Hello & Happy New Year to you!
I'm again following the prompts in the Instagram challenge, #Flowerfarmerama challenge, organised this year by FlowersFromTheFarm. So here goes with the Day 1 Challenge... Who am I? I'm Rosie Gray, Flower Farmer & Florist at my business, Galloway Flowers. Based near Castle Douglas in Dumfries & Galloway, South West Scotland, I’m just starting the 8th year growing cut flowers here. I've always been a gardener & growing flowers long before then though. As a child, I was happiest getting grubby in my little patch, sowing seeds, picking flowers for ‘my bouquets’, soaking rose petals in water to make ‘perfume’… Well, the perfume was never a great success but otherwise, I’ve just scaled up a bit over time! Every year we grow thousands of stems, in a dizzying range of varieties. Our main season is from mid-March to October & there’s always something lovely blooming at that time. I look forward to sharing our flowers with you in future days of the challenge. And a photo from last Spring as a reminder the Tulip bulbs are out there in the soil, steadily putting out roots, getting ready for their moment of glory… And because a splash of colour is very welcome on a day with yet another Weather Warning for heavy rain!
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Gotta love a Festive garland at Christmas time, haven't we?
Luxuriously fat, fluffy lengths of scented foliage left the workshop in the week before Christmas to decorate tables, staircases & mantlepieces. All handmade from natural conifers & evergreens - our Customers can choose the exact length required & the trimmings. Cones have been gathered over recent months as they fall from our trees & added in to the garland. Picture this twined about a few candles, bud vases of flowers, low light for a truly festive feel... Foliage garland can be ordered from Galloway Flowers from late November. December is always a busy month for me making our handmade, luxury wreaths to decorate doors & tables for our Customers. All handmade from scratch, with zero floral foam.
Every wreath is truly bespoke - the Customer can select trimmings, ribbon colour etc after ordering. At the end of the festive season, the foliage is easily removed & can be composted. The mossed ring, cones, cinnamon sticks, ribbons can be reused. Many Customers keep their wreaths hanging for months, enjoying the changing colours as foliage dries. Wrens always seem to love roosting in mine so it hangs on my workshop door until a new one is made! Due to uncertainty about delivery delays, I accepted only a small number of postal orders this year - but they still went far & wide across the UK. Here are a few of my 2022 favourites... This 'Miniature Garden' of Fungi & Lichen appeared overnight on a fencepost opposite my kitchen window.
I swear it wasn't there yesterday! Isn't it lovely? Sometimes a dawdling dog in the rain helps slow me down & notice the beauty in the details... Everything has it's season...
And our season of fresh Galloway-grown flowers is almost at an end. So on the really wet days & longer evenings, I make wreaths & other arrangements to bring colour into homes, using my stash of dried flowers & grasses. All materials were carefully dried by myself on warmer days. To commission a unique, handmade Hoop or other arrangement for your home or as a gift, send a message. For an extra special touch, wreaths can be made in a colour scheme of your choice, while my stocks last. Local delivery, collection or by post across the UK. 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. Irresistible...
Indulging my 'Inner Child', a bowlful of these silky skinned Conkers. My kitchen window sill looks more like the school nature table by the day! Bookings are well underway for our 'Make A Christmas Wreath' workshops.
Small, friendly groups, with all the materials necessary to make a natural. floral foam free wreath for your door.
Book online Here Autumn weddings are among my favourites this year!
All the beautful, varied Dahlias in glowing colours plus such a choice of 'twiddly bits' to make every bridal bouquet unique. 'Twiddly Bits' is, of course a technical Flower Farmers term, referring to all those little details such as grasses, seed heads, pods. I love the way these add texture & a bit of swish to a bouquet. We grow Dahlias in many, many colours not just this glowing selection. The first bloom in late July & they're at their plentiful best from August to early October. 100% of this bouquet (made for Lindsay a couple of weeks ago) was grown by us, here at the Flower Farm near Castle Douglas. If you're a Bride-to-Be in 2023, love Dahlias & 'twiddly bits' too, would you like me to create a special bouquet for you? Do get in touch soon about availability on your chosen date. Dodging rainshowers last Wednesday to cut flowers for a wedding & for 'Friday Flowers' bouquets. Not ideal but as they say, 'No rain, No flowers'.
This little lot is drying off in the polytunnel now, ready to arrange tomorrow (the wedding is on Friday) Now just the whites & golden, Autumnal tones to cut. Will it stay dry for that? Unlikely! So if you ever wondered why my hair is so curly - now you know... More information on how to buy our locally grown flowers 'By the Bucket' for Weddings, Parties, Church flower Arranging etc, is here A Floral Hair Comb for Emma, on her wedding day at Marthrown of Mabie, near Dumfries in July.
The Summer flowers on the comb (all grown here by us at the Flower Farm) echoed some of those in her Bridal Bouquet. I love making these intricate little details, always completely unique & shouting 'Special Occasion', just perfect for a wedding don't you think? 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... Dahlia of the Day... 'Night Butterfly'
Deliciously dark, fluttery petals & loved by the bees. Dahlia 'Babylon Bronze'
Big & blowsy, like wedding must-have Dahlia 'Cafe Au Lait' - but orange! Absolutely fabulous, in my humble opinion. What do you think? Meet Dahlia 'Stolz Von Berlin'. This little sweetie measures just 9cms across, just perfect for popping into small posies & informal jugs of country-style flowers.
A very useful lilacy-pink too (if there's such a word). A very old variety (over 100 years since introduced) & still growing strong. Dahlia of the Day... 'Sweet Nathalie'
Palest not-quite-white with a soft blush of pink towards the back, hard to describe without resorting to paint charts. Always gorgeous in a wedding bouquet, don't you think? 'Bit subtle for me' says Ken, as he saw me posting this. He has a point. In a garden setting, I prefer the bolder colours too. But in those softly coloured wedding bouquets, well she's hard to beat & on my list every year here to grow. Dahlia of the Day... 'April Heather'
I'm trying a number of these single Dahlias (called Colarettes) this year. They've a bit of a reputation for having a short vase life so I've been keeping a close watch. I cut this one last Thursday & 4 days later it's looking unblemished. Just see how it goes. Anyhow, this one is definitely going on my 'Grow More Of' list for next year, because as well as good looks, our Honey bees love it! If you're looking for pollinator-friendly plants for your garden, these single Dahlias are a great choice as they're irresistable to so many pollinators. Sunflowers & smiles from Maria & her Maids back in June at Mabie House Hotel, near Dumfries. Thank you to Maria for allowing me to share this photo & to the talented Derek of Derek Dunlop Photography for taking such a relaxed image.
One of my favourites from this year - it always makes me smile back! Growing Hyacinths in a vase of water is a traditional method, much loved by the Victorians. Seeing the bulb roots through the glass looks beautiful & is intriguing, especially for children. You can enjoy the fabulous, heady fragrance of the flowers indoors. And perhaps best of all, it’s easy to do! What you’ll need;
How to start your bulbs into growth; Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
After flowering... The hyacinth bulbs are exhausted after the effort of producing a flower in water only. Transplant bulbs into the garden after flowering. They may not flower well next year but will recover to produce small blooms in future years. Ready to try 'Something New'? Many bulbs will grow in water, just like Hyacinths. You could try Snowdrops, Crocus, Narcissi (especially the Miniature ones), even Amaryllis. Just use a different size jar, & have fun! Blog post by Rosie Gray, Galloway Flowers. Updated from her post first published here on 22/11/2016
Phew! After 2 nights with low temperatures forecast, it's a relief to see our Dahlias unharmed by the cold.
We fleeced them to give an extra layer of protection & this time, it was enough. Temperatures are looking warmer now for a while so fingers crossed, we can enjoy them for a few more weeks. Hopefully there'll be plenty for our wedding couples plus to bring to Kirkcudbright Farmers Market next Sunday. I'm keeping the fleece handy though & a beady eye on the forecast each evening... Jack Frost I'm ready for you! Photo of Dahlia 'Askwith Minnie' just because. A soft & subtle selection of September flowers for Lisa's wedding bouquet, made earlier this week.
As well as Dahlias, Phlox, Rudbeckia, Cosmos, Astrantia, Aster & Antirrhinum, I added Wild Marjoram & Pelargonium for scent, plus seed heads & Grasses for a delicate swish, dancing over the flowers. 100% grown here in Galloway by myself at the Flower Farm for minimal flower miles. I think the Astrantia travelled furthest to my workshop - 50 steps maybe? Locally grown, seasonal & sustainable. All our packaging materials are recyclable &/or reusable also. Lisa eloped to Galloway for a romantic wedding ceremony in the gardens at Galloway House, Garlieston near Newton Stewart, Dumfries & Galloway. When Claire asked me to prepare flowers for her wedding at Gretna Green, I jumped at the chance! Claire told me she LOVES flowers, wanted multiple colours & wanted them arranged in a natural, bohemian style. Her favourites are delicate wildflowers so I included plenty of these - Cornflowers, Forget Me Not's, Buttercups, Daisies & soft grasses. June is a perfect month for this wedding decor style as we grow many at the Flower Farm in Dumfries & Galloway. I was spoilt for choice when I began cutting flowers for Claire! The flowers were arranged simply in mini 'milk bottles', trimmed with ivory ribbon. Then the bottles were positioned down the table as a botanical runner. Very colourful & interesting for guests to look at during the meal as every bottle contained a different selection of flowers. I made several Posies in ribbon-trimmed Honey jars too & these were placed on the windowsills. After the wedding, Claire invited Guests to take bottles away with them as a wedding favour. She added a packet of wildflower seeds & bottle of pink Gin for each Guest too. Claire took several Posies in Honey jars herself to enjoy in her Camper Van as she & Husband Adie toured the Highlands on their Honeymoon. The couple messaged me to say; Thank you so so much for our beautiful Wedding flowers. We loved them and so did everyone else. We’re still on our travels through Isle of Skye with one of ours jars. And the Wedding Cake... As Claire lived in Dorset & travelled to Gretna Green for her wedding, I suggested contacting Jade of The Treats Darling in Kirkcudbright to make her Wedding cake. And what a cake! Jade's cakes are exceptional - delicious & made with love & such creativity. This cake was coated in buttercream & decorated with a selection of food safe flowers grown by myself at the Flower Farm near Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galoway. As you'll see from the pictures below, it was a real stunner! Thank you Claire & Adie for allowing us to be part of your special wedding day at Gretna Green - best wishes for many happy & healthy years together.
Wedding Suppliers Gretna Green; Wedding Florist; Rosie @Galloway Flowers www.GallowayFlowers.co.uk Wedding Cake Specialist; Jade @ The Treats Darling Wedding Venue; The Gables Hotel, Gretna Green, Dumfries & Galloway www.Gables-hotel-gretna.co.uk As rain blows across the field this morning, I feel the season turning to Autumn. Quickly forgetting how much rain is still needed - was it really only last Wednesday I gave Dahlias a much needed soak with a hose? I'm even wearing socks today, for goodness sake - how many times has that been necessary recently!
While we never had close to the drought & high temperatures experienced in many areas, this year has been challenging. Great for everybody enjoying holidays locally of course, but concerning for all growing flowers, food & grass. I'm mean with additional watering & the difference shows in stem length of certain flowers. The perennial flowers & early planted Annuals such as Sweet Peas performed brilliantly, their roots down deep. Tomatoes are incredible this year. But the Tender Annuals planted out over the Summer (Cosmos for example) have disappointed. While they survived, they didn't thrive as usual. This month is a good time to note what thrived, what I'll grow more of for next year & changes needed. The addition of water efficient soaker hoses worked brilliantly in the tunnels. Next year I'll add some to vulnerable outside plants too. As we see climate change affecting us, we're learning to adapt for future success. It's been a non-stop Summer of fabulous weddings as couples could plan with certainty at last. From large Marquees in the garden, to pretty country churches, village halls & family gardens, we've loved them all! Never have I known so many elopements - proving romance is definitely not dead. Wedding trends I've noticed?
While flower production slows from this month on, there's plenty to do. I'm making a big effort to save our own seed to resow for more free plants. Many come true from seed so it makes good sense - like everything else, seed prices are soaring. Quality of our own seed tends to be good as it's so fresh - gather it when very dry, store somewhere cool & dry, then resow. Germination rates tend to be high especially for the 'tricky' seeds such as Orlaya & Molucella (Bells of Ireland). So why not give it a go? On Sunday September 11th, I'll be hosting a 'Make A Hand Tied Bouquet' afternoon so if you've ever fancied giving this a try, do come along. Just 2 places left this morning. BOOK ONLINE This week it's time to tidy up the greenhouse ready for filling with tender plants again over winter. The fleece is bundled up ready to throw over the Dahlias if an early frost threatens - the earliest I've known was September 13th here. If I can mollycoddle plants through early cold nights, often I can keep them blooming until late October. Last Autumn was exceptionally mild & I sent buckets of Dahlias & Rudbeckia to Glasgow to decorate Kelvingrove for the COP26 dinner. Jack Frost I'm ready for you! Dried flowers are having a renaissance & my spare bedroom is rammed with bright Statice, Achillea & Helichrysum. Serious wreathmaking has begun...Wreaths will be for sale on the website later this month & can be sent by post across the UK. Enjoy September's misty mornings, Spiders webs on the grasses & the leaves as colours begin to change. I couldn't resist adding these brambles to a vase arrangement, but there are plenty in the hedgerows this year for Crumbles & pies. Hurrah for the return of comfort food! Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers 'A flowerless room is a souless room, to my way of thinking; but even a solitary little vase of a living flower may redeem it.' Vita Sackville-West 'Some Flowers' Jobs for the Cutting Garden in September;
'How can I keep Tulip stems straight in the vase?' I'm asked often. 'Will they stay straight if I put an old penny in the water? Or prick them with a pin?'
NO! More to the point, why would you want to? Aren't they at their best when twisting & dancing, opening wide, then tumbling downwards in a relaxed, 'old master-ish' style? They aren't dead, the stems are still strong, firm to touch - it's just their natural progression, doing what Tulips do. Naturally attracted to the light, they move during the day. And yes, they might be wild & wonky, & they're still beautiful! When cutting Tulips, I wrap them in brown paper & immediately place in a tall bucket of clean water overnight. After their long drink, they're firm, straight & much easier to arrange. But they fight back - growing several inches of stem to rise above other flowers in a bouquet. Given space as here, they begin to dance... These flowers know what they want, flowers with attitude. Our Galloway-grown Tulips are planted in November/December & cut daily between mid-March & mid-April (depending on the weather, of course). They're beautiful for weddings in Spring as they come in such a wonderful range of flamboyant & subtle colours. Then it's goodbye for a full year & we welcome the early Summer flowers as they arrive... |
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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