Flowers

'I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers' said master Impressionist Claude Monet and I have to admit that I'm beginning to see his point.

I wouldn't say it has been a revelation, for everyone loves flowers (don't they??) but I am amused and a little bit delighted by how much time I spend thinking about which seeds to plant and bushes to buy to indulge my new found passion. Because, naturally, I want to grow my own.

A couple of events brought me to this, firstly meeting two special ladies both of whom study floristry and talked me, somewhat reluctantly, into attending my first - and only (to date) class and also an article in 'Country Living' magazine all about growing British cutting flowers.

I adore the idea of growing my own beautiful blousy peonies and roses, gypsophila, fever few, Michaelmas daisies, cosmos and so on. All very much cottage garden flowers.

A long time ago, I lived in a pretty white cottage which boasted the most unique cottage garden; secret corners bursting with hollyhocks, foxgloves, lupins and delphiniums during the summer months. I was too young and unworldly to realise its full delight but none the less, enjoyed late spring afternoons planting up pots of geraniums and lobelia and growing seedlings in the old wood framed greenhouse. I simply didn't appreciate it. And now, as I strive to decide whether or not to apply for an allotment or just fill my garden with flowers, I look back to those days.

But, back to my floristry: the product of my first lesson was a delicate bird cage decorated with pinks, whites and purples (don't ask me for the names of the flowers!). The idea was to hang it from the damson tree, which dominates my garden, on warm sun filled days, of which we've been lucky to enjoy this spring.

My second foray into floristry was to just get on with it, nip to the local florist to buy blooms, strip my garden of foliage, which is plentiful thankfully, and make the best of sticking bits of leaves into green foam (oasis, as they call it) Now, I will never be a pro, I simply don't have the dedication or type of perfectionism required of the medium but I do thoroughly enjoy it. My more knowledgeable friends call my style 'loose' (!) I prefer rustic. And so, another hobby beckons but at least it will make my garden much improved and bring a little of the countryside into my home. What could be better than that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One year on...

I have just taken a look at my blog and realised (to my horror and shame!) that it has been almost a year to the day since my last post. Life has been very full and busy with all sorts of new projects - more of which in future posts. The photography continues to grow (and change) although I hope I have established my own style and I still adore poring over monthly editions of 'Country Living' with all its gorgeous photographs, particularly those by Andrew Montgomery and Alun Callender (two of my favourites).
Easter brought with it some good times with family and friends, a few cocktails with friends, a great Easter Sunday roast with family and plenty of research into my new project - keeping hens - so expect lots of photographs and stories over the next few weeks and months (if all goes to plan).
I have been persuaded to attend a floristry workshop by a couple of my very creative girl friends and while I can ill afford another hobby (!) I am looking forward to it.

 

I favour really simple cottage garden flowers in rustic settings, however, I have plans for a huge Bohemian styled garden party at Midsummer so may need some inspiration for extravagant floral displays. In the meantime, I will share some of the images I took at Easter with beautiful spring blooms provided and arranged by my friend, Liz.