Flower love

We got the most amazing cloony rannunculus on Saturday....just about everyone who came in the shop loved them....we have found the run of the mill rannunculus to be a bit hit and miss on quality this year, but these big beauties have been amazing with some the dutchman took home lasting over three weeks...we love them when they are big and blousey....like a ballerinas frilly tutu!!

This weeks wreath on the door.....we usually make these up each week from flowers that have just passed their best and we would not sell but are too lovely to put in the compost.....we didn't have many left overs last week so this  is just bits and bobs off the flower table that we thought would look lovely together with some  lilac which was being a bit temperamental....surprisingly it perked up no end when cut short and popped in this...

A Gold Star for anyone who can list all the stuff in this wreath!!

On the garden front, at last that biting artic wind has dropped and there is sunshine..yah!! We have just sown about 1000 seeds and put in 40 peony tubers( that's not them all ahh!!)......now heading for the showers...x

Poppies and peonies

Grogeous Red Charm peonies

Gigantic oriental poppies with flowers the size of dinner plates!

Poppy in bud

Flowers the size of dinner plates.

Very seasonal.

But absolutely gorgeous!

P is for Peony, Poppy, Perfect!

last week

 we made a vain attempt at the dreaded window photo...bunting features heavily!!

 ..a couple of shots of a corner of the shop...a bedside table originally  from Harrods..artichokes, peonies and roses in one of our little milk bottle holders....and the last few french inkwells....

I couldn't resist photographing the most amazing bearded iris that are growing outside my village church, with the morning sun shining through the petals they looked radiant... 

and on the common the grass has turned golden with buttercups!!

I hope you are enjoying this fabulous weather and do tell us what is blooming around you at the moment.

Happy Hocktide Hungerford!!

Today we dressed the window read for Tutti Day next week in Hungerford.
This is what Wikipedia says about it ....

Hungerford is the only place in the country to have continuously celebrated Hocktide or Tutti Day (the second Tuesday after Easter). Today it marks the end of the town council's financial and administrative year, but in the past it was a more general celebration associated with the town's great patron, John of Gaunt

The Town Crier summons the Commoners of the town to the Hocktide Court held at the town hall, while two florally decorated 'Tutti Men' and the 'Orange Man' visit every house with commoners' rights (almost a hundred properties), accompanied by around six Tutti Girls, drawn from the local school. Originally they collected 'head pennies' to ensure fishing and commoners grazing rights. Today, they largely collect kisses from each lady of the house.

There are certain objects which are associated with the day such as pennies, beer, oranges and flowers...so our window reflects some of those ...the oranges in the vintage planters look great and really bright from outside...and of course flowers are no problem for us!!!

Friday the Thirteenth, you may have thought, not such an auspicious day for a wedding but thirteen as always been a lucky number in our family and the sun shone on our bride to be today..creamy white callas for the brides maids....

 ...and gorgeous Majestic Red callas for the Bride.....delicious....talking of good enough to eat...

..the first Peonies of the year....the wonderfully blowsy Sarah Bernhardt........
it feels like farewell Spring ...hello Summer......