Wild Willow & Bloom

Bright and beautiful! Some meadow style flowers cut from the plot , ready from making mini posies at the end of a family Weaving In Nature workshop at Cranham Brickfields .
Hmmm, maybe weaving in the rain as well by the forecast tomorrow but all still planning to go ahead . I shall be wearing my waterproofs because that’s just how it goes sometimes ! 😄🌦️🌈☔️

Places still bookable on the Tuesday and Friday weaving workshops, with some other fabulous activities taking place during the week. All organised by Havering Green Streets with LTC funding making these workshops and events available to you free of charge 😄🌱🌿🍃

➡️https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom—basildon/havering-green-streets/

Activities and workshops taking place all week at Cranham Brickfields including willow weaving workshops for families and adults! Organised by Havering Green Streets with all activities being free to attend thanks to local funding. Places need to be booked via Eventbrite 🌿💚🙂

https://shorturl.at/OCCef

Really looking forward to running three Weaving In Nature Workshops at Cranham Brickfields Nature reserve. Starting from Saturday 25th May, why not take a look at what's taking place and see if you'd like join a workshop or activity. These activities have all been made available through external funding and so are free to attend but you need to book a place! I'm running two family workshops as well as one more focused at adults or adults attending with older children. 😃💚🌿

Hi everyone, we have some fantastic FREE activities for all the family being run in Cranham Brickfields from 24th May-2nd June. Most activities are now up although we have a couple more to be added! Please keep an eye if you would like to get a free ticket :-) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/havering-green-streets-77587878773

These activities are provided as part of the LTC funding we were granted, helping to bring people into their local green spaces

Today I cleaned and scrubbed out the big metal cattle trough that I soak willow in … because the trough had gone green and slimy . It wasn’t a fun job, especially as winter seems to have staged a return today. But it’s done, and I have willow soaking away nicely in a very clean trough . This is all willow for an upcoming weaving workshop. I’ve also now covered the trough, in the hope of it not going green and slimy again ! 😅

🌷It's tulip time! Galleywood grown mixed colour / variety tulips available NOW and possibly for one week only!

20 tulips for £20
10 tulips £10
Scented Narcissus £3 a bunch
Monthly Subscription: Flower Arrangers ready to arrange bucket: £30

Monthly Subscription Flowers : A monthly flower arrangers bucket containing a mix of focal flowers , filler and foliage including interesting seasonal stems, seedheads, grasses and scented plants that are conditioned and ready for you to arrange.
💚 Truly seasonal, local earth kind flowers for your home. Begin this week and a flower arrangers bucket will contain tulips , scented narcissus and other seasonal stems. £30

I can supply tulips on the bulb ( unless you prefer me to snip the bulb off ) Bulbs can be re planted , and hopefully will give you a display next spring as well!

They are bright and beautiful colours , mixed varieties, that will grow and change in the vase so a bit different to your usual supermarket varieties . Whimsical, slightly unruly and bright and beautiful. Direct message me to order or email / text
[email protected]
07788630163
Collection from Galleywood during the week.

Why tulips all of a sudden... as it is tulips season right ?
Well.... I checked the tulips earlier in the week, decided they were not quite ready , then a few days at my other job... and came back to the tulips all deciding that it's time to flower. That's the nature of outdoor grown tulips... fabulous, but sometimes frustrating! 🌷🌷🌷

Tulips ! I’ve been off doing my other job for a few days , so the tulips decided to go for it and all flower at once while I wasn’t watching . Mischievous. 🌷🌷🌷

* All sold out for the day! Thank you 😊 *

💛Good morning, there are just a few bunches of scented narcissus left at the farm gate £3 a bunch, there is an honesty tin for payment. Pop on over for a bunch before they get blown about by storm Kath passing by :-) 💛

Cannon Leys Farm Yard , Rignals Lane ( entrance near to the industrial estate)

* Update for Saturday afternoon , all sold out for the day - thank you 😊 *

Friday Flowers ! Scented narcissus for sale at the farm gate . The farm stand is currently a box , by the end of the week it might be a bigger box … at some point soon when I’ve mastered some additional carpentry skills and feeling brave enough to give it a go, there will be a proper nice little farm gate flower stand … There is always a challenge to tackle , and always learning 😄

Cannon Leys farm yard, Rignals Lane , Galleywood ( near to the industrial estate entrance )

A sunny & showery day for the first of April . I’ve been cutting bunches of narcissus for the last week , but they have all found homes before I’ve had a chance to post on here 😊 I’ve put a couple of bunches out the front of Cannon Leys farm yard ( near the industrial estate … Rignals lane . )If anyone would like some cheerful scented narcissus they are £3 a bunch. I have some more coming on , so if you’d like a bunch or two or three … let me know and I can reserve them for you . Happy Easter !

A very spring like day in Essex for the Spring Equinox . After being away from the farm for a few days it was great to find seeds germinating ( sown last Wednesday ) and Narcissi blooming . Top left is ‘ Beautiful Eyes ‘ which I think is just stunning and top right is ‘Bridal Crown ‘ and these are scented and spring like and lovely . My first farm grown narcissi 😄 I’m hoping they don’t all flower in the next few days , so that I can offer some mixed narcissi for Easter weekend… 🤞
The spring equinox is traditionally a good day for some seed sowing , so I sowed a couple of trays of Scabious to celebrate and mark the occasion. Maybe you have some seed sowing time or a garden centre visit in your weekend plans …. Enjoy ! 🌱

It’s been a day for planting out things that have sprouted 🌱🌱🌱

Apricot,purple and pinky tulips with twiggy willow hearts. Available for Saturday 9th March collection from Galleywood . Or local delivery around Galleywood/ Ingatestone possible on my way home ! £15 / £22 / £3O Let me know if you’d like any flowers ☺️🌷

🌷🌷British tulip bunches and bouquets available for this weekend ( Mothers day is Sunday 10th March )
Tulips are all the double varieties that open up a little like peonies.
Collection Friday / Saturday from Rignals Lane - Galleywood
Local delivery may be possible around Galleywood/ Ingatestone
£15/ £22/ £30
Everything wrapped in kraft paper and ready to give as a gift. If you would like something bespoke ( flowers with a vase or with a little hand made willow dragonfly ) ask for details .

I think it unlikely I will be able to set up a flower stand up at the farm gate as the weather is too unpredictable at the moment and we have too many puddles! So please do get in touch if you'd like any flowers so I can have them ready for you to collect. (Message me on 07788630163)

The tulips are from another British flower grower ... my field grown tulips are not yet ready to flower x

🌿

I will be weaving some willow dragonflies this weekend, so if you are looking for a mothers day gift or would just like a willow dragonfly let me know!
Small dragonflies are £10 and Large Dragonflies are £18
I will also have some British Tulips in for next weekend, sourced from British flower growers Smith and Munson.
I will have the 'double variety' which are the flouncy ones that open up and look a bit like peonies. 🌷

On these wet February days with rain and wind and met office weather warnings, summer seems a distant dream. Flicking through photos with summer memories and sunflower 'Teddy bear '
Many thanks to my friend Gary Oliver Salsa Singer for taking some fab photos for me over the past couple of years.

One of the things I chat about on willow workshops is types of willow and how I prepare it for workshops and projects. There are many varieties of willow, in a wonderful range of shades and colours.

💚Willow that is freshly cut is referred to as ‘green’ willow by growers. The harvest time for fresh cut willow is usually December- March. Willow growers across the country will be busy cutting their harvest during this time. On a large scale , this is done mechanically , smaller growers may cut by hand.

🤎Willow can also be stored dry, and resoaked for different projects. Also referred to as 'brown' willow . A slightly misleading term I think as there are so many colour tones! The type and length of willow decides the soaking time. It might be a couple of hours or more than a week.

Green willow is great fun to work with as being fresh there is no need to pre- soak. It’s great for sculptures, weaving living fences, even obelisks. If willow is very fresh it has a tendency to shrink as it dries, which is why dry or brown willow is usually selected for making baskets. This avoids the weave becoming a little loose as it dries.

I’ve a willow obelisk weaving workshop taking place on Sunday 21st April 2024, a great way to learn some basic techniques and weave something functional and creative! We will be mostly be using dry willow that has been re- soaked, and I will have some different types of willow for you to try out on your designs.

👉https://wildwillowandbloom.square.site/

Hello! A really big hello! What happened to January….? I feel like I blinked and missed it. How is everyone doing?

I’ve been really quiet on here since Christmas. A combination of feeling a little out of sorts, and also tackling some of the behind the scenes jobs (like a new website ….which will be up and running soon! ) I’ve also been doing some insightful flower farmer learning with Cel Robertson from

I absolutely love wintertime, but this year for all sorts of reasons I feel like I’m caught in a bit of a winter slump. I can’t say I’m feeling spring like yet.

One outdoor job I’ve just tackled has been to cut back a patch of unruly apple mint. There are new green shoots starting to come through on all the mint roots, which are living up to their reputation and spreading out beyond their designated area. Mint is one of those plants that will happily and wilfully ignore a boundary! It is a very useful scented foliage plant though, so I will put up with its boundary disrespecting ways. If you fancy planting some in your garden, installing it in a robust pot or tub might help to keep it this spreading perennial herb in check.

There are Hellebores flowering in the garden and of course snowdrops. So I may not be feeling spring like quite yet, but I think maybe it’s time to slowly start waking up from winter hibernation.

Victoria x

Happy new year ! Thanks for all the support over the past year , customers , friends , family, fellow flower farmers & social media community… many many thanks for helping me make it to 2024 as a flower farmer!

I’m ending 2023 feeling positive , and I hope that however your year has turned out , that you have something good to reflect back on , and give you hope for the year ahead .

I was going to to the ‘Top 9 ‘ end of year photo thing … but the app didn’t work … so instead, keeping things real to end 2023 . Here is a snapshot of my day today ….
December 31st 2023:

Front of house/ stable ( studio???) looking vaguely tidy for once . Planting the last of the spring bulbs ( I finally got them all in !) Rain showers . Marvelling at how many worms there are in the raised beds . Wondering if the field will soon be a lake . Weeding and mulching . Picking chard that randomly grew on the flower field. Contemplating if I can stop at the shop on my way home being this muddy. Flower farming is mostly not a glamorous vocation.😄🌻🌸🪻🌼

HAPPYNEWYEAR # # #

Wreath making workshop with a lovely group of ladies , great to spend an afternoon with you all making fabulous wreaths for your homes . And love the little bespoke decorations specially brought along to the workshop . Festive mice ! …so cute! 😁🐭🎄

A half moon willow wreath . Or maybe more three quarter moon 🌙

always a joy making your wreath !

A very jolly swag workshop earlier in December! Fabulous swags and happy swag makers 🎄

Venue Galleywood Heritage Centre

* *post update: all have now been sold, many thanks and there will be more available in spring !**
Just three British tulip bunches still available 😊 One red and white and two all white . £12 a bunch . Collection can be arranged from Galleywood this afternoon or Ingatestone later on today . Message on 07788630163 if you’d like to reserve one .
British tulips 🌹

Midwinter greetings to all on the shortest winter day x
✨🌅🌔

Available this week ! I will have red and white British tulips available in a mixed bunch or as gift bouquets . Collection from Galleywood on Friday ( I may be able to deliver if local to Galleywood or Ingatestone ) Tulips are from British growers Smith and Munson , their first tulips the season .
Mine are a little way off yet ! 😁 Message if you’d like to order 🌷

Over halfway though December and I've not posted any festive wreath pictures from this year ... think that's definitely a social media fail!
So.... it's catch up time. Here's a wreath I delivered on Friday, which I was able to hang straight up onto the door☺️

I really enjoy making all my wreaths, they take me a little while, I play about with different embellishments and ribbons until I get a wreath I'm really happy with, and that I hope will be much enjoyed for the festive season and hopefully even longer. Thanks so much to Alice for ordering this one, and to everyone who's ordered a wreath from me, or come along to a workshop over the past few weeks . The next few days I will hopefully catch up on all the things I've missed posting about recently!
Victoria 🎄

A few pictures from last years cosy wreath making evening with the wonderful Pantry Shelf on a chilly December evening in 2022.

If you would like to come along to a wreath making workshop, I have spaces available on Wednesday 6th December in the afternoon in Galleywood. Details and booking here: https://wildwillowandbloom.square.site/
Wreaths are made on a willow base ( hand made by me ) with foliage all grown by me or ourced locally . They will be beautiful , they will be sustainable and they will be unique!

And although Pantry Shelf have now bid a fond farewell to their shop at Butts Green Road, they have a fabulously festive, eco friendly local produce range at: https://www.pantryshelf.co.uk/



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A stroll on Danbury Common with Jasper this morning, then a stop off at a Christmas tree farm near Maldon to collect some really lovely Nordmann Fir for workshops and wreaths. It smells so classically wonderfully Christmassy ! We will be using this gorgeous locally grown foliage on the upcoming swag and wreath workshops .
It’s such a nice afternoon ( compared to yesterday!) I will spend rest of the day cutting more Christmassy foliage 🎄