Merry Christmas

Thank you to all who have supported Sandra's Flower Studio this past year.
It's been fun, hard work, laughs, a few tears but most of all wonderful to work with so many lovely brides and grooms and delivering wonderful displays for those buying gifts.

We are open today until around lunch time or when the last delivery is done and then we are taking a well earned break until the New Year. If you need flowers for any event please get in touch via email, I will be keeping an eye on them so can respond to urgent messages. Otherwise we will be back and raring to go on 3rd January.

We would like to wish all our customers an clients past present and future a very merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous new year.

Sandra's Flower Studio x

Doddington Hall civil ceremony and reception flowers

F & C wedding was at Doddington Hall in The Coach House. This is a gorgeous building with it's own sheltered garden. You can also have your ceremony in one room and reception in the other and then later on party the night away back in the first room.

The ceremony table was dressed with a flower runner across its length. Very natural in style with whispy trails of Jasmine it contained the same flowers as the bridal bouquet.

This would later be transported to the top table for the wedding breakfast.

The ceremony table and aisle

The aisle although very with modern chivari chairs you can still add pew ends. These were small hurricane vases with metal hangers tied with gorgeous satin ribbon bows filled with daisies.

For the reception the bride and groom provided me with jugs to fill with an assortment of flowers.

I am more than happy to use any jugs or vases that you want to use but please do make sure they are watertight, not everything you think should be is! I made the couple aware of this and on testing these jugs were not. Sealant was used and we were good to go. No one wants soggy tables!

The flowers were once again matching the bride's bouquet, gerbera, roses, spray roses, freesia, bouvardia, daisies and eucalyptus and Jasmine.

The coach house  table set up.

Lovely view from the table to the garden.

This was set with 6 guest tables, chairs to come in after the ceremony.

We also provided some flower decorations for the sweet table set up

table plan and welcome boards. These are a lovely way to greet your guests and start your reception theme off.

If you have booked Doddington Hall or any similar venue around Lincolnshire or want to steal this style for your own day please get in touch to book a consultation today. Dates are going fast for 2017 and 2018 diary is now open. We would love to help you achieve your flower dreams.

Sandra x

Amaryllis - Flower of the Month

Amidst all the festive decorations there is one flower which holds its place perfectly: the sparkling amaryllis. Consumers can read all about this Christmas star in the Flower Agenda at Funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk. This long-stemmed stately beauty is perfect for capturing hearts: a festive delight! 

The amaryllis’s origin
Our amaryllis originates from South and Central America and the Caribbean, and is not actually an amaryllis. What we call amaryllis is actually called Hippeastrum. This radiant flower is derived from the narcissi family and grows from a bulb. The name Hippeastrum comes from the Greek and literally means ‘knight star’, referring to the star-shaped petals. Hippeus = knight and astron = star.

The amaryllis’s colours and shapes
The amaryllis’s petals are very unusual: they look like they’re made of fabulous velvet. In terms of colour they come in white, red, yellow, pink, salmon, purple, orange and bicoloured. There are usually 4 to 6 impressive flowers on the stem. The amaryllis as a cut flower does not have any leaves, which is why it’s sometimes called ‘Naked Lady’ in America.

Care tips for customers
Help your customers to enjoy their amaryllises for a long time by giving them the following tips.
•    Select a clean vase and fill it with tap water at room temperature.
•    Add cut flower food to the water for a longer vase life.
•    Trim the stems diagonally with a clean and sharp knife or secateurs.
•    Regularly top the vase up with tap water.
•    The amaryllis’s stem is sometimes too weak to bear the weight of the flowers: a stake inserted in the stem is then the solution to keep it properly upright.
•     Amaryllises will last longer in a cool spot; do not place them in the sun or close to a source of heat.
•    Don’t place amaryllises near a fruit bowl. Fruit emits ethylene gas which will cause the flowers to age more rapidly.

Amaryllis symbolism
The amaryllis symbolises pride and enchanting beauty and represents friendship and affection. It’s the perfect flower for capturing someone’s heart so it’s a lovely gift to receive!

I have these in stock for the Christmas period as cut flowers. Please get in touch if you would like to send them as a gift for Christmas

Sandra x

Poinsettia - Care guide

Giving or receiving a Ponsettia this season? Follow this how to guide on getting the most out of this Christmas favourite.

Care guide - Temperature

Poinsettias need warmth and light and must be kept away from draughts. That means they must be kept away from fireplaces, doorways, open windows, and breezy hallways.  Poinsettias originate from Mexico, hence their sensitivity to the cold and wind.  Share this with your customers and make sure they Just keep it somewhere that has some natural daylight.  They're most happy in temperature between 15 and 20°C, so it will be completely at home in most living rooms.

Pass on the essential buying tips…

We should share the message that If the retailer hasn’t handled your poinsettia correctly, it may well not last at home.  No doubt we've all had customer explain the disasters they've had with Poinsettias - enquire a little, explain; you should never buy a poinsettia that’s been sitting next to a set of automatic doors that open every 30 seconds, because it will have been damaged by chilly winter draughts, they don't appreciate the cold blast of air, then a hot blast from air heaters!

Care guide - Watering

Poinsettias don’t like a lot of water. The plant’s root ball should neither dry out nor be drenched. Overwatering can quickly lead to waterlogging, which in turn causes the roots to rot and leaves you with a dead plant.

The easiest way to care for them is to either immerse the whole pot and root ball in water once a week in tepid water and let it drain before popping it back in the pot.  Similar to how you would a phalanenopsis orchid.  The alternative is to give it a small amount of water every few days. 

Pass on the essential buying tips…

Plants shouldn't be too light or heavy - it should be neither soaking wet nor totally dry before being bought.  Other information worth sharing is how you can spot how healthy a plant is feeling by just looking carefully at it; dense foliage and yellow-green budding flowers in between the coloured bracts are sure signs of quality. 

Safe Journey Home…

Finally, make sure poinsettias are all wrapped up to protect it from the cold on the journey home.  Don't let any Poinsettia's leave your shop without adequate protection - and explain to your clients why you insist on doing this!

I will be getting my first Poinsettias in on Tuesday, would you like one? They will be pimped up in a variety of ways - No plain boring plants here! For a gift that will last from now until the festivities, get in touch to order yours today.

Having a Christmas wedding? These gorgeous plants can be accommodated in a variety of designs

from bridal bouquets to table decorations. Mini coloured ones from white, peach, pink to red can be given as favours or group in the table centre for a different Christmas style.

Get in touch to see what we have in stock today.

Sandra x