The long and hot Summer of 2013

It's been a while since my last post, guilty of neglect your Honour. We're experiencing a rare phenomenon in this country, bright blue skies and there is actually a bright ball called the sun, which gives of lots of warmth. It must be the first time in almost eight years since we've had a summer that we can actually call a summer. This leads to my next subject and it involves the care of cut flowers in this heat. We don't have a chiller unit at Blue Geranium, we've never really needed one. The constant sound of a fan, humming in my ear all summer has been the only source of breaking the heat for the poor flowers. I'm still not convinced it's worth investing in a chiller unit for one summer! The front of the shop is facing West and has been exposed to full sun, which mean by 1pm, the door-step posies and plants are repositioned inside out of the harsh, direct sunshine. We rarely experienced this problem in the first year.

Display of hydrangea and heather plants and doors-step posies.

The shop is becoming known for its beautiful displays, or visual merchandising style, which is also attracting custom for the collectables we've accumulated over the years. Combining fresh flowers, plants and vintage vases is finally working as more customers will come in to browse and potter over the collection of vintage Dartmouth Pottery, Wedgewood, Arthur Wood boat style vases and urns and buy them as well as choose a selection of flowers to dress their new vases. The shop also attracts "dealers" on the prowl for a bargain! I'm OK with this as long as they make sensible offers or refrain from patronising and condescending comments like "You haven't got any real antiques", or "Have you got any silver, or watches?" - I'd have thought it was obvious what we sell at a Florist.

Deep pink hydrangea plants and English lavender on the doorstep of Blue Geranium

 What will the rest of 2013 bring us? Hopefully more summer ;-)

New Year News

We're in the middle of January and it's quiet as expected for the time of year. One by one we've received images, blogs and magazine copies of flowers that Blue Geranium has provided flowers for over the past year.

http://www.100layercake.com/blog/
Melissa & Rob Brooks- Burnicombe Farm

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?pbid=fc62fec3-9dab-4f00-aad9-c2a24ef49394 - Pages 198-200 - Rachael & Julian Baird - Dartington Hall

http://www.boho-weddings.com/2012/10/29/outdoor-south-devon-wedding-by-helen-lisk/
Claire & Neil's Outdoor wedding at Dartington Hall - Photography by Helen Lisk

Looking forward to receiving many more from my wonderful happy couples XXX

Castle Street, Totnes

 


I'm sat on a chair (£20) found at Totnes market at my desk (£20) from Refurnish ("up-cycled" in the words of Kirsty Allsop - chair recovered with blue upholstery linen (£2) and desk painted Breton Blue to coordinate with the newly painted walls) in full admiration of what Don and I have achieved here at Blue Geranium in just under a year. I suppose we could have transformed the shop sooner, but we've been busy for most of the year and it's taken us time to think about how we wanted the space to look.

On Friday, 16th November, Paddy the Handy-Man (Highly recommend!) attached the wrought iron bracket (purchased on ebay for £48) to hang the swing board sign, which enables Blue Geranium to be seen from the High Street, looking North up Castle Street and South towards the High Street from North Street.

Castle Street - Looking North towards South Street

Castle Street - Looking South towards the High Street

Pressing Flowers

I know, there's always something pressing at Blue Geranium, but I really have been pressing flowers today. Why? Because I recently purchased 20 very beautiful handcrafted pressed flower cards for sale at Blue Geranium. I'm attempting to make some of my very own to sell in the shop. Pressed hydrangea petals, astrantia, clematis, fern leaf, oak leaf etc. How they'll turn out is another matter, but I'm keen to try all the same.

Autumn transition to Christmas...

I've got that festive feeling in my tummy today, it's like butterflies and I suppose it started when Don felt creative and decided it was time to indicate what's in store for Christmas at Blue Geranium. The transition from Autumnal window display in preparation for Christmas is continuing with what he does best and that's to keep it looking natural and wild in a sense. Incorporating the classical elements for props, like a Louis chair, gold gilted frames, silver urns and crystal vases, with kitch pewter effect porcelaine birds, mossy/lichen branches, pine cones and candles, candelabras and classical pedestals draped in gold and pewter organza and chiffon fabrics. The props are of course just that and are to enhance the product we sell, which is fresh flowers and arrangements like Christmas wreaths, table centre pieces, bouquets etc.

The overall effect is to tie in with how we (Don & Phil) transformed the shop from Pure Hairdressing (previous occupants of One Castle Street) to Blue Geranium's classical taste. It feels homely here, where we spend at least 8 hours of the day. I sit behind a desk (£20) that we found at a recycle centre called Refurnish at Totnes, Don mostly potters away on a raised platform with a work station that was gifted from Green Fuse Funeral Directors. The previous occupants kindly left the large mirrors on both sides of the shop (where they styled their clients hair and chatted about the weather and holidays probably). We've retained the mirrors, which add depth to the space and additional light. Now that the shop has been painted with its classical tones of Breton Blue and Pressed Thistle, the ambiance of the space is very calming compared to the previous colours which I think were Mulberry and pale peach, with a wallpaper, which was once compared to as "grandma's".

Lost on Dartmoor...

Blimey! Saturday, 3rd of November 2012 was a very long day. Up at 3am to start work at Blue Geranium and complete the finishing touches for two weddings. One in Totnes at New Walk brasserie and the Royal Seven Stars hotel, the other at St Paul de Leon (Staverton) Church and Two Bridges Hotel, Dartmoor, Devon. I didn't find time to capture many images of the flowers for either wedding, so hopefully Vicky & Andrew and Jan Carter will forward some of the professional pictures that their chosen photographer's captured of their special day.

Packard's used for Vicky & Andrew Carrols wedding at Staverton

Avalanche rose buttonholes, dressed with steelberry, waxflower and moss, with freesia and spray rose corsages and the little flower-girl's posy of spray roses and waxflower.

En-route to Staverton Church I was slightly delayed at the level crossing due to a big beast of a steam train chuff-chuffing at Staverton train station as captured in the image above. I could hardly be cross with such a beautiful scene that is a favourite in the beautiful South Hams.

After delivering all wedding flowers, Don & I drove up to Dolton, North Devon to spend an  evening with friends Glen & Simon at their beautiful country home. That evening was also a very lively one with a good old knees up at the annual Winter carnival, which we've managed to attend for the past 5 years.

Dartmoor Pony in the bracken

The following morning (Sunday) we departed early at approx. 9am to collect Blue Geranium's classical pedestals & urns from the Two Bridges hotel. We failed to sort out a suitable route before we departed Dolton and tried using the google maps on our iPhone's (hilarious I know). Two Bridges, Dartmoor was located, so we followed the direction only to discover that we were lost on Dartmoor on the outskirts of a forest and the iPhone maps saying we were at the destination. It could not have been further away from the destination if it had tried harder. Lost on Dartmoor is not something I'd recommend, especially in freezing cold weather conditions as we'd also encountered by seeing this winter's first dusting of snow across the highest peaks of the moor. The only option at this stage is to continue driving until one sees a recognisable landmark, or name of a Dartmoor village. Ashburton was the first road sign after approx 10 miles from the forest. This meant we'd driven from the north edge of the moor to the South. Two Bridges is in the middle, near Princetown. We eventually found the Two Bridges Hotel, after approx. 25 miles detour. The scenery was truly wonderful with lots of famous Dartmoor ponies, cattle and sheep scattered amongst the heather and bracken.