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3232Dahlia
https://roseandmary.co.uk/dahlia/
Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:08:21 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=6724The Dahlia is native mainly in Mexico, but also Central America, and Colombia. It is a member of the Asteraceae plants, with related species including the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum. The shape of the flower is varies greatly, with one head per stem; these can be as small as 5 cm diameter or up to 30 cm or the size [...]
The Dahlia is native mainly in Mexico, but also Central America, and Colombia. It is a member of the Asteraceae plants, with related species including the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum. The shape of the flower is varies greatly, with one head per stem; these can be as small as 5 cm diameter or up to 30 cm or the size of a dinner plate.
Like most plants that do not attract pollinating insects through scent they are brightly colored within the whole colour spectrum, with the exception of blue. The leaves do have a gorgeous fresh herby scent.
The tubers were grown as a food crop by the Aztecs, but this use largely died out after the Spanish Conquest. Attempts to introduce the tubers as a food crop in Europe were unsuccessful, as the flower proved much more popular than the tubers. Recently however, some growers are now reintroducing varieties grown for their edible tubers so you might find them in the green grocer, next to the parsnips!
Dahlia are available from late June right up until the first frost. They are a great substitute for when the peonies go out of season as a great focal flower and the soft shades of blush, cream and white. But the richer shades of biscuit, reds and mauve make a great addition to summer bouquets.
You can find our Dahlia Bouquet in the webshop. The Dahlia bouquet features soft pink Dahlia, Snapdragon, Thistles and Clematis.
We also feature Dahlia in the bouquet of the month of August. The biscuit coloured Dahlia are mixed with mauve Roses and scented Stock, along with peach Lisianthus and seasonal foliage.
You can order the August bouquet and all our other seasonal bouquets here
We also use the dahlia in a lot of our summer and autumn weddings. One of our favourite Dahlia is the Cafe au Lait Dahlia which is a larger Dahlia in a gorgeous pale blush/ milky tone and the Wizard of Oz, a pale pink globe dahlia.
]]>Valentines day at Rose & Mary
https://roseandmary.co.uk/valentines-day-at-rose-mary-2/
Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:13:23 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=6133The Rose&Mary flower studio is bursting with blooms as we create lovely bouquets to deliver in Richmond, Twickenham and beyond. St Valentine’s Day is on the 14th of February. So who is this Valentine fellow? Is his life about red roses and love? Well, not really… Valentinus was a bishop in third century Rome who [...]
]]>The Rose&Mary flower studio is bursting with blooms as we create lovely bouquets to deliver in Richmond, Twickenham and beyond.
St Valentine’s Day is on the 14th of February.
So who is this Valentine fellow? Is his life about red roses and love? Well, not really…
Valentinus was a bishop in third century Rome who was persecuted by Emperor Claudius.
Claudius needed young men to join his army and was under the impression that unmarried soldiers fought harder than married ones. So he banned marriage for young people (as you did in those days!)
Valentinus went underground and performed secret weddings until he was caught and sentenced to torture, stoning and deheading on the 14th of February.
Then nothing happened for about 900 years until the High Middle Ages where Saint Valentine became the symbol of courtly love. If you were in love you chose this day to send an anonymous message to express your feelings.
Nowadays its all a lot more of a commercial affair and the Red Rose has become the symbol of love and romance.
We don’t like selling red roses on Valentine’s Day and I will briefly explain why.
Red roses on Valentine’s Day are very expensive. Valentine’s Day is celebrated globally so demand for a single variety of flower is at an all time high. There is a limited amount of red rose growers in the world so lots of red roses get cut early and are packed away in coolers for much longer than is good for them to meet the huge global demand. We can’t therefore guarantee that these red roses are fresh and will have a long vase life and as you’ve spend that much money it’s only reasonable to expect the roses to last. Flowers are priced through an auction system so if demand is high and supply is limited the price will go up. Red roses around valentines day will be more than twice the price of other coloured roses and Rose & Mary feel that’s it’s not worth taking the risk in ordering red Roses because we have no idea how long ago they have been cut.
This is the case every year but this year especially as we struggle with flower shortages and transport problems due to new Brexit regulations and political problems in Ecuador (where lots of Roses come from) The best policy in our view is to sell all the other flowers that are better value for money and are of better quality, also we think that most women prefer pastel roses or a large seasonal mixed bouquet over a bunch or red roses anyway! There’s lots of seasonal flowers available in February such as Mimosa and scented Narcissi that are at their best this season so have a look at our seasonal bouquets in the link below.
To see our range of bouquets to deliver to your love please click here
We can deliver Valentines Day flowers to you on Tuesday 13.02 or Wednesday 14.02 in Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington, Hounslow, Chiswick, Barnes, Putney. Kingston and all West London postcodes.
Or you can click & collect from the studio in st Margarets
]]>Price list for wedding flowers 2024 by Rose&Mary
https://roseandmary.co.uk/price-list-for-wedding-flowers-2023-by-rosemary-florist/
Fri, 24 Feb 2023 15:44:42 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=5253Due to an extraordinary demand for last minute quotes we are publishing a price list for 2024 We are nearly fully booked so please check if we are free on your wedding date first! This price list is based on seasonal flowers and foliage and come in 3 ranges; –Basic: simple designs with seasonal flowers [...]
]]>Due to an extraordinary demand for last minute quotes we are publishing a price list for 2024
We are nearly fully booked so please check if we are free on your wedding date first!
This price list is based on seasonal flowers and foliage and come in 3 ranges;
–Basic: simple designs with seasonal flowers and foliage
–Standard: seasonal flowers with more variation and a lusher design than the basic.
–Lush: seasonal luxury flowers with all the bells and wistles
To compare the difference between basic, standard and lush is like comparing a minute steak, a sirloin steak and a fillet steak (sorry for my veggie friends) or an ice cream cone with 3 scoops , 5 scoops with a dollop of cream or 10 scoops with cream, sprinkles, a flake and a little paper umbrella with a cherry on the top.
Please note that VAT and delivery and installation needs to be added to the total!
Personal flowers
Bridal bouquet:
basic £125
standard £155
lush £195
In our round and messy house style.
Cascades, deconstructed, a-symmetrical or super domed bouquets will vary in price, please get in touch for more detail.
Bridesmaids bouquet:
basic £55
standard £75
lush £95
in our round and messy house style.
Mini, deconstructed, a-symmetrical or super domed bouquets will vary in price, please get in touch for more detail.
Buttonholes start at £8
Ceremony and Reception flowers
Pedestal arrangements
basic £185/ £370 for two
standard £225/ £450 for two
lush £275/ £550 for two
plinth hire included
Ceremony table arrangement
basic £195
standard £225
lush £275
can double up as the top table arrangement
A selection of bud vases
basic £45
standard £60
lush £75
Table centres low
basic £60
standard £75
lush £95
vase included so you can keep them or give them away after the wedding
Table centres meadow style
basic £75
standard £95
lush £120
For anything else please get in touch. You can see all our wedding work on our instagram feed
These prices are a guide only; special requests, or out of season flowers and certain dates may vary in price
]]>How much do wedding flowers cost in 2024
https://roseandmary.co.uk/how-much-do-wedding-flowers-cost-in-2024/
Tue, 08 Nov 2022 13:06:03 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=4972 The season for wedding enquiries is upon us so here’s a quick glance at the true cost of wedding flowers. Whether you are having the dream wedding of the season or just nipping to the registry office, it’s always nice to involve flowers on your wedding day and we do a lot of [...]
so here’s a quick glance at the true cost of wedding flowers.
Whether you are having the dream wedding of the season or just nipping to the registry office, it’s always nice to involve flowers on your wedding day and we do a lot of wedding flowers here at Rose&Mary. Next year is predicted to be a busy wedding season so if you are planning a 2024 or 2025 wedding please carry on reading!
The engagement season is starting soon and we book 90% of weddings for the following year in November, December and January, so whether you are having a quick browse or you want Rose&Mary to flower your wedding, it’s a useful read either way!
The cost of wedding flowers can vary hugely, the chunk of your overall wedding budget is usually 10-15%
If you are planning to set a budget for your wedding flowers please don’t just pick a random amount without checking with your florist first. Lots of couples we meet have set a budget of £1000 or £1500 without taking into consideration of which flowers they want or having any knowledge of the cost of wedding flowers. Having lots of bridesmaids or adding big statement florals to the ceremony and the amount of tables at the reception all determine how much money you will need to spend so it’s best to check with your florist first before setting a budget.
The average spend of wedding flowers with Rose&Mary is £2500-£3500 based on a wedding with 80-100 guests. Some couples spend a lot more while others spend a lot less. It does depend on the ceremony and reception venue, size of your bridal party and number of guests.
We are always happy to have a chat to determine what flowers you would need and send you a free, no obligation quote afterwards.
However we don’t send out quotes without a face-to-face meeting first. All quotes are tailor-made to your requirements so it’s really hard to set a price without knowing what you would like first, quotes are very time consuming and we need to make sure we are the right florist for you first.
For a quick guide to the cost of wedding flowers we have broken down the wedding flowers in 3 categories:
1. Bridal flowers
These are the personal flowers carried by the bridal party.
-Wedding bouquet
The main floral in this category is obviously going to be your wedding bouquet. All florists will have their own style of arranging wedding bouquets but there are variations such as cascading designs, round and messy or deconstructed/ boho style bouquets. Let us know what you would prefer and what goes best with your size and height and your dress.
-Bridesmaids flowers
If you choose a lot of bridesmaids that will hugely increase the cost of your wedding flowers. Bridesmaids bouquets are roughly half the cost of the bridal bouquet but you can get creative and find a place for them in a short vase or a pint glass and use them to decorate cocktail tables on the patio, bar area or cake table.
-Flower girls flowers
Children as part of the wedding party also need flowers and depending on age we can advise to use a small posy, a flower wand or just something for their hair.
-Buttonholes and Corsages
For the menfolk we can do a buttonhole. Usually it’s the groom and groom’s men and/or the Dads but who gets to adorn their lapel with flowers is totally up to you!
Are you getting married at a civil ceremony or a church?
Sometimes ceremony spaces are so gorgeous that there is absolutely no need for flowers. However big and bold statement pieces can totally transform a ceremony venue, but can be expensive. Ceremony flowers will forever be visible in your wedding photos so it’s worth splashing out for. We can discuss all this during the consultation. Below is a list of options for ceremony flowers. Your venue will dictate what flowers would suit best. Again sometimes a venue is so gorgeous that you don’t need a lot, but if you do flower a ceremony venue, 1 or 2 bigger florals as focal points work better than little arrangements spread out all over the place. Also entrance flowers can really set off the vibe of your wedding and would make a great back drop for photos. If the ceremony and the reception are held at the same venue there is a big difference in the overall cost of the wedding flowers as floral arrangements can be moved from the ceremony to the reception without a lot of hassle. If you are planning an outdoor ceremony it is always wise to think of an indoor plan too in case of bad weather. Again, we can discuss all the options during the consultation.
The cost of the flowers for the reception can also vary hugely but on the whole it does depend on how many guests are coming and how many tables need to be decorated. Are you having a top table and various guest tables, or is it a free flowing kind of reception.
You might want to keep it simple with a few candles and some foliage or a few bud vases but be careful that the total cost of the table decorations can add up quickly if you also take the cost of candles etc into account. You might want enormous floral chandeliers hanging down from the ceiling, floral arches or other big budget items. With a free flowing kind of reception all you might only need are a few jam jars here and there. Usually the design of the guest table flowers depends on the size and style of the venue and the formality of the wedding breakfast. Most often we create a low table arrangement or a cluster of bud vases that you can gift away at the end of the wedding to your guests, sometimes we do big elevated arrangements at the tables for a total wow factor, it all depends on what you would like and on your budget and whatever works best in the surroundings of the venue.
Also don’t forget those thank you flowers, cake flowers and the gift table arrangement!
We have these 3 tips to keep down the costs of your wedding flowers:
1. Don’t choose a wedding date when flowers are expensive.
Its very romantic to get married on Valentines Day but the cost of the flowers will be sky high. The same goes for Mother’s day (not just the one in the UK but international Mother’s Day as well) and around Christmas and New Year. Most flowers we use go through the Dutch auction system and it is a supply-and-demand kind of thing. If demand for flowers is high (like around Valentine’s day), the flowers price will rise. If supply is high, like in the summer, the price will fall. It’s that simple.
2. Choose seasonal flowers.
Seasonal flowers are the best quality and the best value for money. Have you ever eaten a strawberry in the middle of winter? Its a bit like that with flowers; expensive and not very tasty. If you insist on peonies or lily of the valley please find out when the best time is to get married to avoid disappointment.
3. Choose larger flowers and foliages.
A hydrangea might be £10 a stem but you only need a few stems to fill a vase. Same thing for big headed roses, they might be more expensive, but a few in a rose dome works out more cost effective than a load of skinny ones.
Foliages isn’t always green and can compliment flowers beautifully and is a very cost effective way of filling up your wedding flowers, although beautiful foliage is just as expensive as flowers, Eucalyptus for instance is not a cheap foliage!
There are dark shades of maroons to lift up the flowers, variageted foliages to compliment rose domes, silvers to compliment cool colours and bright yellow, brown and red foliages to compiment pastels or to accentuate bright flowers.
We typically use around 30% foliage in our wedding work, depending on the wishes of the bride. There are some stunning foliage arrangements on Pinterest to see where the foliage is more dominant then the flowers, but there is a thin line between too much foliage and not enough flowers, the flowers will look a bit lost.
There is also a trend of just greeney weddings where mixed foliages are the star of the show and there is not a flower in sight. Please note though that foliage only is not a cheap option, also foliages vary hugely per season and can be very expensive is bought out of its natural season (this is especially true for Eucalyptus thats out of season from May till August)
So for a recap; The cost of the flowers can vary hugely and is always discussed during a consultation. Afterwards an itemised quote will be send to you that will include all the things we’ve discussed. At that point it’s not very important to make any firm decisions on the flowers, there’s plenty of time for that in the lead up to your wedding day.
The most important thing after receiving your quote is that you choose the florist that will be most suitable to you and your needs and will be able to fulfil your floral wishes. We wedding florist are all different designers with different approaches to wedding flowers so make sure we are a good match, also don’t ask for a quote if you are not seriously considering us as your wedding florist; quotes are time consuming!
After you have received your quote and you want to go ahead and book us as your wedding florist we need a booking fee of 30% of the total cost of the flowers. This will secure your wedding date with us and we will block your date for other couples and the booking fee will be deducted from the final bill. A second consultation will be organised 6 weeks before the big day to finalise all the ideas.
If you are planning to gather multiple quotes from different florist please don’t just pick the cheapest one; you wouldn’t walk into a bridal gown shop and just pick the cheapest dress! Choose the florist who has the designs you like and who you have great communications with. Us wedding florists all charge according to our experience, you can read our blog on wedding floral pricing here.
Not all items you might need or want are on our price list. If you want prices for items that are not on the list we can discuss those during a consultation!
Please note that VAT, urn/ pedestal hire, delivery charge, installation charge, take down charge, return of hired goods etc are NOT included in the price. These will be discussed during the consultation and added to the quote. The cost of set up is roughly 10% of the total cost of wedding flowers but can vary hugely based on location and needs.
If there are more things on your list and you would like to have a chat please feel free to contact us!
]]>Valentine’s Day at Rose & Mary
https://roseandmary.co.uk/valentines-day-at-rose-mary/
Fri, 11 Feb 2022 12:29:35 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=4597The Rose&Mary studio is bursting with blooms as we create lovely bouquets to deliver in Richmond, Twickenham and beyond. Saint Valentine’s Day is on the 14th of February. So who is this Valentine fellow? Is his life about red roses and love? Well, not really… Valentinus was a bishop in third century Rome who was [...]
The Rose&Mary studio is bursting with blooms as we create lovely bouquets to deliver in Richmond, Twickenham and beyond.
Saint Valentine’s Day is on the 14th of February.
So who is this Valentine fellow? Is his life about red roses and love? Well, not really…
Valentinus was a bishop in third century Rome who was persecuted by Emperor Claudius.
Claudius needed young men to join his army and was under the impression that unmarried soldiers fought harder than married ones. So he banned marriage for young people (as you do!)
Valentinus went underground and performed secret weddings until he was caught and sentenced to torture, stoning and deheading on the 14th of February.
Then nothing happened for about 900 years until the High Middle Ages where Saint Valentine became the symbol of courtly love. If you were in love you chose this day to send an anonymous message to express your feelings.
Nowadays its all a lot more of a commercial affair and the Red Rose has become the symbol of love and romance. We don’t sell red roses on Valentine’s Day and I will briefly explain why.
Red roses on Valentine’s Day are very expensive. Valentine’s Day is celebrated globally so demand for a single variety of flower is at an all time high. There are only so many red rose growers in the world so lots of red roses get cut early and are packed away in coolers for much longer than is good for them. We can’t therefore guarantee that these red roses are fresh and will have a long vase life.
This is the case every year but this year especially as we struggle with flower shortages and transport problems due to the pandemic and Brexit we feel that the choice to not offer reds is the best choice.
The best policy in our view is to sell all the other flowers that are better value for money and are of better quality, also we think that most women prefer pastel roses or a large mixed bouquet over a bunch or red roses anyway!
To see our range of bouquets to deliver to your love please click here
We can deliver Valentines Day flowers to you on Sunday 13.02 or Monday 14.02 in Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington, Hounslow, Chiswick, Barnes, Putney. Kingston, Wandsworth, Battersea and all West London postcodes.
Or you can click & collect from the studio in st Margarets
]]>why do florists charge different prices?
https://roseandmary.co.uk/why-do-florists-charge-different-prices/
Sun, 30 Jan 2022 19:57:46 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=4568It’s peak wedding enquiry season and lots of couples are shopping around for a wedding florist. As a couple this is probably the only time you will need to enquire about the price of wedding flowers and this is the time when you realise that some florists charge more than others for their services. In [...]
]]>It’s peak wedding enquiry season and lots of couples are shopping around for a wedding florist.
As a couple this is probably the only time you will need to enquire about the price of wedding flowers and this is the time when you realise that some florists charge more than others for their services.
In this little blog I am going to explain how we set our prices when it comes to wedding flowers or any floral arrangements for other occasions.
The price of wedding flowers has 2 factors; the wholesale cost of the goods and the cost of florist overheads and wages.
The quality and cost of flowers we can get at the wholesalers vary enormously.
Take a simple white Rose, you can get them all year round so seasonality is not really an issue. Here’s a picture of a small Athena Rose, a large Avalanche Rose and a garden Rose named Patience. The wholesale price of roses varies depending on the grower and length of the stem and the supply and demand. The Avalanche Rose is on average 3 times more expensive than the Athena. The Patience Rose is 3 times more expensive than the Avalanche and 9 times more expensive than the Athena. So if you are choosing white Roses to feature heavily in your wedding the price can vary hugely depending on which type of Rose you choose.
All other flowers come in a variety of size and quality and are priced accordingly.
Flowers are more expensive when they are out of season or when demand is high. An experienced florist will always help you choose the best flowers for your wedding.
Now let’s talk about the other factor, the florist and their overheads.
A very good floral designer will charge more for their time and expertise than a florist who is just starting out (and may not have a lot of experience creating wedding flowers). An experienced florist would have flowered many weddings before and is knowledgable in what flowers will be available at any given time of year. An experienced florist will have their own signature style that is consistent throughout their work. They will always listen to the wishes of the couples they work with but choose a florist that has the style you are after, don’t presume we are all the same! The overheads of a high street florist are higher than a studio florist like Rose & Mary and a home florist overheads are lower still. All these factors determine the price of wedding flowers so if you are receiving several quotes from different florists you need to take all that into account.
Simply choosing the cheapest quote is not always the best choice to make. You wouldn’t run into a bridal gown shop and just pick the cheapest dress. The cost of the materials and the cost of the design all need to be taken into account, just like choosing a florist.
If you are still confused by all of this, imagine a burger. It’s a bit of beef in a bun but there is a lot of choice out there.
A burger from a fast food outlet costs very little compared to a burger at a gastropub and there are even very fancy restaurants that sell very special Wagyu beef burgers at eye-watering prices…
The price of the burger is based on the cost of the ingredients and the way it is cooked, everybody knows that. You wouldn’t want to compare a cheap soggy fast food burger with a burger served in a fancy restaurant and it’s the same for wedding flowers . If want a fancy burger for your wedding then don’t expect to pay fast food burger prices. Not all burgers are the same and that is the same for wedding flowers!
We hope that all makes sense and this blog was useful. Here at Rose&Mary we are not a fan of the cheap burger nor are we a fan of the really expensive burger. We are always happy to work within a couple’s budget as long as we can match your budget with your expectation. To read more on this please click here
]]>Autumn wreath
https://roseandmary.co.uk/autumn-wreath-2/
Wed, 22 Sep 2021 13:18:54 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=4317Happy autumn! It’s Rose& Mary’s favourite season. We are loving the autumn colours and the abundance of flowers and foliage that’s available at the market this season. To celebrate the start of autumn we have created an autumn wreath for your door, garden table, graveside or wherever you want. The autumn wreath comes in 2 [...]
]]>Happy autumn! It’s Rose& Mary’s favourite season. We are loving the autumn colours and the abundance of flowers and foliage that’s available at the market this season.
To celebrate the start of autumn we have created an autumn wreath for your door, garden table, graveside or wherever you want.
The autumn wreath comes in 2 different shades;
Bright with orange, red, brown and yellow foliage, mini pumpkins, Physalis pods, Berries and dried flowers and Hydrangea or
Pastel with paler foliage, Eucalyptus, pink Hydrangea, Berries and dried flowers.
]]>One of my favourite flowers available in May and June: peonies
https://roseandmary.co.uk/favourite-flower-peony/
Mon, 07 Jun 2021 12:03:25 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=4147One of my all time favourite flower is the peony, and I think I am not alone here. Peonies are in high demand, come May and June. Al lot of people have fallen head over heels for these lush blooms. Let me tell you a few thing about peonies: History and origins Variety and colours [...]
]]>One of my all time favourite flower is the peony, and I think I am not alone here. Peonies are in high demand, come May and June. Al lot of people have fallen head over heels for these lush blooms.
Peonies originated in China and were introduces in Europe around the 1870s. In Asia the root of the flower was used for medicinal purposes. The botanical name for this flower, Paeonia, dates back to the ancient Greeks. Paieon was the physician of the Olympian gods.
Varieties and colours, peonies for your garden
Peonies are available in about 30 different varieties. They are a beloved garden plant and grow to about a meter in height and will bloom in late May and June. They like sunny spots in the garden and bushes need to be pruned regularly. As a gardener you have a big variety of peonies to choose from, ranging from single to double flowering blooms, in shades ranging from whites, yellows, pinks, purples and reds. Have a look at this list, if you want to know more. These are the 20 prettiest peonies on Monty Don’s list of favourites. https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/10-beautiful-peonies-to-grow
Peonies from your florist: Peony Sarah Bernhardt
Florists favourite peony is the lush pink Sarah Bernhardt, which is available throughout April, May and June. This is one of the biggest blooming peonies and it comes with all the bells and whistles: a double bloom, frilled edges and a lovely scent. Sarah Bernhardt comes in light and darker shades of pink and is named after the famous French actress of Dutch descent (just like me).
My favourite: Peony Coral Charm
As an independent florist I too have my favourite variety of peonies, the lovely Peony Coral Charm. They are one of the biggest peonies available. They start out as perfect round hot pink buds. As they open they gradually shift in colour, starting in a beautiful coral shade which slowly fades into a salmon and ends in an off white colour. It’s like magic in a vase, with this variety your bouquet will display a different pallet on a daily basis.
Bouquet suggestions
Make sure not to put too many peonies in one vase. Because some of the flowers can grow out to more than 12 centimetres in width. I have created a lovely peony bouquet, especially for these last months of spring. Just look at those amazing pastel colours.
If you buy peonies from your local florist, make sure to pick one that have slightly opened. That way you are sure they will come to full bloom. Cut at least 1,5 centimetre of the stems of your flowers and put them in fresh water. Make sure to clean your vases on a regular basis. Peonies will bloom for about a week, if you buy the flowers fresh. You can prolong this time a tiny bit more by adding flower food to the water and by keeping the flowers away from your fruit bowl. Ripe fruit produces a gas called ethylene, which can shorten the lifespan of all your flowers.
We have more Peony bouquets on our website.
The Peony bouquet in White and the Peony bouquet Vintage are the best sellers this month. If you would like to add Peonies to a bespoke order, funeral flowers or wedding flowers please get in touch.
]]>Why do spring flowers smell so nice?
https://roseandmary.co.uk/why-do-spring-flowers-smell-so-nice/
Thu, 20 May 2021 13:08:24 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=4123It’s around this time of year that we see all the bees and butterflies emerge from their hibernation and they are buzzing and fluttering around gardens and greens. These insects are in search of food and are attracted by the colour, shape and scent of flowers. I have plenty of bumblebees that fly in mid [...]
]]>It’s around this time of year that we see all the bees and butterflies emerge from their hibernation and they are buzzing and fluttering around gardens and greens. These insects are in search of food and are attracted by the colour, shape and scent of flowers.
I have plenty of bumblebees that fly in mid morning for ‘breakfast’. They fly in to feast on the flower inside the studio and it gives me great joy to watch them buzz around. And that got me thinking. Why do flowers smell so nice?
Flowers have sex
Flowers give off a scent when their pollen is ripe and ready to be taken to neighbouring flower to be fertilised in order for these flowers to produce seed. The pollen is collected and delivered by insects who in return get to eat the sweet nectar the flower produces as a reward.
Different flowers have different techniques for fertilisation. Some flowers use the wind to pollinate. Some use vibrant colours or even trap an insect to do the pollinating while it tries to escape. Nature is a most wondrous thing. And as a florist I am in awe of what nature has to offer. Especially when it comes tot those lovely shapes, colours and scents.
Scents and stinks
Not all flowers smell nice to humans, some even stink, such as Gypsophelia and Astrantia. But insects love them anyway. Other flowers smell very good indeed and there are a few scents that are my absolute fave that are available now.
The scented stock
the Sweetpea
Lily of the valley
Peonies
Most cut flowers have lost their scent
Not all commercially grown flowers have a scent. Most flower growers have focussed the breeding and cultivation of flowers to focus on appearance and longevity. In this proces a lot of flowers have lost their natural scent.
Scented flowers have a shorter vase life
It takes a lot of energy for a flower to produce scent so unfortunately most cut flowers that smell nice don’t have a long vase life. Sweetpeas and Lily of the Valley may only last for three to four days and scented stock and peonies last for five to six days. But the joy you get from these flowers definitely makes up for the loss of shelf life, in my opinion.
Lilies and Freesia
Exceptions to the scent rule are Lilies and Freesia, they have a strong smell and last for ages. But they are not everyones favourites.
Scent is back
Scented flowers are becoming more popular and there is a trend among flower growers to reintroduce cut flowers that smell nice. Especially roses grown for the wedding industry are becoming more fragrant. Take a look at the top ten best scented roses from the Perfume Flower Company. I especially like the White O’Hara and Yves Piaget.
We have created a scented bouquet with scented stock and sweetpeas for this months news letter. So order now and invite the bumble bees to fly in through your kitchen window! ( or maybe not…)
We are offering free delivery of the scented bouquet and all peony bouquets to TW1.
This Special offer has free delivery until 15-6-21
]]>Scented Narcissi from the Isles of Scilly
https://roseandmary.co.uk/scented-narcissi/
Mon, 29 Mar 2021 08:20:31 +0000https://roseandmary.co.uk/?p=3837 Some flowers are very precious to me, especially the scented Narcissi. These delicate flowers are stunning to look at, come in loads of varieties, they smell amazing and are only available in a short season. But the best part of these Narcissi is their heritage. They have been growing mainly on the lovely Isles of [...]
Some flowers are very precious to me, especially the scented Narcissi. These delicate flowers are stunning to look at, come in loads of varieties, they smell amazing and are only available in a short season. But the best part of these Narcissi is their heritage. They have been growing mainly on the lovely Isles of Scilly since the 19th century.
As a florist it’s really hard to choose a favourite flower. We florists love all flowers, it’s like having to choose a favourite amongst your children. But with the changing of the seasons there are some flowers you really look forward to seeing cropping up at the market. There are Daffodils, and there are Scented Narcissi. Once you smell the latter, they’ll be your favourite too!
Available from November till April
Scented Narcissi are available from November till April. Come springtime, it is nearing the end of the season for these English grown beauties, so grab yourself a bunch before the disappear!
Flower farms on the Isles of Scilly
Scented Narcissi are grown mainly in the Isles of Scilly, which lies off the Cornish coast. The temperate climate of the Islands in winter and early spring make perfect growing conditions for these delicate flowers. There are lots of varieties of scented Narcissi ranging from pure white such as ‘Paperwhites’ to creams like ‘Bridal Crown’, lemon varieties such as ‘Avalanche’ and ‘Yellow Cheer’ through to rich yellows and oranges of ‘Hugh Town’ and ‘Soleil D’Or’.
The Legend of the Dutch Merchant
There is a nice legend about the scented Narcissi of the Isles of Scilly. The first Narcissi were brought over to the islands by a Dutch merchant captain and were offered as a present to the Govenor’s wife, who lived at Star Castle. Thinking the bulbs were onions, she tried to boil and eat them. But they tasted horrible, so she threw them out the window into the moat. Some time later the flowers began to flourish on the banks of the moat and the fields beyond.
Off to Covent Garden Market
In 1879, a local farmer called William Trevellick, started collecting these wonderful flowers growing amongst the island. He sent a box of Scented Narcissi to Covent Garden Market in London. The scented Narcissi were an overnight sensation and soon the first flower farmers on the Scilly Island began growing even more bulbs. Find more information about these farmer here.
Lush Spring Bouquet with Scented Narcissi
In this lush spring bouquet we have used these colourful, pale yellow scented Narcissi, a variety called ‘Yellow Cheer’. The spring bouquet contains more of our favourites such as ‘Kahala’ Roses, peach Lisi and Mimosa. The spring bouquet will only be available for another week or so until the supply of scented Narcissi and Mimosa runs out, by the first weeks of April.
We at Rose and Mary, an independent flower studio in Twickenham, have used Scented Narcissi in wedding bouquets. Here you see three different combination with other spring flowers. We love the white and cream varieties of Narcissi in spring wedding bouquets. Here you see the variety ‘Daymark’ (on the right), with large creme coloured petals and bold orange cups, combined with white Lilacs, green Viburnum ‘Snowballs’ and eucalyptus. Scented narcissi, such as the creme coloured ‘Erlicheer’, (middle) make for a lovely combination with other spring flowers, such as blue Muscari and bright yellow Ranonculus. If you would like to inquire about flowers for a spring wedding in 2022/23 please give us a call.