Not quite Dolly Parton.

And not for the reasons you may think.

As of next week, the shop opening hours will be slightly shorter. So kinda like Miss Parton we will be working 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday.

And still closed Sundays except for high days and holidays.

Battersea flower home

This is where the waifs and strays come to rest and recuperate.

Come my mutant amaryllis. Come my ageing, balding ferns. Come my little kalanchoe that hasn't squeezed a flower out for ages. Come one and all.

I will feed you, tend to you, give you plenty of light and fresh air. Give yourselves a wee break in my sanatorium. There will be no carrot juice, cold showers or unecessary star jumping here.

I can't promise that I won't look like Nurse Ratched in the mornings though.

Sorry about that.

Sugar and spice and all things nice.

A bouquet for a new baby girl.

Soft candy pink Sweet Avelanche roses, warm vintage pink Amnesia roses, sweet scented peach blossom, silvery grey astrantia and the featheriest pink tipped mimosa foliage.

Hatched, wrapped and dispatched.

A cup of cheer

Take one dear little blue Spode teacup and saucer.

Pop in a little pre soaked foam so that it protudes slightly.

Add foliage randomly.

Pull flower arranging face.

Add dear little flowers artistically.

Finish with a flourish. Done!

Put head on one side to admire.

Pat yourself on the back.

Coral, schmoral.

Apparently the colour du jour ( actually 2012 ) for fashion is coral and all its variations.

Soft apricots, blush pinks, vanilla yellows, brandy snap orange.

These reinventions of the wheel always make me giggle, come ON people, we are talking PEACH here aren't we? Out and out 1982 peach. Lets be brutally frank.

Its a tricky colour to pull off to unless you are 16 and buy your clothes in Topshop.

However, aforementioned colour does blend beeyootifully with dark reds, creams and the palest of nude pinks.
Or if you are brave, acid yellow. Its an American thing and they are traditionally bolder than us in their colour combining. I'm hoping for some weddings this year that are so hip it hurts, gonna embrace it. Keep an eye on us and lets see what happens.

But you will never, ever get me to wear peach lipstick or coral blusher......

Again. Ever.

Birds do it, bees do it.

There's a chubby cherub sitting on a puffy cloud somewhere sharpening his arrowheads in preperation for next month.......

Can you guess where this is going yet?

Let's just say it doesn't have to be roses, although they are rather lovely.

We will have other stuff. Scented garden roses, sweet smelling Spring flowers, exotic orchids, dreamy arrangements in vintage containers.

Oh and yes, we can deliver if the apple of your eye is stuck at stinky work during the daytime ( its a Tuesday, how boring )

So if anyone needs a subtle elbow in the ribs, send them our way. Or drop us their email address and we will send them a subtle call to action before it gets to 5pm on the day itself and they know they will be toast if they dare visit that garage forecourt.......

Very pretty in pink and Apple Chewit green.

There are many, many days in the shop when I clasp my hands together, look heavenwards and whisper a silent 'thank you'.

The day Clare and Naomi came to visit me was definately one of them.

The words 'country meadow' 'hoe down' and 'carnival' were all used. Music to my ears. Key colours - pink and Apple Chewit green. These ladies had their nuptials planned perfectly with the two most delightful senses of humour ever.

Their reception venue, Fabrica, an incredible decommissioned church in the heart of the Brighton Laines, was beautifully decorated with handmade gingham runners, a sweetie buffet to die for and handcrafted, hand stamped goody bags for each of the guests. These details take a looot of time and energy, people, a lot. Be sure to take time to appreciate the love and attention poured into these adorable handmade touches the next time you attend such a bash.

The amazing event and venue dressing specialists, Fizzysnood added their special magic of complementing pink and green tissue pom poms suspended high from side to side of the minstrels gallery.

And how lucky was I to get to provide two delicious bouquets along with a massive table centrepiece, numerous jam jar table decorations, wrist corsages and buttonholes for family? Very lucky.

Thank you ladies for letting me share your day.

Hibernation mode

I feel grumpy. Like a bear that never quite got enough sleep over the winter and has been rudely awakened. Do you feel like that or is it just me?

These should help. Delicious Spring blooms, sweet smelling and quietly unassuming.

Nuff said.

Show some luuuuurve

What better way to show your appreciation to someone that has been a star over the festive season?

Did somebody put on a spread that knocked the socks off Nigella? Not that I could ever imagine her wearing socks, even sexy ones. Or did somebody take the kids out for an afternoon's ice skating?

Show how much they are appreciated by sending a delectable seasonal bouquet or arrangement to cheer up the house now the Christmas tree and decorations have gone.

All of our bouquets are totally calorie and guilt free and there will not be a trace of tinsel, red or glitter. Promise.