week. But still treasures can be found when I walk among the beds. The Wreath was made without any plastics or floral foam, as always here. A Natural Funeral Wreath of freshly cut Summer flowers, made for a gentleman who loved his garden.
Flowers are gathered on a handmade willow hoop base & trimmed with natural hessian ribbon. All grown here at our Flower Farm, near Castle Douglas in Dumfries & Galloway. 100% compostable for the lowest possible carbon footprint. Definitely no floral foam or other plastics used to make this. It would be suitable for most Woodland Burial sites. When faced with choosing flowers for funeral or memorial services, it can be difficult to know what is available. Often a catalogue of standard designs (most using floral foam made from plastic) is presented at the Funeral Directors. We're encouraged to make a decision from the catalogue. But you can order flowers from any Florist you wish, or you could even arrange flowers yourself. You know better than anybody the right style for your loved one. If you prefer a natural, plastic-free alternative (such as the Wreath above), take a look at the website 'Flowers From The Farm'. You'll find listings of Flower Farmers thoughout the UK & many (like myself) arrange flowers in this way, locally to you. For natural Funeral Flowers in the Dumfries, Castle Douglas & Kirkcudbright area, there are examples on my website also Here. Flowers can be collected from the Flower Farm if you're further afield. Saying goodbye to a loved one doesn't need to cost the earth... The flower we grow in greatest numbers is the Dahlia.
I adore their diversity & sheer flower power for months on end. Within one family of flowers there are so many shapes, so many colours & they just keep on giving masses of stems for cutting. Last year our total Dahlia plants topped 600. It was a pretty disastrous year for me as I broke my arm & 'only' about 400 were planted out in the field. But all the others were potted up & fed so the tubers kept on growing, ready for their moment this year. The Dahlias are sold in our Bouquets, bunches & even by the bucket (preordering essential). The large Funeral Spray arrangement above was made for a September Funeral, without floral foam. I dry Dahlias too & use them in dried bouquets & wreaths during the winter months. I eastimate we might just top the 800 plants - buckets & buckets of beautiful blooms to look forward to! To order Dahlias to arrange yourself, send an email. The Dahlia season is from mid-July to September (depending as always on the weather!) |
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. Archives
June 2024
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