Having last week posted about my final flowery stall of the season, I got a surprise phone call on Thursday night asking me to do a prestigious local Farmer's Market on Saturday. Couldn't really say no as I've been trying to get on it for ages, so...out came the scissors, purple buckets (and torch), and off the merry-go-round went again!
Spent Thursday night thinking "But what have I got? What can I sell?" and came to the conclusion that if I could muster flowers in April after a foot of snow the week before, I could come up with something in late September....
A session of sitting in the sunshine peeling the papery cases off honesty seedheads proved worthwhile, as I dressed up some of my dried herb wreaths with these, and the results proved popular on the stall.
The dahlias provided much of the bounty once again, bless them - such good bloomers (of the petalled kind). Also taking a starring role were schizostylis coccinea 'Major', although my mind went completely blank when asked what they were by curious customers. I could only think of the 'coccinea' part of their full name, as it puts me in mind of the red food colouring, cochineal.
 |
| Schizostylis Coccinea Major |
I decided that I should start an 'Aaaaaw, cute!' monitor, as it seemed to be an exclamation drawn from a large number of passers by as they gazed upon my stall. Should set myself targets for how many I can extract from people at each market, and see if there is any correlation with my takings!
Had my first wedding meeting last week (for May next year) - the most laidback bride imaginable in terms of being relaxed about the small details, so that should be a kind introduction to this element of the floristry world. Lots of teacups for tables, which is right up my street. It's a win win situation as the bride to be gets teacups for her guests, and my guests get more room to swing cats etc as my spare room is currently crammed with china on every once-vacant surface.
Still have to plant all my spring bulbs to provide me with lots of fragrant narcissus, tulips and other lovelies, and to sort out my china teacup planters which I'll be selling with white crocuses as Christmas sets. Lots of prepared hyacinths to force for the festive season too, so have now got to set my mind to the issue of what containers to use for those. Ah the dilemmas of the day job. Beats the educational funding minefield of my previous working life hands down!
So good to know you can still muster lots of gorgeous blooms at this time of year ! bet the Honesty looked fantastic. Dahlias are such stalwarts , I'm dreading the first frost which will finish them off ! I'm finding that most of my roses are blooming very well at the moment, and I could even do a vase or two of sweet peas if pressed !!
ReplyDeleteHonesty was quite lovely except for its tendency to want to blow away in the slightest breeze. Had to keep penning it in! My roses aren't doing quite as well as they did last year when they really overexerted themselves, so am hoping for greater things next year now that they've had a bit of a rest. Plenty of muck coming their way over winter... As for the sweet peas, still flowering, but the aphids are a-feasting and I've given up the fight for the time being...Thanks for getting in touch!
DeleteBeing new to this cutting garden lark, I'm a firm fan of dahlias and am continually amazed at how prolific they are. I've had vases full of them for months and I just gathered a huge bucketload this morning for my school gardening club to make their own mini flower arrangements. Must expand my cutting garden next year (now there's an early New Year's resolution!)
ReplyDeleteThey have been really superb this year. My other firm favourite of the year has been Ammi Majus - a lovely tall white frothy thing you can sow now and overwinter in a cold greenhouse or cold frame. It was luscious earlier in the year - must remember to do a spring sowing of it in 2014 as well so that I have it twice - early and late.
DeleteMore and more events seem to be popping up in the fall. Usually, it is a beautiful season around here, but this year: nothing but rain so far.
ReplyDeleteI think bouquets become more interesting as the choices dwindle. Yours sound fine...pictures, please.