What's coming out of the workshop

We are limbering up for Whiteladies Farmers Market tomorrow morning.  Spent all day in the workshop.  Here are a couple that we will be taking.  The Fruit Wreath is a new one - the Orange and Cinnamon our best seller.   Too scared to check the weather forecast....

Large Fruit Wreath

 

Orange and Cinnamon Wreath

Big base !

Yesterday was the first day of Advent, and to celebrate we started work on a  wreath for a BIG door.
Here is a picture of Catherine wearing the finished base....

Catherine modelling a big wreath base

You might notice the cocktail glass on the table.  We are also working on perfecting the perfect Gin Martini.  Let the season begin !

Hydrangea danger..

It's the floral equivalent of taking a motorbike apart in your hall.. There are trays of hydrangeas drying everywhere.  They go out in the morning into the garden to get a bit of sun but the rest of the time hang around the house getting in everyone's way. 

Hydrageas drying in the sun

I have got some lovely bright red local ones, some really great ones from Cornwall and also from Glastonbury.   The weather has been very kind to them and there are some really beautiful colours this year.  

Hydrangea Wreath

We will be making up the hydrangea wreaths over the course of the next couple of weeks once the blooms are ready to work.  Once we have worked through the waiting list we will put them up for sale in the on line shop.  If you want to reserve one now, just get in touch.
 

Spring Table Centres

We have made a lot of these over the Easter break.  Some as gifts and quite a lot for a celebration dinner last night in The Great Hall in the Wills Memorial Building.

Bay, Rhubarb Leaf, Purple Broccoli, Aster, Paperwhite Narcissi Table Centre   

      This one was a mix of what is good at the Canford Allotment, hence the Broccoli and Baby Rhubarb leaves and Bronze Fennel, with tiny white Asters, Eryngium and some very heady smelling Paperwhite Narcissi.

In the last week the new growth has really kicked in.  Spring is here. We mowed the lawns and are busy planning and planting for the new season. Feels good.  

Workshop yesterday at Bristol Zoo

Yesterday we had our annual workshop at Bristol Zoo, hosted by Mandy Leivers and the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project.

A good days work

 Its a great way to start the season. Watching everyone else work, producing amazing results, And cake.  We ate loads of cake. Thanks to you all for a great day.  Hang your wreaths with pride !

Christmas tables

Yesterday we did our Christmas photoshoot.  We were working with our photographer, Liz McDougall at the home of stylist, Katie O'Brien-Clarke to try to capture the essence of Christmas Day.  With the help of some good Christmas tunes, a great setting and Katie's extensive collection of fabulous tableware I think we got there.

Christmas table

We also got Gabriel's beautiful handmade bunting out for the occasion. 

Christmas table with bunting

We had a great day and Liz has now sifted through the hundreds of lovely photos so I can take them to Jon to put up on the new Lookbook page that he is creating for the website.

Thanks to you all for a great day, especially Katie's serving sloe gin before lunch to sort out all the hangovers and get us focused for the job in hand.    Will update again with some more pictures soon.

Hydrangeas drying on the windowsills

Hydrangeas drying on the office windowsill

It's that time of year again.  The fireplaces are all full, the dried ones are stacked in greengrocers trays around the place and the snails are all crawling out and finding their way onto the skirting boards.

We are even now stacking them up in the windowsill of my office. Actually, I think they look pretty good there.
 
These I think will be ready to work in the morning so will post up some finished results of the hydrangea wreaths made from them very soon.