Blooms — British Cut Flowers

Jubilee flower growers and suppliers wanted

March 12, 2012 by admin 1 Comment

We have had a number of requests for British grown cut flowers for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, so if you are a grower or supplier, our readers are keen to know what is available.

By the time we head into May and early June, the British flower gardens should be brimming with colour and many growers are aware that there will be a huge demand for red, white and blue blooms.

Orders for these patriotic flowers are being placed now and we would like to hear from growers and suppliers who are placing a “Jubilee” emphasis on their plantings and orders.

What is available? What is popular? Has the Jubilee resulted in an increase in business?

Planning a display

If your area, diocese, organisation are planning any flower festivals or Jubilee flower arrangements, please get in touch with us via the comments section at the end of this article.

Lily of the valley

Following the use of Lily of the Valley by the Duchess of Cambridge at her wedding last year, we are also experiencing a high volume of requests for people wanting to source Lily of the Valley this year.

If you are a grower or supplier, especially of the longer stemmed variety, then we would love to hear from you!

Filed Under: Features, News Tagged With: Blooms, Cambridge, Comments Section, Cut Flowers, Diamond Jubilee, Duchess, Flower Arrangements, Flower Festivals, Flower Gardens, Flower Growers, High Volume, Jubilee Celebrations, Lily Of The Valley, Plantings, Queen Jubilee

Peony Flowers

May 18, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

The Peony has a graceful, silky, delicate, blowsy bloom, similar to that of an old English rose and some varieties are well suited to being used as a cut flower.

The blousy romantic blooms of the peony are popular for weddings

The large, effervescent flowers create a stunning display but do have a very short season, with buds appearing around mid to late May.

For peonies to be successful as a cut flower, they need to be cut whilst in bud and conditioned. If done correctly, some varieties of peony can last longer in the vase than roses.

Peony flower colours vary from shades of delicate pale cream, pinks and corals through to deep burgundy red.

The early warm sunshine and then cooler temperatures of late May mean that 2011 could be the best year yet for peony blooms.

If you are looking to grow peonies for cut flowers or find a supplier of cut peony blooms, we have put together a list of some UK growers.

Peony plants

Kelways - Set in the picturesque Somerset Levels we are known worldwide as the UK’s leading grower of irises and peonies.

Claire Austin Hardy Plants – Home to one of the UK’s largest selections of irises, peonies and perennials

Binny Plants - Peony specialist.

Spalding plant and bulb company – Top Quality Peony plants

Cut Peony Flowers

Halcyon Hill - Speciality peony cut flowers.

More information

Peony growers expecting the best display for years – Article in the Telegraph

Peony Paradise - How to condition peony flowers

Sarah Raven – How to grow peonies

Claire Austin Hardy Plants - Peonies as cut flowers. Some wonderful information on the best varieties to use, when to cut them and how to get the best vase life.

Amazon.co.uk Widgets

Filed Under: Features Tagged With: Blooms, Buds, Burgundy, Claire Austin, Corals, Cut Flower, Cut Flowers, Effervescent, Google, Hardy Plants, Irises, J2, Pale Cream, Peonies, Peony Flower, Peony Flowers, Peony Plants, pinks, Plants Flowers, Somerset Levels, Spalding, Vase Life, Warm Sunshine

Royal wedding 2011 – Flower updates

April 29, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Thousands of flowers, many of them British flowers, are seen by a global audience at the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.

During the event we provided a live blog service updating this website with details of flowers and designs we spot, and our thoughts on themes and designs.

Here is our archive of the day now recorded in history as - Friday 29 April 2011 – The day Prince William married Kate Middleton and they became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Royal wedding 2011 – archive

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 13.32
The majestic Lancaster bomber flanked by a Hurricane and Spitfire are followed closely by four modern jet aircraft. William and Catherine go back into the palace for some well earned lunch.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 13.28
A fly past from the Battle of Britain Memorial team. The young pages and bridesmaids point out to the aircraft. Prince William and Catherine take their first public kiss.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 13.25
#Prince William and Catherine appear on the balcony of Buckingham palace. Wild cheers from the crowd. The couple smiling, looking very relaxed and at ease.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 13.16
#Prince William’s RAF colleagues said the wedding was quite surreal but a wonderful experience to which they were proud to be invited.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 13.13
Floral designer #Shane Connolly has proved that British grown, seasonal flowers can be classical and elegant and that the use of growing plants is just as effective as cut blooms.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 13.06
Apart from the large trees, the flowers in Westminster abbey were mainly centred on the Altar and altar area. Very elegant, stunningly natural and a real tribute to the designer Shane Connolly and the Ladies of NAFAS.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 12.45
The Cornish lily of the valley has featured strongly in the #bouquets, hair adornments, button holes and Abbey arrangements.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 12.40
Crowds outside Buckingham Palace now await the balcony appearance of #William and Catherine. Behind the scenes, the royal photographer is busy photographing royal dignitaries and state guests.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 12.27
The royal couple arrive at# Buckingham Palace to the strains of the national anthem. Her sister Phillipa and the bridesmaids arrive closely behind.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 12.14
Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh leave in the Scottish state coach.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 12.12
Prince William and his new wife are now escorted in 1902 state Landau carriage for their journey back to Buckingham palace.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 12.10
#William and Catherine emerge to cheers from the crowd and the bells of the Abbey as the horses pull up the open top Landau coach.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 12.07
The newly married #royal couple leave #Westminster Abbey. William and Catherine exit under the high gothic arch, softened by the foliage of trees.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 12.00
#The Royal wedding 2011 is almost concluded and has truly been a stunning and fitting celebration. Not overshadowed with pomp and circumstance but infused with ageless class that befits a future King and Queen.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.54
#Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge leave to the site of the shrine of Edward the Confessor to sign the three registers.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.47
#Rw2011. The royal couple kneel for prayer, her satin train falling in neat folds on the pink stones of the Cosmati pavement.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.46
Hydrangeas and jasmine surround the altar candles. The foliage of solomon’s seal setting the backdrop, Their delicate white blooms falling like pearl earrings.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.41
The 8 trees lining the Aisle remove harshness and formality from the structure. The couple listen to “Ubi Caritas et Amor”, a particular favourite of theirs, sung by the #Westminster Abbey choir.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.35
#The Westminster Abbey choir sing a beautiful rendition of “This is the day”. The Royal couple exchange knowing glances.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.27
#Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge now sit to the right of the alter, side by side, under a magnificent display of white beam and blossom.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.26
#James Middleton, Catherine’s brother has a delicate spray of lily of the valley in his buttonhole as he gives the Psalm.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.24
#Royal wedding flowers are gentle and understated. Sprays of blossom hang delicately interspersed with white lilac, magnolia. Catherine’s sister carries a small spray of lily of the valley in her hair.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.20
#The Royal Wedding 2011. Prince William and Catherine Middleton are now man and wife. Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.18
#William and Catherine look relaxed as they exchange vows. Williams cheeky grin evident as he manages not to “fluff” his lines.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.15
Standing at the altar on the recently restored Cosmati pavement, the couple are surrounded by sprays of blooms which do not detract from the natural grandeur of the Abbey.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.11
# Now alongside her prince, the congregation sing “Guide me O thou great redeemer”. Catherine’s veil is now back revealing the Halo tiara.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.08
#Catherine proceeds down the Aisle with her father to join HRH Prince William of Wales. Her small posy of white flowers held in the right hand.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 11.02
#Kate Middleton arrives at Westminster Abbey to a huge cheer from the crowd. The Chantilly lace top adorns a Sarah Burton gown of ivory and white satin with a train measuring 2.7m. The Queen’s 1936 Halo diamond tiara carries a waist length veil.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.57
Kate’s sister wears a stunning white tailored dress as she enters the Abey with the bridesmaids.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.54
#Catherine’s delicate veil sits on an understated tiara. She wears her hair down and waves happily at the crowd

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.53
#RW2011 #Kate Middleton leaves the hotel. The top of the dress a delicate simple neckline of lace. Lilly of the valley adorn the small bouquet

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.50
The state trumpeters of the Household Cavalry mark the arrival of her Majesty the Queen at Westminster Abbey

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.45
The young bridesmaids leave the hotel. Circlets of white flowers adorn their hair. They carry white posies. Their white dresses are enhanced by pale lemon sashes with bows tied at the back.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.42
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh leave Buckingham Palace. Her Royal Highness in primrose yellow

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.39
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall leave Clarence House. The Duchess of Cornwall in pale Eau De Nil.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.37
Many of the ladie’s outfits are pale colours. grey, steel blue, beige and pink.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.36
Prince Andrew travels with his daughters Beatrice and Eugene

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.33
Carol Middleton arrives at the Abbey wearing a Katherine Walker sleek tailored dress of powder grey pearly blue.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.29
Mini coaches leave Buckingham palace with some members of the Royal family including Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.25
The brides mother, Carol Middleton and her brother James leave for Westminster Abbey

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.20
Prince William enters Westminster Abbey and looks fairly relaxed as he greets clergy

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.18
Prince Harry is wearing his uniform as Captain of the Household Cavalry of the Blues and Royals. Bells of Westminster Abbey now ring out

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.13
#Prince William and Prince Harry leave Clarence House. Prince William in his uniform as Colonel of the Irish Guards.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 10.03
#Royal Wedding – Crowds are gathering at the Goring Hotel where Catherine will depart in the Rolls Royce Phantom in about three quarters of an hour.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.48
Richard Ward and James Price of the Richard Ward salon will be doing the hair of Kate Middleton and her family and have been at the Goring hotel since 6.30 this morning.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.40
The floral decorations inside the Abbey are soft and tasteful. Branches of blossom, lilac and magnolia grace the ancient pillars and altar candles.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.29
#Buckingham Palace have announced that Willam and Kate will be given the titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.25
The Archbishop of Canterbury says he feels #William & Kate are a sensible couple and it his his endeavour today to make it a very personal day for them both.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.22
Pink and violet seems to be dominating the fashions and hats are outdoing fascinators.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.20
The main west doors of the abbey are flanked by two large urns flowing with branches of blossom and white beam.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.18
David and Victoria Beckham are now entering Westminster Abbey. Victoria dressed in Charcoal black.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.15
The ancient Cosmati pavement at the altar of the Abbey has been restored and is on full view.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.11
The Cornish Lily of the valley decorates the top of the planters containing the 8 trees down the aisle.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.08
The front of the Goring hotel is decorated with planters of white and pink flowers. The Rolls Royce has just pulled up outside.

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.07
#RW2011 the Rolls Royce that will carry Kate to the Abbey is now on it’s way to the hotel. So far the car is not decorated

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 09.01
Big Ben chimes 9.00 and thousands of members of the crowd are waving blow up plastic daffodils, the Welsh national flower

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 08.57
Branches of white blossom adorn the altar of Westminster Abbey

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 08.13
NAFAS members helped with the floral arrangements in the Abbey earlier this week

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 08.09
Thousands of people have started to gather along the route the cars will take ahead of the big event

Royal Wedding 2011 update – 08.08
Not long to go now before the wedding gets underway and the doors open on Westminster Abbey.

Filed Under: Features, Royal Wedding 2011 Tagged With: 29 April, Altar Area, Balcony, Battle Of Britain, Blooms, Bridesmaids, Buckingham Palace, Button Holes, Duke And Duchess, Floral Designer, Global Audience, Growing Plants, Jet Aircraft, Kate Middleton, Lancaster Bomber, Lily Of The Valley, Liveblog, Prince William, Raf, Real Tribute, Royal Wedding, Seasonal Flowers, Shane Connolly, Spitfire, Wedding Flower, Wedding Flowers, Westminster Abbey

Using perennials

August 9, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

If you are thinking of creating a cutting garden, consider perennials as well as or even instead of annuals.

The blog at “Flowers, Arrangements, Design” discusses this subject and shares some thoughts on cut flower garden design with a simple plan that many can use or adapt to suit their needs.

Perennial border in September

The picture of the herbaceous border opposite was taken in Mid September and there is still a wealth of blooms and foliage available.

Tall blue Echinops will even keep for winter displays whilst the lilac asters and white Anemone Japonica are always good as cut flowers.

A great many cut flower gardens use vast quantities of annuals, sown from seed each spring. These often give months of blooms but the season can be short lived. Many hours of sowing, pricking out and planting can be needed to get the best from the season.

Perennials not only provide year round interest and structure but give the flower arranger a longer season and foliage.

Even the seed heads of flowers look good in autumn and winter arrangements and evergreen foliage is always useful for bulking up a display and adding structure.

Perennials flower year after year and the regular cutting process forces the plant to put on more growth, often creating a second flush of blooms in the year and resulting in a larger plant the following season, which in turn will yield more flowers or foliage.

A wider range of flowers is available throughout the year and because perennials bloom at different times, your arrangements become more seasonal.

More information

Flowers, Arrangements, Design – Blog site dedicated to floral displays, gardens and ladscape

Filed Under: Design Tagged With: Asters, Autumn And Winter, Bloom, Blooms, Cut Flower, Cut Flowers, Cutting Garden, Different Times, Echinops, Evergreen Foliage, Floral Displays, Flower Arranger, Flower Garden Design, Flower Gardens, Flowers Arrangements, Herbaceous Border, Japonica, Perennial Border, Perennials, Simple Plan

English Flower Company

February 28, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

The English Flower Company has been buying and collecting from English growers for two years now and selling to florists where they can.

Grown in the UK

Only English grown flowers are selected on either the day they are cropped or the day after at which time they will also be delivered to customers.

They are the freshest flowers possible, having travelled no more than 50 miles. There’s no delivery charge and no VAT either. Occasionally travel to London takes them to Moyses Stevens and Hayford and Rhodes, two florists keen to promote British flowers.

Most of the growers are in Lincolnshire, are very professional and supply top quality flowers. The range through the year is fantastic including Phalaenopsis Orchids (stems and plants), Cymbidium stems and plants, Dendrobium stems and plants, Anemones, Ranunculus, Chrysanthamum blooms, Molucella, Alstroemeria, Lupins, Peonies and many many more.

The English Flower Company are proud to be helping local businesses and keeping to a minimum their carbon footprint.

They started simply with a van one day, looking around their area for large glasshouses. It didn’t take long before they found one and then another and so on.

Martyn Meadows, company owner said;

“Our decision to start selling English flowers was really a matter of circumstance. Leaving a job in London, to avoid the commute and looking for a more family friendly lifestyle. At the same time my wife got friendly with a wholesaler who delivered flowers to the florists where she worked. He was giving up the business and told her each week a little more about what was involved, the thinking being that we might be interested in buying his goodwill etc.

So, with that in mind, and coincidentally, the proximity of our new home very close to the towns of Spalding and Holbeach, where there are a good number of both big and small growers, we decided to give it a go”.

Martyn and his wife decided that they would only sell British flowers because they wanted to buy flowers at their freshest and best and to build up good relationships with the respective growers.

They felt that there might be a gap in the market for British flowers and were encouraged by a programme on tv, produced by Sarah Raven of Gardeners World. She took over a florist shop for the day and stocked one side with English flowers and the other with imported flowers. By far the most popular were the English flowers, offering seasonality and better scents.

All the larger growers they know are very keen to sell to them. Some sell millions of flowers to supermarkets, so to sell to a company on a much smaller scale involves a lot of extra work, or rather time they would otherwise spend completing what are sometimes quite long production lines.

Others are smaller producers, often a family business which has been passed down over the years. It is however getting harder for these smaller growers to carry on with their businesses as it is hard work for a relatively small return which is also not guaranteed.

Martyn feels that the three issues facing flower production in Britain are the cost of production, (heat and light) is now unsustainably high. The second is that the selling price has not gone up for a number of years, even though the cost of productio has risen considerably. To compound these two, Government legislation encroaches more and more on growing techniques.

One grower he spoke to recently has admitted that he cannot now afford to comply with recent legislation with regard to the control of weeds. Quite simply, what the government says he must do would make it completely unviable for him to continue.

With the growers problems in mind, it appears they might be desperate for sales but like many British businesses, they each have their place in the market and hold on to that tentatively as best they can.

In the last year the effect of the recession has been obvious, with two florists in the area closing down and one continuing to trade from home. The main hurdle is the inability to compete with supermarkets selling flowers cheaply.

The English Flower Company sells flowers to anyone who wants to buy them. From florists, to businesses, flower arrangers and friends and family. They would of course like to be able sell more but there is not the complete range available that florists need. Their current range includes, Daffodils, Tulips, Anemones and strangely, all types of the Orchid varieties.

As with all businesses in this economic climate, Martyn and his wife have also used their skills to diversify and have just

New notelets range

produced a series of notelets with their beautiful flowers as the theme.

It is hoped that these notelets will be available via some of the leading retailers.

Currently available as four packs, each reflecting designs created from the British grown flowers of the seasons.

To contact the English Flower Company, ring Martyn Meadows on

01778 421441 or 07720 716802

Filed Under: Features, Industry Focus Tagged With: Blooms, Business Cards, Carbon Footprint, Circumstance, David Austins, Delivery Charge, Delivery Charges, Dutchman, English Flower, Flower Co, Flower Company, Freshest Flowers, Glasshouses, Goodwill, Grown Flowers, Havn, Importers, Leaving A Job, Lincolnshire, Lincs, Local Businesses, Luding, Moyses Stevens, Overheads, Peonies, Phalaenopsis Orchids, Quality Flowers, Rhodes, Spalding, Stems, Wholesaler

Jubilee flower growers and suppliers wanted

Peony Flowers

Peony plants

Cut Peony Flowers

More information

Royal wedding 2011 – Flower updates

Royal wedding 2011 – archive

Using perennials

English Flower Company

Updates via email

Lily of the valley suppliers

Growing lily of the valley

Plant of the month – Eryngium

Plant of the month – Crocosmia

Grow Your Own Cut Flowers

Blog catalogues