Roses around my workshop window in mid-June...
I've no idea what this Rose is called but it's a welcome sight as it was planted many years ago, long before we moved here. The base stems are thick & mossed. It didn't flower at all for many years. Each year since I've lived here, I've pruned it carefully, cut back the thuggish Tree Peonies & Climbing Hydrangea surrounding it & given it a feed. Now it reliably flowers each June. Nothing dramatic (yet) but always welcome as one of the first Roses to flower here in Summer. And there's no such thing as too many Roses, is there?
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Early morning is the best time to cut flowers when the temperatures soar.
Straight into a bucket of cold water & then given a long drink before arranging tomorrow. Simple good practice to make flowers last longer in the heat. There are plenty of good 'spike' shapes this week - Delphinium, Campanula & Foxgloves giving extra height to vase arrangements. Fortunately I've been asked for a tall vase so a lot are going into that! The Astrantia in the middle of the photo has opened much faster than planned. It could be composted but instead numerous bunches have been cut for drying. Dried flower season seemed a long way off on this June day surrounded by abundant fresh flowers. But I'll be glad I did this come wreathmaking workshop time... Perfect Summer sunshine yesterday for the 'Arrange A Vase' Afternoon at the Flower Farm near Castle Douglas. This month Peonies, Delphiniums, Foxgloves, Astrantia & the first Sweet Peas were included in the choice of flowers.
What could be more Summery than that? I love to see how everybody creates their own unique combinations from the selection of ingredients offered. Such beautiful work to take home & enjoy this week. The next 'Arrange A Vase' afternoon will be soon & bookings are open online now HERE 'Friday Flowers' delivered early June included lots of June 'froth' from the Cutting beds.
Lashings of Alchemilla Mollis, Lupins & Astrantia joined Lincolnshire-grown Peonies - June in a vase! Perfect treats for a birthday, an anniversary, a new home plus to our Regular Subscribers yesterday. To order 'Friday Flowers' visit HERE This is Peony 'Pink Hawaiian Coral', a real star in the peony beds in early June.
She starts off this deep coral & gradually fades to a clotted cream over time in the vase. Most of my Peonies were planted 3 years ago so I'm beginning to cut a few stems this year. They need time to build a strong root system to produce a good crop, so cut very lightly in the early years. Talk about deferred gratification - resisting cutting them in previous years has been difficult! But given time & patience, they can continue to crop for 30 + years. So those plants might seem expensive in the beginning but not so bad in the long run. Always grateful for supplies from other British growers with acres of mature plants to boost my numbers & make sure I have plenty. Another Saturday, Another Wedding...
Loading up with buckets of flowers this morning & on our way to flower up another local venue for a wedding. These were to be used in tall florist buckets as a ceremony backdrop behind the Couple. Foxgloves were a special request from the Bride & these whoppas were obligingly growing by the compost area, enjoying the rich soil. This weather is just so fabulous for celebrations isn't it? See below for how they were used later that morning. Wooden Boxes of Cottage Garden Flowers decorated the tables at Alison & Jeremy's marquee wedding a couple of weeks ago.
The flowers brought bold, celebratory colour & a touch of the 'outside in'. All flowers & foliage grown naturally here at the Flower Farm near Castle Douglas, & transported just 10 miles to the venue. Flowers were arranged in the boxes without floral foam. (It's a plastic, made from oil & breaks down into tiny microplastic particles, harmful to the marine environment. It's unnecessary so I prefer not to use it.) The boxes are very versatile & can be moved easily around a wedding venue if necessary. So as sustainable floristry methods as possible, keeping a low carbon footprint. Every box was slightly different, as I was able to use many of our daintiest flowers - like making a miniature garden! This Tree Peony (variety unknown) usually has a large number of these blousy flowers.
Sadly, it was hit by a late frost, & there are only two this year. But those two are quite a sight this week! Sometimes the flowers suggested to make a garden 'wildlife friendly' reads like a list of shortlived thugs many may not want in the garden. Yet the bees adore these Peonies - big open centres that can easily be accessed. I've been watching them this afternoon. Planting beautiful cottage garden flowers creates a beautiful space both pollinators & people can enjoy & benefit from. So perhaps I could convince you to plant more Peonies? Just because a flower is easy to grow, it can be taken for granted, can't it?
And these little Cambrian or Welsh Poppies are so obliging, much tougher than they look. Seeding all over the garden into any space they can (yes, you could call them a 'weed' if you must.) Dependably flowering in May in zingy Lemons & Oranges, they brighten up dull spaces (like here by my workshop). Adored by the bees too. And in tiny bud vases, a cheerful addition for several days to my kitchen (& yes, they often appear at weddings too). So much easier to grow than their diva cousins the Iceland Poppies & definitely a cheerful addition to a Spring garden. Time for the Tulips to move over... the Alliums are coming on strong!
The wet winter must have suited them as stems are incredibly long, almost a metre on this variety. These are going to mix in so well with other lush May blooms over the next few weeks. These are growing in my Peony beds - it'll be some years before the Peonies need all the space so gaps are used for bulbs. There might be an acre of flowers here but I still run out of space... Just add sunshine, a little gentle Galloway rain - & look at the second image to see the magic that happens!
Definitely not a supermarket Tulip. These are the supermodels of the Spring Cutting garden aren't they? Our speciality Tulips were off to a slow start this year but finally are getting into their stride now. This showy variety is just one I'm including in our mixed bouquets & Tulip bunches this 'Flower Friday'. Order Online for collection from the Flower Farm or local delivery. Yes, these flowers are real...
A Corsage made last week for a wedding guest to attach to her handbag. On her black bag, it would really catch the eye. All the flowers & foliage was grown here at the Flower Farm. It's made from Hellebore, with 3 types of Muscari & a touch of Heather for colour. I love making these intricate little creations so if you fancy a unique piece of floral glamour for a special event, do get in touch! The Tulips are coming fast now, & I'm checking them several times a day to make sure I catch them at just the right stage to give maximum vase life. These strong, long stemmed beauties are the last batch from this afternoon.
Now ready for an overnight drink, then they'll be in the mix for tomorrow afternoon's 'Make A Hand Tied Bouquet' session, here at the Flower Farm. How fresh is that! And of course Zero flower miles too - just a few steps from the soil into the Flower room. Tomorrows session is fully booked but we'll be hosting another soon. Be among the first to know dates for all our events by signing up for my monthly newsletter Here (Oh & if this didn't show it's Spring at last, the Cuckoo has been calling all afternoon...) Summery Cottage Garden style for Rebecca & Jonathan at Haugh of Urr Church in early July.
Scented Sweet Peas, Cornflowers, Daisies, Campanula & Alchemilla plus grasses for a soft 'wild flower' look. Seasonal, scented & all locally grown by us at the Flower Farm. All the Church flowers were arranged (no environmentally damaging floral foam) so they could be moved after the wedding ceremony. They were used again to decorate the Reception at the Cochran Hall in Kirkcudbright. Rebecca said 'We were keen to have local, seasonal fowers & Rosie pulled out all the stops, providing us with pew ends, meadow boxes & jugs of flowers from her Flower Farm in Balmaclellan. We couldn't have been more delighted.' Rebecca opted for a ribbon tied Wrist Corsage rather than a traditional Bridal Bouquet. The Flower Girls carried Posies full of Sweet Peas & the Gentleman's buttonholes complimented the other flowers. We were thrilled to see pictures of the wedding featured over 3 pages in 'Dumfries & Galloway Life' magazine in April 2023 - a lovely reminder of a scorchingly hot Summer day full of flowers! 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. It starts my day so brilliantly when I open my inbox & discover beautiful images like these!
Marie & Neil married at Kirkandrews Kirk in March 2022 & asked me to arrange flowers for their special day. I used the delicate flowers of Springtime in white, with touches of blue & plenty of fresh foliage too. Marie tells me; 'The flowers were absolutely beautiful, they definitely were a key part of this day & everyone was delighted about it. The crown of flowers was an essential element of the day, I had chosen it over going to the hairdresser or having make-up & it felt right & special. I am very happy that you prepared the flowers for us.' It was a pleasure to work with such a pretty colour scheme of 100% British-grown flowers. Although early in the year, I was able to use flowers grown by ourselves here in Galloway, as well as some from growers further South. Thank you Marie & Neil for allowing me to share your photo's - & congratulation on your first year Anniversary! One of my favourite Flower Farm tasks today - digging up & dividing Perennial plants to make more. These silvery-white Astrantia have made big clumps - about half way though the patch & already I've made 80 little plantlets, replanted & ready to grow.
These will produce plenty of stems for bouquets & events by late Summer. The rest of the clump will be left to flower earlier, then divided next year. This is one of the simple things I do to keep flowers coming for many months. And who doesn't like more plants for free? To learn more tips to keep flowers coming all season long to fill your vases or perhaps for a family party/wedding, join me on Sunday 2nd April for a 'Cut Flowers from Your Garden' workshop. Places can be booked online via button below or links in this post. Update; Next 'Cut Flowers From Your Garden Workshop' will be on Sunday 14th April 2024 - Booking Open now Online Pressing Anemones is always a challenge...
The combinarion of fine black Pollen, fluffy centres & those little frilly collars requires a bit of thought. But when it works, the bright colours shine out against a background. These are wanted for a particular project, so I'm just doing plenty & fingers crossed, there'll be enough. A cheerful 'Bloom Bucket' of British-grownflowers ready to arrange for a house warming party in mid-March. Guaranteed to welcome guests in with colour & scent!
My Galloway-grown flowers are beginning, although slowed down again by the cold weather. A little Forsythia & Viburnum plus Narcissi was cut this week. By the end of March, we'll be cutting plenty of our 'Fancy Daffodils' & hopefully Tulips too. Our 'Bloom Buckets' of mixed, seasonal flowers look lovely arranged in an informal, relaxed style. Each bucket contains a mixture of fresh flowers, prepared ready for you to simply cut to length & arrange. Lots of fresh flowers, great value & without fuss. Pre-order is essential. More information here Beautiful British-grown flowers will again be available for pre-order for Mother's Day (Sunday March 19th, in case you had missed it)
🌷Limited local delivery on Friday 17th & Saturday 18th 🌷Easy Online Ordering I'm looking forward to filling the workshop with the best colours & scents from our British growers again. And as Spring seems to be coming early, we may even have a few of our Galloway-grown flowers in the bouquets this year too! Reminded of Maria & Peter's Sunflower wedding, while ordering seeds.
Such a lovely smiley set of photo's from Derek Dunlop Photography. This year I'm growng more Sunflowers. So many new varieties, especially the smaller headed ones, much easier to use in bouquets like this. And the colours - lemons, rusty browns, the stripes... might need a whole extra bed for them! Slowly, steadily, minute by minute, the days are getting longer. After a few dreary days, the following bright one highlights how those few extra minutes add up. Yesterday, it was 5.30pm when I came in from the garden - no wonder I was gasping for a cuppa & slice of cake!
And with increasing daylight, the world steadily moves towards Springtime. Birds are singing loudly today, establishing their territories, trying to impress a mate (note to self - need to clean out bird boxes). Snowdrops, Aconites, the first few Crocus & deliciously scented Daphne to enjoy. It all lifts my spirits no end. A plant group of special interest just now are the Catkins. Hazel Catkins wiggle in the breeze plus the soft, tactile little 'Pussy Willow' Catkins appear. Haphazardly, I've gathered a small collection of Pussy willow in recent years. Cuttings of good silvers & a few of the black catkin variety (SalixGracistyla Melanostachys) given by a friend are growing happily but not quite ready to cut abundantly. The pink variety 'Mount Aso' is the star of the path through the meadow this week - like pink fluffy raspberries glued on long wand-like stems. A real beauty for adding to bouquets, alone in a simple vase or the garden. It's worth looking out for if you have space because it seems to be reliably earlier than my other Catkin varieties. But beware the 'false Spring' - a few welcome days when a coat isn't needed means little, I'm glad to still have a good stack of logs for the woodburner. Although tempting to start sowing seeds or pruning roses, I'll hold off a little longer. The 'Beast from the East' of 2018 is fresh in my memory & a repeat could be damaging. On dry days, I've begun the tidy up of perennial beds, clearing dead sticks, weeds & assessing damage from winter weather. These perennials are the main stay of our Flower Farm. Looked after, they deliver good volumes of quality stems reliably without too much labour, Most have fared the winter cold well & little tufts of new growth are appearing. Phew! Our neighbour reports temperatures of -12 degrees on several mornings in December, much lower than we would expect. There have been losses (all my Ammi & Cerinthe seedlings were zapped by cold in the polytunnel). My beds of Alstroemeria had looked dreadfully damaged. I feared the worst as they're expensive cutting varieties. This week, I've been relieved to see new spears appearing so while it may be later than usual before I cut any, I'm optimistic the plants have made it. The soil deserves special attention this month. Heavy winter rain has beaten bare soil & will have washed precious nutrients away. Everything will be given a good mulch to replenish those nutrients. Plants can't keep giving without me giving back in return to support all the worms & microorganisms essential to good healthy soil. Progress is finally being made on redesigning the area around my garden workshop. Two years ago, we took out a large strip of Leylandii hedge, bought some lattice fencing to support climbers & planned new planting for the whole area. Then days later, I broke my arm & that was that. By the time I could wield a fork again, we were busy with weddings & had no time for new developments. The outside area remained an embarassing mess, if I'm honest. But now we're finally beginning to plant! This weekend, I've added new climbing roses to the Pergola & I'm looking forward to the scents already. My first batch of Sweet Peas are germinating, another batch will be sown on Valentine's day (nice & easy to remember). From the 15th, I sow a few tougher seeds I can plant out before our last frosts. Anything tender waits. For example, Cosmos seed packets often suggest seed can be sown from February. And it can be. The seed will germinate but it doesn't mean it's a good idea. Cosmos can't withstand frost so you'll need to keep baby plants inside until then, potting on, providing extra water, light & warmth. I don't have space or time for that so wait until early April before sowing. Not sure if I should encourage you... but this is a good month for a bit of armchair shopping. I've noticed deals appearing on Dahlias & bare root Roses (still plenty of time for planting either). And stocks of mail order plug plants are good. Growing flowers from seed can be a cost effective way to fill a Cutting patch, but isn't the only way. If space or time is limited, or you simply want a few plants of several varieties, try plug plants. You can buy a wide variety of cut flowers as plugs by mail order Our Wedding calendar is filling nicely & detailed consultations wiith couples have begun to plan their flowers. Colour schemes include lots of bright colours this year, as well as the ever-popular 'green & white', 'blush pink & burgundy' classics. if you know a couple planning to tie the knot this year, the wedding pages can be found by following the links from this page. As well as bespoke wedding flowers for couples planning 'the whole shebang', we'll again be supplying 'Bloom Buckets' of mixed flowers for family & friends to arrange themselves. Inevitably, the most popular Summer dates book quickly & as I take on only a few weddings each week, pre-order is recommended. The first dates for our Events calendar for 2023 are;
This month make the most of Spring sunshine, look out for the Comet overhead & listen to those birds - they know Spring is on the way. After all the cold & wet, I'm excited to be beginning another season of growing flowers & sharing our progress with you. Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers Jobs for February;
“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) A question I'm often asked is 'Do you have any Specialities?'
And I have to answer like a true Gemini; 'yes, definitely, lots of them!' In truth, I specialise in growing Cottage Garden flowers for cutting. Each has it's very own flowering season, sometimes lasting a few short weeks. Take Lily of the Valley, for example, - a weeks holiday & I could miss it for a year! Each season, there are flowers I grow in larger quantities - Tulips & 'Fancy Daff's, followed by Sweet Peas, followed by Dahlias. Every bouquet, wedding or funeral arrangement I make, every bucket of flowers filled is a carefully prepared & curated selection of flowers at their very best, that week, that season. Looking at this wedding bouquet, it could only have been created for a late May wedding. It includes the last stems of Springtime Solomon's Seal & the first of the Summer's bright blue Cornflowers. I included 3 stems of scented white Stocks from Lincolnshire - I grow Stocks but mine weren't quite ready to cut that week. Everything else, grown here in Galloway. This is what 'Seasonal Flowers' really means - it's what's in season in this place, in South West Scotland, in the UK, grounded in reality, now. It doesn't mean 'in season somewhere in the world' like Supermarket Strawberries at Christmas or red Roses on Valentine's Day. So I grow a wide variety to be sure of a choice from mid-March to October, Many are delicate, unsuited for transporting long distances across the world (like the Aquilegia in this bouquet) but very worthwhile growing as a cut flower. Many of my flowers are deliciously scented, adding an extra special 'something'. For example, I select particular varieties of Sweet Peas for scent. But as for specialities, I mentioned the larger quantities of some flowers grown each season - more about that another day! January is a quiet month at the Flower Farm - after the hectic pace of Christmas, it's a treat to be slow, snuggled up indoors with the log burner going. That sounds rather lazy but I've learned to value the break, nobody can go full tilt forever. 'Burnout' is very real, whatever your work & the past 3 years have been unprecedented here. The long days of Summer will be back soon enough & we want to be ready.
There's plenty to do, of course - the unseen behind-the-scenes work essential for any business. The accounts deadline looms, time with excited wedding couples, & planning what to grow, when & where all season long. I'm not a big goal-setting, 'new year, new you' kind of person but will spend time looking back over the past year. It's helpful to spot trends, to plan next steps in that context. To recognise what worked, where tweaks & additions are necessary & just as important, what to 'stop doing'. As new plant & seed catalogues arrive, it's easy to keep adding 'more' to my growing list - the trouble with being a plantaholic! So many tempting varieties, new colours... But to allow more space for the very good, or to try something new, something must drop off the list too. There simply isn't space or time to do it all. So I've been ruthlessly reviewing flowers I don't use much. Just because 'everybody else grows it' doesn't mean I should. Not everything thrives here. If I don't much like a flower, I rarely include it in bouquets/arrangements. Astrantia for example - I use every single stem produced of the pink, ruby & silvery-white varieties. But there's another white patch, hugely prolific but the flowers always looks grubby, so I never cut it. It's going! Something else can go in the precious sunny metre or so it takes up in a cutting bed. And there are others in my sights too...Cleome are off the list (smelly & spiky), a couple of Roses (can't cope with heavy rain & horribly prone to blackspot). I love Godetia but it produced too little last year, a couple of Dahlia varieties in less favoured colours, a red Achillea that grows faster than any other & I just don't need that much! Some will be moved to the garden for the Bees (I'm not that good at ruthless). Others I'll simply not sow or propagate again. And on those precious dry, even sunny days, the 'to do' list is as long as my arm.The polytunnels & greenhouse await a good wash & tidy to let maximum light in. Seed trays & pots need cleaning & organising ready to use, the compost heaps turning. It's already getting a teeny bit lighter each day, isn't it? So it's tempting to start sowing seeds (social media is full of it) but I recommend caution. Sown this early, seeds struggle for light, becoming thin & stretchy. Seeds sown in early March quickly catch up, even overtake, the early starts. This month, I'll start a few Sweet Peas (most sown in February), Larkspur & Antirrhinum. Everything else can wait. For my vases, it's thin pickings this month, making every stem extra precious. The Hazel Catkins & coloured Cornus stems are lovely - I've a bunch in the kitchen this week. The scented shrubs such as Lonicera Fragrantissima (Winter Honeysuckle) & Daphne fill the garden with heady scents on gentle breeze days. If you planted Narcissi or Hyacinths in bowls, you'll be pleased as you bring them indoors now. But in just a few weeks, the Snowdrops will be carpeting the grass again... The cutting beds look lifeless today but gently pull back the leaves & mulch, there are stirrings beneath! This is a busy month for wedding bookings & if you know a couple planning to tie the knot this year, the wedding pages can be found by following the links from this page. As well as bespoke wedding flowers for couples planning 'the whole shebang', we'll again be supplying 'Bloom Buckets' of mixed flowers for family & friends to arrange themselves. The most popular Summer dates book quickly & I can only take on a few weddings each week. I’ve begun putting together an Events calendar for 2023 & booking is open for the first dates. So far;
Doubtless there'll be more cold weather to come, so enjoy any dry, bright weather if you can, admire the beauty of frosts & snuggle up when it's cold. Dream & plan for the beautiful flowers that will come! Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers Jobs for January;
'What good is the warmth of Summer, without the cold of Winter to give it sweetness' John Steinbeck (American Writer) As any Flower Farmer will tell you, there's no such thing as a typical day. It depends on the season, the day of the week & especially the weather!
Sometimes I know EXACTLY what I should be doing but it's too wet, too frozen, too hot, too dry... And yet somehow there's a rhythm to the year. Winter; relishing the quieter weeks after Christmas busyness. Unseen by Customers, the work goes on behind the scenes. Planning what to grow, where, when to start it so I have plenty of blooms throughout the season. Prepping beds, turning compost, pruning roses. Sowing 1st seeds. Talking to wedding couples & getting plans underway. In Spring, activity goes up a notch. Seed sowing, growing on, planting out. Starting Dahlias. Weeding. Cutting & arranging begins for Farmers Markets, flower sales & the first weddings of the year. Summer; LOTS of cutting, early mornings & late evenings. The days are LONG. Plus, sowing seed, taking cuttings, planting out to keep the colour coming. Weddings are an important part of our work so tend to drive the weekly plan, as we cut, arrange & deliver flowers for our couples. Drying flowers for the winter season. Workshops & garden tours. Autumn; cutting continues if the weather is kind, planting bulbs, sowing seeds, planting out, lifting Dahlias for storage... Dried flower wreaths & Christmas prep. Somehow like any business, there's time to talk with Customers & do admin - accounts, invoicing, website, taking photos, social media. Usually after dark before I ever get to this though. So, no two days are the same - & that's just how I like it Instagram Challenge #FlowerFarmerama |
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
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