The Walled Garden...

The garden's at the Walled Garden, Cowdray are stunning, and the perfect back drop for Gemma and Ed's wedding on Friday.  We made clouds of gypsophilia which were hung from the roof of the marquee and the tables were adorned with jars and bottles of summer flowers.  It looked magical.  Gemma had asked Matthew to make her a hand shower of peonies and roses with foliages and seed heads, to look just as if it had been gathered from garden. 

St Mary's Church Easebourne

the Walled Garden entrance

the evening before...

gypsophilia clouds to hang in the marquee

jam jars and milk bottles

and they partied 'til dawn...

There was a wedding at Upwaltham Barns...

A couple of Saturday's ago Tom and Jo say "I do" at Upwaltham Barn.  The sun shone and the gardens were beautiful.  It really is a very lovely place to get married.  I clicked away with my little pocket camera and was quite proud of the pictures that I had taken - that was until I saw the stunning images that Sara Reeve. 

I moo, I moo...

First wedding of the weekend.

With the bouquets and table flowers safely delivered we headed back to the shop.  This is when we were reminded that we live in the country - at the bottom of the lane the farmer parked his truck in the middle of the road, jumped out and went to feed his cows.  It was so funny seeing these lovely back and white beasts run across the field for a spot of light lunch.  I couldn't resist taking a picture to show you all - the farmer was very  handsome but he was gone by the time I had found the camera.

Have a lovely weekend. 

I will listen to The Archers tomorrow morning, with white cotton hankie as I am sure I will need it.  Visit the open gardens and partake in afternoon tea.  Then play with the new camera that has just arrived, it's a Nikon you know...

Just Picked From The Garden

Oh my, what a week it has been.  On Monday morning when I was catching up with the Archers Omnibus, what warning did the BBC give us regarding having tissues on standby.  There I was calculator in hand finishing last weeks accounts, when the phone call from Jolene to Fallon with the news that Sid had died!!  I hadn't put water proof mascara on that morning, so you can make up the rest - panda eyes and red nose - its not a good look.

One of our customers asked for a basket of garden rose, so between our gardens and some lovely Majolica roses, Darren created this darling little arrangements.  I would be very happy to have this on the kitchen table.

Matthew's garden is one of twenty that is being open tomorrow for the Secret Gardens of Petworth, it's a wonderful afternoon of wondering around many of our customers beautiful court yards and walled gardens.  So if you are in the area, pop along and have an afternoon tea in the square.

all forty box ball trimmed

flowering Saracena

Fingers crossed that the sun shines tomorrow afternoon.

Introducing Majolica, Dinara and History...

Saturdays at Spriggs are always interesting.  Two weddings required delivery at the same time, colour coded boxes, labels with descriptions  for the who, what, when and why question session.  Instructions for pinning on buttonholes - always useful.  Matthew draws the line with me and post it notes - I do like to be organised.  Next weekend's brides confirming table numbers and final details, whilst frantic phone call letting me know that two extra tables have appeared at one of the reception venue - a quick chat with MOTB and hey presto two more jugs appear to be filled with peonies and roses.

Then its jump in the car, camera in hand to help do the finishing touches for the table flowers at Upwaltham Barn and see one of my Brides.  Jo is seated on the bedroom floor, blusher brush in hand when I arrive, carrying boxes of beautiful bouquets for her and the bridesmaids.  This is when I know how much I love my job.  From the first meeting last winter when I met Jo and her husband-to-be Tom, to talk about their summer dream wedding, to delivering the finished bouquets and arrangements. 

At the barn we met with Sara Reeve, who like me was busy taking pictures - unlike mine, her pictures will be full of life and movement - I always like seeing our work photographed by a professional, they're always just so good at it. I will post some images from Sara when she sends them to me next week.

I love the Wedding Car.

The registrar's table had two clusters of terracotta pots filled with summer flowers and panicum fountain grass and foliages from our gardens.

The top table was decorated with buckets and terracotta pots with peonies, roses, lysimachia and summer flowers to give that 'I've just been to the garden and picked this' look.

The guest's tables were just as pretty, with larger terracotta pots and wonderfully scented stocks.  It wasn't long before the perfume filled the barn - along with the hog being roasted outside.

So for now, that will be all.  Need to do shopping for the pic-nic lunch tomorrow, we're off to Sissinghurst to see the white garden.  So much nicer than watching the football.

The Hanging Baskets of Petworth...

It was a busy day at Spriggs Florist yesterday.  Not only did the new hanging baskets arrive for the shop, but also 30 of the little darlings which we supply and hang in the town.  So there we were with stepladders and watering cans hanging them up, with helpful passers by asking if we worked for the council and what a good job we were doing.

Then Matthew made some stunning arrangements for the stone urns in the front windows.  It's always a challenge taking photos of the shop front.  You get some interesting reflections from the buildings around Golden Square - bit of free publicity for HSBC - as if they need it!

Matthew is now off delivering the flowers for the Park House in Bepton.  If ever I had time to myself to be pampered and well fed, this would be the place for me.

This afternoon it's more meetings and paperwork, planning for the weddings over the next few weekends and the very large list of flowers needed for the arrangements at Goodwoods 'Festival of Speed' which is fast approaching.

I do hope the sun makes an appearance for this weekend's weddings.

A Wedding at Upwaltham...

It was a truly beautiful summer day on Friday, perfect for saying "I do" and sipping champagne.

The second of our weddings was held at the Upwaltham Barns in a pretty blue and white colour scheme.  Rebecca carried an elegant posy of ivory vendela roses, which Matthew finished with foliages from his garden. 

The doors into the ceremony barn were decorated with trailing ivy and foliages, with lovely fat blue hydrangeas and cornflowers.

The beams inside the barn were wrapped in ivy, with heads of hydrangea and roses.  The tables had mossed bowls filled with summer flowers - all very soft and romantic.

The cake was simply decorated with rose petals and hydrangea florets.

Planning has commenced for next weekend's events - weddings, parties and any excuse to have vases filled with peonies.

It's gardening tomorrow as Matthew is opening his garden on the 20th June, for The Secret Gardens in aid of The Red Cross.  It's great fun looking around each others gardens, there are some real gems to be seen.  We also need to catch up with The Archers, have a spot of lunch with a glass of something chilled - possibly even with bubbles in (just hope the BBC is wrong and that the thunder clouds stay away).

The Walled Garden, Cowdray

The first of our weddings today is being held in the beautiful Walled Garden, Cowdray.  Using lots of gypsophilia, locally grown stocks and peonies with elegant pale blue delphiniums - all to echo the colouring of the bridesmaids dresses.

The urns were simply filled with a froth of gypsophilia.

Ellen is modelling the bride's bouquet for me (she is getting very good at this - me thinks we could weaken her resolve not to be a blushing bride!)

I will be back with this afternoon's wedding after lunch. 

I am having a bespoke sandwich made for my the bakery downstairs and will sit in Matthew's garden in the sun.