The wreath on the door of Garland HQ

rose and chrysanthemum wreath 

There are two questions that we get asked every year.  They are

Q 1.  How many wreaths do you make in a season ?

A       Don't know.  Too daunting to count at the beginning of the season, and just toooo tired to count at the end.

Q 2.  What wreath do you have on YOUR door.

A   It changes - this year we have had a succession of wreaths - starting out with last year's best seller, the Orange and Cinnamon...and then a rather lovely Mini Apple and Cinnamon (see below).  But some of our prototype experiments go on the door here at Garland HQ too.  The rose and chrysanthemum one above was a happy accident between a lovely bunch of flowers given to us by Mandy at the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project after our lovely day there making swags.  I think this one should go on the 2013 new product shortlist.  We shall see.  

apple and cinnamon wreath

  
We are nearly there now.  Just a couple more orders to sort and my own staircase and fireplaces to finish. Hopefully the light will be good enough to post some shots.  We shall see....

Making garlands at the Zoo on Saturday

We are very much looking forward to Saturday (15th) as we will be hosted again by the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project at Bristol Zoo Gardens.  Our  workshop, Creating Christmas Garlands still has a few places if you would like to join us to make a 1.5 m swag (like the one below).  Its a lovely day with the workshop in the morning, the  chance to eat your packed lunch in the Zoo Garden followed by a 

nice brisk walk on the Downs with Mandy Leivers, the Education Officer to discover the history and folklore of seasonal foliage.  Booking through Mandy  at mleivers@bristolzoo.org.uk or phone on 0117 9030609. 

greengarland hydrangea wreath makes it to The Guardian Wish List

greengarland hydrangea wreath 

We are very happy here at garland HQ today.  Our hydrangea wreath has made it onto the Guardian Life and Style Wish List .  It also appears in today's edition of the Observer Magazine :)

Whats coming out of the workshop this week...

Orange and Cinnamon Wreath

This week has been busy but good.  We started on Saturday with a great day for the Whiteladies Road Farmers Market.  Cold and clear.  Lovely.  Ever since we have been in the workshop making up  and despatching orders locally, nationally and even one to Venice.

The wreaths sort of evolve as the season progresses so got the camera out and took a couple of photos of what we have been up to in the last few days.  This Orange and Cinnamon Wreath smells really good.  As does the Traditional Red Wreath below.

Traditional Red Wreath

We were at the market again at 5 a.m. buying  lovely fresh Welsh blue pine as we are working on a 18 meter monster swag to decorate a dining hall and staircase in a country house in Somerset.  We are going for a gold and orange theme with hints of rosemary and cinnamon.Will post some pictures of that work in progress later.

Sending Christmas to Scotland

This weekend we have been busy in the workshop making up the first order for

Christmas Wreaths and Swags in progress

Country House Interiors, in Castle Douglas, Scotland. We have been collaborating with Mhairi McPhee who owns two fabulous shops in this lovely town in Dumfries and Galloways. We have been making a collection of wreaths and swags to decorate the shops and grace the doors and fireplaces of the good folk of Castle Douglas.  

We have designed a lovely themed set - fragrant with apple and cinnamon and lovely tartan ribbons.  We are really very pleased with them and hope they will be too.

Swags and wreaths for Country House Interiors

They are now all boxed up ready for the courier to collect them.  The trickiest bit was finding boxes big and strong enough to take them all.  It really would have been nice to have loaded up the car and driven them there, but that, I guess is for another day.

Christmas wreaths and swags for Mhairi

Well that, and the fact that I don't seem to be able to take any photos with the iPad without photographing my thumb or my foot.  Never mind.  Off to Scotland.  Let me know when they arrive, Mhairi.

Garlands on English handmade rope

staircase garland 

We are now gearing up big time for the season.  All the images for the gift cards and product tags have been selected and are now on order, hopefully to arrive in a few days.  I also received my order this week from Neil at the Traditional Rope Company, so we have all the rope and jute we need to get us through the season.

Handmade English Manila rope

There are boxes and boxes of different types of cones around the place drying including these lovely spruce cones that we will be using at the Creating Christmas Garlands workshop on the Saturday 15th December at Bristol Zoo Gardens, when we will be hosted by the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project.    Booking is through Mandy Leivers, the Education Officer.   This is a great day with the workshop in the morning when we will make long fireplace and staircase swags, a wander around the Zoo at lunchtime, and a lovely walk on the Downs in the afternoon to discover the history and folklore of Christmas foliage.  Mandy gets the tea urn out and brings the cakes.   We ran this for the first time last year and a good time was had by all.    

Spuce cones 

We are really looking forward to this event.  Come join us.  

Hydrangea wreaths

Lily in the hydrangeas

This week we have been in full production turning our now semi-dried hydrangea heads into wreaths.  Please do not be fooled by what appears to be a cute kitty picture - this cat is merely hiding the fact that she is about to pounce by sitting among the work in progress - the tail is swishing and she is not best pleased.

Hydrangea Wreaths

There is something about the combination of rustling hydrangea and long bits of twine that really brings the absolute worst out in this animal, beloved by the rest of our household - but I am ambivalent at the moment to say the least. It is only me that she randomly attacks when I am least expecting it, drawing blood.  She clearly has never heard about not biting the hand that feeds.

 But now the hydrangea wreaths have been made, both traditional and heart shapes, both available via the greengarland website.  The colours have been very variable again this year as you can see from these two hearts, recently finished from different varieties of hydrangea bush, both grown locally.  This first one is a really dark raspberry pink, the other is much more muted with mauves and blues.

Hydrangea heart wreath 

I like the latter, especially as the greengarland show door where most of the photos are taken is painted with Farrow and Ball French Grey Eggshell.

Hydrangea heart wreath

However, this pic is taken on the table outside the kitchen door where I was working  yesterday - and now it is raining so that will have to be a photo for another day.