Eat your greens

Ok you might not want to eat these greens but I think they're rather scrummy all the same.

Its fairly common to meet a customer or bride who doesn't want to use a lot of foliage but don't be too hasty to dismiss greens altogether.

Greens are like the flower equivalent of the onions in the casserole or the spread in your sandwich, they bring everything together, blending and enhancing other colours and shades whilst at the same time giving them space and distinction.

One of my early mentors used to say you had to leave room in an arrangement for the butterflies, room for them to flutter around. Sounds naff I know, but I see what she meant.

Actual space and/or foliage and greens create a visual break in an arrangement. Because they're a sort of neutral colour in flower arranging, they allow your eye to rest and mean you can appreciate the other components and colours all the more. They can be both soothing and subtle, vibrant and peppy.

So while they might not be your first choice, they are always a lovely addition to any flower selection. Here are just a few great limey greens to look out for..

Shamrock/Anastasia Chrysanthemum blooms - A curly multi-petalled bloom that lasts forever. Well almost. A multi purpose flower, perfect for tight modern groupings.

Alchemilla Molis- Sweet, delicate and a tad fluffy, its like a lime green Gypsophila, and yet I love it. Works really well with jam jars and in country or rustic themes.

Kermit Chrysanth - These lime green flat buttons are a floristry mainstay. They're long lasting and are perfect for covering a base and adding texture.

Bupleurum - This little filler is a combination of lemon and lime hues and has a lovely lightness to it. It can give your arrangements a touch of softness and movement.

Draceana and Cordyline foliage - Great for a zesty pop of colour, draceana will lighten and brighten any arrangement. Consider using it with purples, which can be a bit flat on their own.

Midori Anthuriums - For striking modern displays these distinctive blooms will add a touch of the exotic to your wedding flowers. They look fab mixed with other tropical flowers like Orchids, Helleconia and Birds of Paradise.

Viburnum (Guelder Rose), Hydrangea and trailing Amaranthus are a few more that are definitely worth checking out.  Ask your florist for advice on what would work with your favourite flowers and I'm sure you too will soon be hooked on greens. 

Peachy keen

I've never really thought of myself as a particularly girly girl, but being a florist has really taught me to appreciate the beauty of subtlety.

First there were dusky pinks, then blush and now, I am officially in love with peach. I love it with lime greens, (in fact I love pretty much anything with lime greens) its great with chocolate browns too, gives them a little pep.

This is a twist on a bouquet I made for a wedding fair recently. At the end of the day it was snaffled in exchange for a box of cupcakes before I even had the chance to photograph it!

I wanted to make something with a loose and wild feel. The original had Jasmine too.

Here I've used a combination of Ranunculus, the most dreamy flower, Astrantia, limey green Guelder Rose and Alchemila.

Oh and the rose you see below, is Vendella. I spoke about this in the last post. It looks more peachy here.

I have a new found fondness for ribbons too and bows. God I AM girly! I'm not sure what this one is, its not lace, its sort of cottony, is it crochet? Whatever, I thought it worked.

Pretty giftwrap

I love wrapping presents as much as giving them, and squirrel away papers, ribbons, boxes and bags ready to decorate for when birthdays come around.

This time, the lucky lady had two vintage bird salt and pepper pots to roost on her dresser. Nestled in tissue paper, they were tucked into in a little box that I'd covered in a spriggy rosebud wrapping. A lime green crepe paper bow and little pink sparkley button were the cherry on the cake, so to speak.

For the other package I used a narrow piece of the floral paper over the crepe paper and bound with red paper twine. A great way to use up odds and ends.

Take the rough with the smooth

How much am I loving these lush, vibrant greens. Just love the crackled green against the grain of the wood. I have to admit I have a bit of a thing for lichen, though not so much that i could tell you what type this is, maybe I will have to rectify that and become a lichen geek.

Recently I used some beautiful lichen branches for a twiggy arrangement that featured in June's BBC Homes and Antiques. I was inspired by wild rambling hedgerows and used some fallen branches encrusted with lichen and some old man's beard (no not an actual old man's beard, a type of wild vine that once flowered has a fluffy cotton wool like seed)

In contrast with the rough texture of the lichen, how gorgeous are these glossy glass pots and vases, shot whilst on work experience at McQueens. I won a floristry competition at New Covent Garden Flower Market and as part of the prize got to work at the top florist's branch in Old Street, London. The shop is gorgeous, with huge windows and lovely display fittings like this old wooden desk. I came away with lots of ideas, totally invigorated and inspired.