Floranina

Looking forward to putting a pretty photo in my new frame!

Up close and personal with my Spring design.









🌺 Chrysanthemum Antonov
🌺 Ornithogalum saundersie
🌺 Dianthus Goblin
🌺 Chrysanthemum Dusty Blue
🌺 Gypsophila
🌱 Papyrus
🌱 Cordyline Black Ti
🌱 Aspidistra

🙃🙃🙃

My Floranina Belles were in action this afternoon, and I'm so, so pleased with their efforts.

Dried botanicals are so pleasing to work with, and I know Nicola, Jan C, Jan H and Sam really enjoyed their me-time moment.

We missed not having Diane, Debbie and Myra with us, but hopefully, next month, when an autumn harvest design is on the cards...

What a wonderful day preparing for the annual 'Celebration of Flowers' @ National Trust Nymans today.

This year's theme is "Seasons" to tie in with the current art exhibition by Mariusz and Kasia Kaldowski, featuring their paintings of Nymans throughout the year.

I was asked to create "Spring" and my design, on the coffer by the front door, greets visitors as they enter this beautiful house. I used 'April showers bring forth May flowers' as my inspiration.

The exhibition opens tomorrow and runs for approximately ten days, flowers allowing. In a humidity controlled environment with so many precious artefacts, the heating comes on at random (as it did today!), so the flowers have a lot to contend with...

Such a privilege to take part once again with my fellow flower arranging volunteers.

I do hope you get a chance to pop along and see everything - the house looks so florally wonderful. And there's a bonus; not only a lovely floral spectacle, but the perennial borders are pretty glorious too!

Thank you, East Grinstead Flower Club, for your very warm welcome tonight and for all the amazing comments. I'm truly touched.

Thank you also to for being my chauffeur and for getting me there and back safely, and for loading and unloading, etc.

I'm pleased to have managed to pull this one off - only had to sit down for one design when labyrinthitis decided to give me a wobble or two!!

My friends at were so, so lovely and understanding. Thank you again, ladies.

Onwards and upwards... 🌺

Today, I walked nearly one mile... it took several hours, but I did it slowly, slowly...

Aren't you impressed...?!

What can I say except SEVERE LABYRINTHITIS SUCKS...

Day seven now, and hopefully, I've turned a small corner... although those of you who, too, have suffered from this misery, will know it's an absolute figure of speech! One does not turn any corner, however slight with this particular malady 🫨🫨

Anyway, thank you, John, for waddling along with me, holding my hand to ensure I wouldn't fall over and generally just being there.

A bonus that my first foray into some semblance of normality was sunny and hot (plus 26 degrees) with a gentle breeze - welcome meteorological autumn. I'm quite happy to hold onto summer a bit longer, though... 🙏🌞😎



With John Tucknott

Oh, I love a tidy workspace... floral shed next...

😆😁🙃😁😄

Flowers @ Nymans this morning again 🌺🤗

So lovely working in this particular house!

I've wanted to visit this garden for a very long time and today we finally got to go there.

And what an incredible place!

We've seen many a garden over the past 40+ years, but these are something else; a superb example of Elizabethan garden design, although records go as far back as 1346.

The 11 acres of walled and yew-hedged garden rooms are an absolute delight, and the house, one of England's oldest family homes, was so incredible to experience too.

with John Tucknott

Brilliant day!

What a wonderful afternoon with my Floranina Belles today... 😍🌺👌

Very hot, very sunny but oh so brilliant watching them all get stuck in to yet another design style.

Well done Sam, Grace, Myra, Jan H, Nicola and Jan C - your vertical arrangements look utterly amazing! 👏 👏👏👏👏👏 super proud 🥰

Come on in... the water is heavenly...

It's been plus 32 degrees today and gloriously sunny, but it won't be long before the evenings start drawing in again... 🤪 and if you're looking for a new hobby, looking to resurrect an old one, or to just keep continuing to hone your skills, then the perfect opportunity is just around the corner...

My popular five week floristry course commences on 5 November (the spring one on 6 March and the summer one on 3 June), and I'm so, so excited.

Please note that the Tuesday autumn one sold out in two days but happily there is now one more commencing on Wednesday 6 November.

Call them on 01273 422632 to book your place but do hurry as that one is filling up fast too!

See you soon-ish for some floral fun with a festive twist... 🌺😀

It was such an honour to be asked to be part of Ruth and Nick's Golden Wedding Anniversary celebrations today.

They live in Penzanze these days but hail from the southeast, so decided to have their special luncheon at the Brighton Harbour Hotel.

The venue has striking floral panels, so we decided to enhance these further with florals to match. Using seasonal blooms including Dahlia, Celosia, Rosa 'Carpe Diem', Chrysanthemum, Clematis and Achillea, I created six table centres (five for the tables and one for the cake table too) plus a large pedestal arrangement for the drinks reception area.

Such joyous colours to work with; it was an absolute dream to create everything!

Thank you, Ruth and Nick, for putting your trust in me.

I am proud beyond proud of our Autumn 2024 issue, which is available now on the newsstands (WH Smiths).

Although if you're a subscriber - but of course you are! - then all you needed to do was pick it up from your door mat!

Once again, so much work has gone into producing this fabulous edition, and as Editor, I'm so grateful to so many people who have been involved. Makes my job a joy!

Enjoy your read - you're in for a treat. 🌺👌🌺

Flowers make anything and everything beautiful 💙

Sunday pretty 😍

Wild flowers and wonderful views

Beautiful afternoon with my Floranina Belles today. 💕

Heavenly Hand-ties was the order of the day.

Sadly, Nicola woke up this morning feeling poorly, so she couldn't come along, but two designs were delivered to her tonight to hopeful make her feel better...

Very well done Jan H, Jan C, Myra, Diane, Debbie, and Sam for your creativity and for letting me run with my madcap ideas!💡 🙃

Love having these amazing ladies in my life.

Playing with flowers this morning in my favourite period house.

Nice stroll around the gardens too in the very hot sunshine (plus 31 degrees!!) followed by a leisurely early lunch in the shade.

Now the beach beckons! ⛱️



With John Tucknott

Utterly mind-blowing floral talent 👏 👌 🙌

Fleurs de Villes have not been in the UK for the last six years but they have finally returned this year, and I was utterly thrilled to be able to go along on Tuesday to see their latest exhibition.

Eltham Palace and Gardens is a fabulous historical setting which is now further enhanced by the incredible artistry of skilled florists.

The famous Fleurs de Villes mannequins grace many an area especially in the famed Great Hall, while the remaining Art Deco interiors are also bursting with glorious blooms.

I will share the mannequins later but here is just a little taster!

The exhibition runs until this Sunday, 21 July 2024.

We simply couldn't have picked a better evening to sample the tasting menu at this brilliant eatery.

Each dish was superlative and our waitress Gemma gets full marks for her professionalism.

Thank you Seb & Jen for a truly memorable dining experience - what a Christmas prezzie!

Brilliant afternoon with my friends @ West Bognor Flower Club today.

Such an appreciative crowd, so much interaction, so much fun. Thank you for having me!

And thank you to my lovely chauffeur John who got me there and back safely before the torrential rain arrived!

And it's a wrap - this is the bespoke Floranina heart which graced the wedding reception of Georgia and Luke's wedding on Friday.

Such a privilege and honour to be tasked with making someone's special day florally beautiful, and I am so grateful that this lovely couple put their faith in me and my team.

Happy days!

A naked cake really comes to its own with some pretty florals and Georgia and Luke's certainly did!





With John Tucknott