Jane Packer 1959-2011

I have just heard the news that Jane Packer has died. I had heard that she was very ill this year, but I really hoped she would pull through.

I know other students who, like me, were so enthused by Jane’s style and approach that they took up a floristry course or career. I’m sure she did the same for thousands before us, and I hope that her work continues to motivate people to join the world of floristry. The heart-shaped box I did last week was inspired by her famous hat-box design.

She popped in during the hand-tied course I did in the spring and spoke to all of us. She was smiley and bright and told us we were doing a good job. It was the only time I met her, and she seemed as sunny as she does in her books (I truly love her writing style and the design of her books).

I hope she knew just how much her work and her approach to floristry affected people, as well as the joy she provided to the recipients of her flowers.

My thoughts are with her husband and family and friends.

Heart-shaped box

Two friends of mine from university got married soon after they graduated, a whopping ten years ago. I was a bridesmaid for the first and only time, and I have fond memories of getting ready with the other bridesmaids and the bride in her parents’ house on the morning of the wedding. She was another anti-Bridezilla – we were allowed to choose how we did our hair, and she chose beautiful lilac corset tops and matching long skirts for us, and gave us pretty jewellery. I still have my tiara and necklace from the day.

As this year was a special anniversary, I thought I would make something floral to send in the post. I hoped that a lined heart-shaped box filled with roses arranged in floral foam would survive the journey.

Rather like Kurt Cobain in the song (which the recipients and I listened to many times in our first year at university), these roses were locked inside a heart-shaped box for almost a week, thanks to a very inconvenient loophole in the postal system. I’m not sure what state they were in by the time the time my friends received them! Oh well. Here is a photo of them on the day the arrangement was made and posted – so my friends can see what they were supposed to look like!

Remembrance Day

London calling

I entered the London heat of the Chelsea Florist of the Year competition. I didn’t qualify, but I had lots of fun sketching and creating my design (the theme was a table centre for the British Olympic team), and got some useful feedback from the judges – technically, I did well, but I used too many ideas.

It was the college day at New Covent Garden Flower Market as well, so it was a good excuse to take some photos of the market. Can you see why I feel so chirpy every time I walk in? It’s such an incredible place. As you can see, people are getting ready for Christmas already!

Happy Halloween

I offered to take flowers to a friend who had invited me over for dinner. He asked for something ‘unusual’ and ‘interesting’. I’m hoping that this Halloween/autumnal arrangement fits the bill. I’ve used orange ilex berries, orange brassicas, and Picasso eucalyptus in a hollowed-out pumpkin. But no scary face, especially since I am going to be delivering this on All Saints Day!

And either side are more leftovers for me. One of the perks of floristry!

Half term report

We were allowed to take all of our flowers home from college for half term. Some of them had only been delivered a few days before; others had been sitting in the fridge for a fortnight. Here’s what I made with flowers I had left over and those that some other students had given me.

This was a hand tied that I made in college – it wasn’t quite right, but when I took it home, I cut the string (that would normally be left alone), and it kind of fell into place.

And lastly, I had bought these beautiful Sweet Dolomiti and Peach Avalanche roses and pale pink astilibe to create a thank you bouquet for someone. I put the leftovers in my favourite container – my Elizabeth Blackadder ‘Poppies’ jug – and both these and the poppy heads, lisianthus and santini chrysanthemum vase stayed on my table while I did some work over the holiday. They were a joy to look at when work was taking its toll!

Will I help with flowers for the Savoy? Definitely!

I enjoyed my first day of work experience this week, helping with flowers for a wedding reception at the Savoy Hotel. It was hard work, and my shoulders are still aching from all of the heavy lifting, but I absolutely loved it. The women from Urbanstems as well as the freelancers were all incredibly friendly, and it was such a joy to work with them. I rather expected to be prepping flowers or getting water, while they did the creative work, but I was encouraged to get stuck in. I helped with the wreath table arrangements in which we placed bowls with floating candles or tall vases with another arrangement, and one of two huge urns that were at the front of the ballroom. The theme was white but very ‘natural’, so there were buckets and buckets of Vendella and Avalanche roses, white hydrangeas, lilies and alstroemeria, green lisianthus, and lots of ivy. The leftover roses were used to decorate the stage and the table for the wedding cake, and I think the whole room looked gorgeous once we had finished.