Hampton Court Flower Show 2012

Having been invited to take part in the Hampton Court Flower Show, we set about getting ourselves greared up for the event.

Amongst all the things we needed to do were the many forms to fill in online which took up a lot of time.  The drawings we had to make with reference to our floral installation, and the various flowers to be used (mainly roses as the theme for this year is Romance).  We had to choose a famous couple featured in classical literature and a painting of them by a list or recommended artists, and in our case Alma Tadema, who painted scenes of Greece and Italy.

Our inspiration came from the painting, 'Ask me no more.' as depicted by Alma Tadema, whose subjects came mainly from literature by people like William Shakespeare.

We set about securing the props; the roman columns, the stone bench and the urn planter in which the main flower display was to be created.

Then there was the information which had to be printed for distribution.  About 4,000 people will file past on Press Day, etc.  Photos would be taken and articles written.

The whole project from the conception of the design to the actual installation took months and we were glad when it was all up, securely and firmly!

                      Alex and Mimi as Pyramus and Thisbe!  What sweet darlings they were!

Sloane Square celebrates the Chelsea Flower Show

Driving through Sloane Square after an arduos journey from over the Chelsea Bridge, I chanced upon workmen and florists putting up some enchanting floral displays on the shop fronts of Tiffany, Smythson, Paule Ka. It was a refreshing take on The Chelsea Flower Show and definitely one for other shops all over London or Surrey to emulate. I managed to park the car and took some photos with my new smart phone. The results are for your eyes only!

I love the quietness of this front-garden feel arrangement.

Tiffany's showpiece. The little windows had smaller arrangements featuring hydrangeas and sparkling diamond rings!

My favourite window is that of Smythson which had hearts etched with the union jack design and the pink and lime green roses, hydrangeas and moss give a lighter feel to the usual red, blue and white. Take a walk down town and be amazed!

Oh to be in England, now that spring is here...

We are at the very end of April and the weather is still not very spring like. The winds are howling outside the shop, threatening to blow all our bouquets and potted plants away. Then it started raining furiously, sending huge drops of water down our way. We had to rescue all our bouquets and managed to keep them all still looking fresh and saleable. The things we have to do other than create! I had to keep sane and the only way is to do something different. Mood boards! Off I went to Arte, the art gallery and master framer for some mounting card and paper tape. The past few weeks have been quite inspiring where flowers are concerned. I found various salmon pink spring flowers at the market and simply had to buy them for the shop. They proved to be popular as anemones, ranunculus and lilacs all came in that 'oh-so-gorgeous' shade of pink which in a moment of marketing genius, I termed 'Chanel Pink'. Everyone fell for them.

I mounted each single flower on the board to form a recipe for the bouquets based on that shade and I had to get Tim of Tim Hollis Photography to photograph them. The results are so satisfying that they have now been added to our reference 'library' for all who work at The White Orchid. So the rain did bring some moments of happiness after all! Would you like to see more?

Holiday Musings...

The long weekend has certainly done wonders for me. My head has slowed down, not constantly spinning with ideas to create lovely bouquets for my appreciative clients.

So, the plan to do everything I had wanted to do for a long time, reigns. Delivering flowers to somewhere near Shere, a charming village which has a little stone church and a flowing stream where someone has very thoughtfully built a duck-house for the resident ducks, I started to think of the times when life was less of a rush... visiting the snoring pigs, highly perched on the roof barn owls, crooked-neck goose, flighty bantam chickens and whispering ducks in a farm adjacent to the silent pool. Have you ever felt how quiet and peaceful it is when you stand at the viewing area which used to have a shelter for watching birds?

The drive to the country always make me think of nature as some kind of tonic for the soul. No social media, no distractions, no artificial noise and simply far from the maddening crowd. Bliss.

The countryside also awakens in me the sense of smell - the distant log fire burning, the green of the moss, the fragrance of the fields and the little buttercups that grow along the footpaths.

All these fire up inspiration from long forgotten movies like 'Tess of the D'Urberilles', 'Far from the Maddening Crowd', 'La Gloire de Mon Pere', 'The Secret Garden', and many more...

My latest like is that of 'The Little Paris Kitchen' featuring Rachel Khoo - living in Paris and tasting life through its food and culture. Her 'bonjours' and 'comment?' and 'saluts' egged me to take out my language CDs again and go through the familiar and some not so familiar ways of communicating with the most stylish and charming people over the channel. I would love to live in an apartment with a balcony, throw open the shutters on a warm spring day and simply admire the Eiffel Tower! Vous desirez?

Easter bunnies and cheep cheep!

Spring is here and the weather is brightening up! Daffodils and narcissus are sprouting and the fragrance of hyacinths fills the shop, competing with the scented candles we light everyday to create that sense of being in a garden.

Today, we have completely gone colourful with yellows, oranges and greens, not forgetting the ubiquitous pinks and lilacs. Everything says spring is upon us.

The table is laden with chocolate eggs, fluffy chicks and panacotta candles and the window has bunnies climbing cherry trees and generally having a good time.

We love Spring and hope you will come and see us at the shop. Cheep! Cheep!

I have been doing the sums - Mothering Sunday

'I have loved you since the day I came out from your tummy.' 'If you went to Mummy School, you would be top of the class!' 'Home is where mummy is.'
These are some of the beautiful sayings, which I am sure are repeated time and time again, in praise of motherhood.

When I was a child, I used to get very confused when she had to send me to school and leave me with the teacher until the afternoon was nearly over when she duly came and collected me. I used to think she did not like me any more!

Secondary school was better when I would go home and dinner would be ready. My mother would tell me about what happened during the day and even let me do the washing up and look after my brothers and sister when she popped out for her secret driving lessons! My father would not have a clue.

Time flies and we are all older - my brothers now have their own children and whenever we meet, we would recount the stories of mother and father to the young ones. Life is quite different today. Somehow, we all work too hard and there is never enough time to simply teach the children how to 'smell the flowers'. But luckily, we can all still revel in the thought that we all have, in some cases had, a mother and the memories of the many things our mums do for us will live on.

My favourite ode goes as follows:

Mum, I've been doing my figures and they are mind-blowing.
16,424 meals,
5,400 loads of laundry
14,700 hugs,
6,570 bedtime stories
18 birthday cakes,
and all from
1 Mum.

Wedding Bouquets 'I do!'

At The White Orchid, we are constantly asked if we do weddings and if we have any samples of the type of bouquets we make. I often think that brides should do a little homework by searching out the florists who reflect the style they like and then go see them.

Of course, by all means, bring some cut-outs from magazines, a mood board of the look you are aiming for and the flowers you like to incorporate. Otherwise, let the florist come up with some suggestions to suit both your preferences and budget.

The seasons should also be considered as the availability of certain varieties of flowers are never guaranteed. Prices vary too.

So, do check out the florist's website or blog, have your pictures in a folder, fabric samples and a good idea of what you are looking for before you even start to choose a florist. Budgets are important and most florists will work something out for you if you are flexible enough.

Enjoy your search!