British Grown Flowers : July Bouquet

One of the reasons I started this monthly British grown flowers bouquet project was to simply get better. I lost a few weddings late last year/early this year because I didn’t have enough bouquet content. As a way to rectify, I have been creating a new bouquet at the end of the month. Using what’s flowering on the day to make it.

There have been some surprise findings. Every month I think the bouquet is going to feature certain flowers but it never does. Having boundaries but with space enhances the creative process. Practice does makes you better.

I read and look at as much as I can but I’m self taught when it comes to flowers. I have to feel the process for it come naturally. Ever since I was a fashion design student (over twenty years ago – yikes!) I have always worked head, heart, hands. That continues today. I often see fellow flower folk saying they are ‘playing’ with flowers. I’ve stopped using that term myself as I think playing diminishes what we are doing.

When we ‘play’ we are simply working out a new process. So much of my wedding work or work that pays comes from moments of ‘play’. They are the seeds of an idea ready to be drawn upon.

Having this monthly ‘playtime’ has really helped me hone my bouquet style.  Which of course, I am hoping will lead to many more weddings going forward. I am hooked on flowers and never want to stop!

This British grown bouquet contains a mix of Ammi (Green mist), Apricot Cosmos, Apricot Statice, Fennel, a Ruby Beauty Sunflower and Sparkling Fountain grass.

All finished with a burnt orange velvet ribbon (from VV Rouleaux).  I’m really back in my ribbon addiction. It’s been lifelong but I have curbed it in recent years. Lately, I do keep finding myself with more! Oh well!

This has been my best year for Apricot Cosmos. They are so very beautiful however I’m not finding them great when cut. As a bedding flower, yes please. As a cut flower not so much. I was going to use them in this weeks wedding but I couldn’t trust them to perform. I went with a Picotte instead. Everything else is looking great, the Ruby Beauty sunflower is just the right size for a bouquet. Now all I’m waiting for are the dahlia’s to get a move on! Maybe next month..?

I went with a short stem bouquet, allowing the flowers to form a fan shape. There are many elements that could have been added but wanted the sunflower to be the main event.