Seasonal Blooms

Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall - 

We help you find the blooms available whatever the season


As florists who specialise in seasonal blooms, we couldn't be happier that the whole idea of seasonal flowers is really starting to catch on. And, as some of you may know, we've been writing guest blog posts for the fabulous Boho Weddings for some time now.  Each post features a particular season, which hopefully gives you plenty of ideas of which flowers are available and there are lots of ideas of how to design your flowers and the colours you can expect to find them in too.

SPRING


My thanks to Kelly for inviting me to write another in this series of seasonal posts, today,  it’s Spring!  All I can say is thank goodness for Spring … in the words of McCartney et all “it’s been a long, cold, stormy winter”!!!  

I love this time of year.  Early springtime is so wonderful, and just feels hugely exciting with all the new growth beginning to appear and the fantastic feeling of warmer and longer days just hinting at what’s to come.  With the soil starting to warm, planting is happening and the anticipation is palpable!

So, in an optimistic frame of mind, I bring you a combination of bright and cheery flowers, which epitomise this new season and then counterbalance these with some soft, muted, pretty neutrals and finally offset everything with some gorgeous, sumptuous rich colours – I’m thinking this should appeal to a range of tastes!

Here are just a few of my top flowers for Spring:-

Daffodils and Narcissus

For last weekend’s wedding, my Bride, Rachael, had a yellow theme and knew that whatever I designed, had to include daffodils.  I’m really passionate about British grown flowers and these single and double daffodils were hand tied to create a big, bright yellow ‘ball’ and looked stunning in their simple grey jugs.  Daffs are quite resilient too, and last well out of water, and can make a really cute, slightly quirky buttonhole.  Narcissi are their smaller, highly scented cousins and come in a marvellous combination of yellows, lemons and soft creams.


These tiny 'tete a tete' narcissus are perfect as buttonholes


A host of golden daffodils!




 Gorgeous hellebores, double daffs, lilac, lavender, ranunculus and scented narcissus for the perfect Spring bouquets


These all British blooms are just so pretty in their Spring colours


Hyacinths

One of my absolute favourite blooms at this time of the year with a just astonishingly gorgeous, heady scent, they come in lots of colours but are most commonly found in white, pink and a gorgeous Delft blue - the colour of willow pattern porcelain.  Look out too for the rarer, but equally fabulous cream, salmon, peach, magenta and dark purple varieties.  The blooms can get a little heavy for their stems, so make sure your florist is careful where he/she places them in a bouquet.  The individual florets, however, are incredibly long lasting and make the cutest hair flowers – or prettiest circlets.  Did you spot the tiny beads I couldn’t resist popping into the centres of the florets?!




The pure simplicity of white hyacinths with white tulips, lisianthus and thistle


Floral crowns are very much on trend at the mo, here's one that's perfect for a grown up bridesmaid



Hyacinths look fabulous with just simply grasses and eucalyptus





Tulips

The happiest of flowers, tulips seem to me to just say Spring.  They’re incredibly versatile and come in a myriad of wonderful colours.  Not only that, but there are some truly astonishing varieties available which include amazing parrot tulips; strident, huge French tulips and simply beautiful peony tulips – perfect for those of you who adore the quintessential Summer bloom, but have chosen early Spring for your wedding day.


Katie teamed bright reds and pinks together for a quintessential '50's look





These peony tulips open up like their Summer sisters and are a brilliant alternative for Spring brides






These white tulips are freshened by the pretty yellow stripe in the white irises

Lilac

Available a little later in Spring, this is another favourite which adds fabulous texture to whole host of designs, has a pretty, light scent and a lovely loose, softness for a ‘just picked’ feel.  Perfect for that vintage look! Available in white, pinks, soft lilacs and deep, deep purples, lilac can be pricey but its short season makes it a joy to work with and can add something really extra special and quite memorable to your floral arrangements. 


White lilac teamed with pussy willow makes the simplest buttonhole


A vintage alternative for a top table design



 Lilac lends itself so well to being used in random, mismatched bottles etc

Of course, there are so many more seasonal Spring blooms available, with a huge variation between early and late Spring too, but these are just a few ideas of what’s out there! When you’re ordering your flowers, remember scent is one of the most evocative of senses so, if you can, talk to your florist about incorporating a sweet smelling flower into your design - the scent will always remind you of your special day.

I hope our designs have given you an idea of what’s available at this time of the year.  We keep adding to our wedding portfolio all the time which might help you with inspiration for bridesmaids, buttonholes and venue decoration, or pop across to have a look at our latest ‘real weddings’.  We  also love sharing, so feel free to get in touch if you need any help or advice in choosing seasonal flowers for your special day.

If you need to, you can find Campbell’s Flowers in various ways:-



Tracey









SUMMER

Hello all.  Today I bring you another of my passions - scented flowers. One of the true pleasures of working with flowers is not just their shape, form or colour, but it’s their evasive unique scent which just can't be manufactured, that I love.


I’ve always loved plants and flowers and have been, in my time, quite a keen gardener.  So, when I trained to become a florist, I was initially quite sad to learn that commercial production of flowers which smell divine in the garden, had little or no scent in a retail setting.  In perfecting the shape, colour and longevity of the blooms, scent had been sacrificed.

Fast forward a number of years later and David Austin were for a time, at the forefront of promoting gorgeous cabbagey roses full of luscious, romantic scents.  Happily, the trend for flowers with a ‘just picked’ natural feel has meant that not only are organically and ethically grown flowers more readily available, but that scents are back where they should be. 

Here are a few of my top Summer Scented flowers:-

Lavender



As you might have noticed, I love dried lavender for it's scent and gorgeous texture.  It's also really useful to 'open' up a bouquet and help created a 'just picked' look


Fresh lavender is available in lots of gorgeous colours ranging from deep dark purples, through to lilacs, pinks and even white.



Sweet Peas



To me, Sweet Peas are as quintessentially part of British Summer time as strawberries and cream and have the added benefit of being available in an array of gorgeous colours

Peonies




A firm favourite with Bride's at the moment, peonies also come in a range of beautiful colours ranging from pure, pure white to pale pink through to the deepest vibrant magenta.

Freesia




I'm really happy to see this slightly underrated flower making a bit of a comeback recently, I love not only it's scent, but the pretty swirly buds which add so much textural interest to a design


Roses





I adore that unmistakeable scent of a beautiful rose - it reminds me of my Bampa's (Grandfather's) garden.  Happily there are so many varieties of rose now available with a gorgeous scent - I've noticed that even some varieties of spray rose do too. Fabulous!



Those are my top five, readily available scented flowers but there are so many more to choose from now, and I haven't even touched on herbs!  To me it's incomprehensible to have beautiful perfect blooms without their accompanying heady scent.  Thankfully, that all seems to be changing and I for one cannot help but use at least one scented bloom and/or a lovely Eucalyptus every time I make something – which is one of the reasons I love my job so much!
 So, when you have a consultation with your florist, be sure you ask for scented blooms – the more demand there is the more growers will make sure they produce scented varieties!

What's your favourite scented flower? Have you planned your bouquet around scent or would you like a bit of advice as to what's available when you've planned your wedding?  Leave me a comment and, as always, I'll get back to you if I can help.

Tracey x

Photocredit: Niel Stewart and Cat Hepple Photography

You can find us on:







AUTUMN


Well, the leaves are certainly changing colour and the garden is now looking a less lush than it has done – Autumn is well and truly with us as the seed pods are really in evidence.

As part of my regular spot as guest blogger for the fabulous Kelly of Boho Weddings Ltd, I bring you a recent guest blog post just in case you missed it last week.  Here's some flowery inspiration in the shape of some of the most fashionable and popular flowers available in Autumn.

As you all know, I love my seasonal flowers and although it’s true that the choice and range isn’t as wide as that in mid-Summer, there is still plenty of choice.  If you choose to get married in beautiful, glorious Autumn, then why not choose your wedding flowers to reflect that season?  They’ll look their best, last longest and are more economical and so can only contribute to a happy experience.  At Campbell’s HQ, we love happy, happy Brides!

So here are some ideas of what’s available right now – don’t worry though, they’re not all browns and oranges – there are lots of brighter colours to choose from.  You don’t need to be limited to earthy tones if you’re looking for a bit more colour in your theme.

Here are my five top tips for beautiful Autumnal blooms:-


Sedum

This comes in a gorgeous pinky-purple and has a wonderful texture which works brilliantly with soft muted purples and pinks.   Or, team it with bold reds for a nod to the fabulous ‘50’s.


A really pretty hand tied posy-style bouquet which uses the most gorgeous British grown lisianthus and sedum.


Combine the rich loveliness of velvety red roses and pink sedum with silver containers which are really on trend at the moment


I overheard two ladies shopping the other day who exclained 'Oh, no pink and red don't go!' ... I'll let you decide that one!


Lilac Aster

This pretty, pretty daisy is aptly knicknamed ‘September flower’ and as it is indigenous to this country, grows wild in our hedgerows and by the roadside – perfect for any bride looking for a ‘just picked’ meadowy look.



Beech & Oak

These beautiful leaves are so evocative of Autumn and looks lovely in buttonholes or edging a hand tied posy-style bouquet.



This beech table arrangement uses lovely peaches, oranges and browns for a more traditional Autumnal theme



Hessian, scabious seed pods, wheat, green bell and dahlia buds make a lovely rustic buttonhole


This lovely oak (quercus) creates a simple but beautiful frame around this romantic bridal bouquet


Dahlia

This stalwart of your Grandad’s allotment has been really enjoying a come-back in the past couple of years and is set to be increasingly popular over coming seasons.  It’s available is such an amazing range of colours from the softest palest creams and whites through to vibrant yellows and amazing velvety burgundys.


I'm so in love with these deepest darkest burgundy dahlia

Dill

I cut this lovely herb from my local flower farmer just this week - it is only available for a relatively short season in this country but it’s fragrance is amazing – team it with flowering oregano, lavender and wheat for a posy which conjures up the very best of our British grown gorgeousness.


Although the growing season in Britain slows down in Autumn, there are still some lovely flowers available, as this pretty posy proves.


A close-up of all those gorgeous textures


Simple bottles finished with lace for a lovely antique look


I hope this helps show some of the many possibilities there are when designing flowers during Autumn.  
If you have any flowery questions, or need any help – do get in touch and I’ll answer any questions and help in any way I can.


Until next time – enjoy!

Tracey x

You can find us on:





WINTER

Today I bring you some ideas for seasonal, vintage-inspired wedding flowers which you're likely to find if you’re a winter bride.

I think winter weddings are gorgeous, to me they conjure up images of fur stoles, rich gorgeous colours, open fires, candlelight and can even combine magic of Christmas or New Year’s Eve with the biggest day of your life.

A word of caution though to you romantics out there, Christmas is a peak period for the floristry industry which can dramatically affect prices.  Everything is more expensive, the auctions in Holland can rise to almost double the usual cost a florist might expect to pay her wholesaler and whilst I am a staunch supporter of British grown, the choice can be a bit limited in the depths of winter.

However, there is still plenty to choose from in terms of flowers and foliages which are available commercially all-year-round and choosing lots of textures and wintery whites or berries will create a gorgeous impression of seasonality.

Here are a few ideas which might provide inspiration:-


Willow

Using both twisted willow and pussy willow in designs is great for texture, with the pussy willow in particular, lending a really lovely silvery, velvety sheen to designs.  I used both in a wedding between Christmas and New Year, in the Bride’s and Bridesmaids’ bouquets.



To create a truly woodland feel to your table decorations, try using willow in a tall vase with ivy and other foliages and finish off with a moss base and church candles – moss is really on trend at the moment and is a fantastically inexpensive way to add character to your arrangements.





Ivy

I just love to use native plants and species in my designs and nothing says winter to me like berried tree ivy.  It’s incredibly versatile, really long lasting, has bright, bright green ‘flowers’ at this time of the year, which gradually become the loveliest dark grey/black berries.  I’m so crazy about it I created this heart design which was used to welcome guests to one of my recent winter weddings.



Amaryllis (or Hippeastrum)

This tall, majestic lovely flower comes not just in the usual white or reds, but in all kinds of colours from peaches, to cerise, to wonderful variegated varieties.   It looks fantastic in a wreath style table centre, which can be teamed with a hurricane vase containing a large church candle for a lovely warm glow to your decorations.



All-year-round

If you are struggling for choice, there are still plenty of flowers and foliages which are available commercially all-year-round and choosing lots of textures and wintery whites or berries which will create a gorgeous impression of seasonality.







I hope our designs have given you an idea of what’s available at this time of the year.  We keep adding to our wedding portfolio all the time which might help you with inspiration with bridesmaidsbuttonholes and venue decoration, or pop across to have a look at our latest ‘real weddings’.  We love sharing, so feel free to get in touch if you need any advice on choosing seasonal flowers for your special day.

If you need to, you can reach us in all kinds of ways:-



Tracey x

Photocredit:  Jess Petrie Photography


BLUE FLOWERS:


Here at Campbell’s HQ we’ve noticed lots of our lovely brides have been choosing powder blues in particular to compliment bridesmaids dresses or just to ‘lift’ their flowers.  So if you’re looking for soft blushes and pretty pastels or want something a little more vibrant to create a truly meadowy look, then here are a few ideas which might just be what you’re looking for:
Nigella
Also romantically known as Love in the Mist, nigella comes in white, but also the prettiest, most gorgeous powder blue colour.  I love this summery, quintessentially British little plant which produces the prettiest seed pods and is just perfect for adding a little texture or a slightly wild, natural look to your florals.  Available in mid-summer it’s just right for a June or early July wedding.





 Bluebells

In our quest to work with as many British grown flowers as possible, I’m really happy to say that these beautiful little flowers are one of our team’s favourite.  We’ve been lucky enough to work with them in lots of ways in late Spring this year and to me, always say shady, scented woodlands – so romantic!



Delphininums
Available in lovely deep, rich royal blues and the softest of powder blue too, these tall, imposing, willowy flowers add height and impact to table flowers, gorgeous texture and shape to lovely over-sized unstructured wedding bouquets or a tiny accent of colour to buttonholes. Lovely!




Hydrangea
These really full, fluffy, blowsy blooms are so on trend at the moment and are available pretty much throughout the summer.  Colours vary from a gorgeous vibrant, bright royal blue to pale powdery colours with a soft gradation of colour into buttery creams.  Team the brights with soft peaches, pale greys & silvers for a wonderful colour combination.



I hope this has been helpful and given you a few ideas when choosing blue blooms to work with in your colour schemes! We keep adding to our wedding portfolio all the time which might help a bit more with inspiration especially for bridesmaidsbuttonholes and venue decoration, or grab a cuppa and pop over to our latest ‘real weddings’.  As you might have guessed, we love sharing, so feel free to get in touch if you need any advice on choosing seasonal flowers, or you’re struggling with colours for your special day.
If you need or want to get in touch with us - we're all over the place!  You can find us on:
See you soon! Tx
·         Photocredit:  Moseley Photography







No comments: