Our Week in Photos

The hedgerow are showing off their beauty...planted cyclamen in wire baskets smell divine, and are proving to be a firm favorite with our customers.

Pale Greens, and clear french glass inkwells, perfect for a single bloom, ivy or even holly lined down the Christmas table.

New festive Aubergine bags styled ready for the beautiful florals

Perfect dreamy scented Paperwhites fill the whole shop with the smell of spring...they are early, like most flowers and plants this year.

Honesty and pale white roses make an inviting wreath.

Our window display doesn't stay around for long, most of this is now sold, everyone is preparing their homes for the season

We have a rather beautiful angel ready for our window...isn't she stunning?

The ripening berries point to it being another hard winter...I hope you all have bird tables full to the brim with food!

Another creature not quite ready for winter...Bob is happy on his chair in a nice warm house, even the lead jangling is not getting his attention!

Are you getting prepared for the season? What are your plans? Are you having a real tree?

A Christmas with a bump...but without sloe gin and pate....hows a girl to survive?

Remember Remember....

....to go and see the fireworks on the 5th of November!

Or, as it should be:

....... the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason, why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

I remember my 'first' 5th of November.

It was 2008, I (Martin, 'The Dutchman') had just came over to England 4 days earlier.

My whole life packed in a transit van.

Moving to a foreign country, moving in with the love of my life...

Best thing I've ever done!

Fireworks in November? I couldn't quite get it... Celebrating treason with fireworks?? Was it a culture difference?

Eventually I understood what is was all about, but unfortunately I hadn't had the chance to go and see the fireworks over the past few years... Until this year....

A hotdog, a massive bonfire that was basically gone in 30 minutes time (the boys must have loved their petrol...) and the best firework display I have ever seen in my life!

 Warming up...

It almost looked like a planet suddenly appeared in the sky!

(I know, I have the imagination of a little boy sometimes!)

 One of my favourites!

I thoroughly enjoyed my 'first' 5th of November!

Well done organisers in Hungerford!

And thank you very much Emma for taking me there!

'I'll remember remember.... next year's 5th of November!

Friday Flowers

Isn't the pansy the happiest flower..resilient... long-lasting and in such stunning colours..just perfect!!

Happy Birthday Us!!

 Martin and The Magpie has been open for one year

we can't believe how the time has flow

autumn has come around again

we are older and maybe a little wiser

have made new friends

forged new business contacts

sent hundreds of bouquets

designed beautiful wedding flowers

filled the shop with wonderful quirky vintage finds

again and again...

We have held courses and workshops

the photo is the bounty to play with at our Autumn Country Floral Class, watch this space for our 2012 range of workshops.

Our next course is a Vintage Planting Party which is now sold out

We have braved the bitter winter weather, when the water in the flower buckets started freezing IN the shop, brrrrr!! 

We know that flowers like it cool but that was just mad.

As well as the early summer heat...it was all about the fighting the elements at times.

 Now we are starting the run up to Christmas again. We shall be awash with fabulous ideas for your home and will even come to you and do the floral festive decorations in situ for you.( Please book early!)

Finally, just a HUGE THANK YOU for all our lovely customers and blogger friends for helping make this year be so successful, 

If you pop into the shop over this week we are holding a FREE draw to win a gift voucher for £50 to spend on flowers and plants in store before Christmas, or leave a comment and we will add your name to the draw. Good Luck!!