Ethical blooms

Ethical blooms Ethical blooms is a cut flower farm in Somerset offering natural and wild flower styles, artisan & m
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I've been away! Nowhere sunny & warm.It's been Bleak, like a forgotten old gravestone in a dark corner of a cemetery. To...
15/03/2024

I've been away! Nowhere sunny & warm.
It's been Bleak, like a forgotten old gravestone in a dark corner of a cemetery.

Today is a good day to pop into your feed.
It's Almost 2 years since my journey into Long Covid began.

Two years of struggling to care for the flower field, of losing my joy, passion & happiness and everything being outside in nature gives me.

Imagine that, the bleak hopelessness of illness.
And then, last year, when peeling a potato would force me to my knees (I know it sounds ridiculous), I found a community. One filled with laughter & the pursuit of joy, hope & connection, acceptance & support.

And, most importantly the path back into the flower field & connection with nature. So I'm back, eternally grateful, feeling like I'm the fresh, green tips of the tulips, tentatively poking out from the darkness, slowly journeying into the light and patiently waiting to burst forth & bloom.

📷 1& 4 Mother's Day flowers
2&3 part of daily recovery, yoga with the terrierists

If you know someone with Long Covid, ME or Chronic Fatigue then mention Suzy & the Rest, Repair, Recover programme. It's a life saver.


Mothers day & websites Apologies to those who attempted to order flowers.The website decided to hide the checkout button...
02/03/2024

Mothers day & websites

Apologies to those who attempted to order flowers.

The website decided to hide the checkout button! Honestly, give me flowers over technology any day.

Thankfully my fabulous Web designer spent her Saturday morning fixing it. I definitely owe some blooms.

Any other issues or questions please do message me.

Mother's Day flowers & free delivery I'm excited to offer the first flowers of the season for Mother's Day. To supplemen...
01/03/2024

Mother's Day flowers & free delivery

I'm excited to offer the first flowers of the season for Mother's Day. To supplement these (grown in Wembdon) I have Cornish & Lincolnshire blooms.

The flowers come in two options (bunches & bouquets) in various sizes and will contain British spring flowers (Hellebores, Ranunculus, Tulips & scented Narcissus).

All wrapped in eco, brown flower sleeves, tied with twine and with a gift card. There's also an option to add a velvet ribbon for those who want an added extra touch.

I'm offering FREE DELIVERY within 4 miles of Wembdon or collection from the farm on Sat 9 or Sun 10 March. To qualify for free delivery:
• please choose collection at checkout
• complete the form with a delivery address, tips to find the property and your contact number.

There is a limited supply so if the website shows as sold out, DM me or complete the website contact form as I keep some back.

https://www.ethicalblooms.co.uk/shop

Little effort, oh hello moments & nice surprisesIts over a year since long covid decided to out stay it's welcome. Altho...
14/07/2023

Little effort, oh hello moments & nice surprises

Its over a year since long covid decided to out stay it's welcome. Although really, it was as welcome as those overcast, bitterly cold, winter days where the thought of working outside is quickly distinguished the moment I step outdoors.

It's been a year of letting the field do its own thing. Yes, there are damn thistles everywhere and the area looks messy but each day I'm amazed and grateful for the beauty I see, the flowers I cut & the joy the blooms give to others.

Now I wonder why I made my life so hectic. I'm not sure I need to intervene so much or grow so many varieties. There's certainly a life lesson there for me. Perhaps it's slow down, stop being so busy, be in the moment more than the future. Any thoughts?

📷 1. Self seeded Feverfew & Scabiosa Ochroleuca
2-5 Mixed bunch includes self seeders & perennials: Scabiosa, Poppy pods, Anetheum graveolens, Digitalis parviflora, Alliums, Nigella, Cynoglossum, Geum, Sangisorba, Cetinthe, Mint & Achillea
6. Scabiosa QIS (sown in 2021)
7. Digitalis parviflora (sown in 2021)






of joy

My simple pleasure lasted for 30 seconds before its consequences sunk in.The hens have learnt to recognise the flower fi...
24/06/2023

My simple pleasure lasted for 30 seconds before its consequences sunk in.

The hens have learnt to recognise the flower field gate latch. Before I realise I've left it open they are beside me trying to munch the sunflower seedlings as im planting. I shoo them off and they head straight for a dust bath with the Zinnia plantlings!

Lured away with a tasty courgette I shut the gate and head out, relieved the new plantlings are safe. A sudden heavy thunderstorm turns the road home into a stream. Rain at last, I wind the windows down to enjoy the smell of rain, relieved for full wster butts & a night off from watering.

And then, the oh no, oh s*** realisation this heavy rain will flatten the seedlings. Resigned to step back onto the emotional gardening rollercoaster I arrive home 10 minutes later. No rain, plants safe but the simple task of shutting the gate is forgotten.

The hens head in for their Zinnia dust bath whilst my back is turned.

📷 Just June, tied up in twine, safely waiting for its onward destination.



The sound of June:Bee's buzzing, birds chirping and me 'really, you are kidding me, urgh'!Cue singing: When your chewing...
13/06/2023

The sound of June:
Bee's buzzing, birds chirping and me 'really, you are kidding me, urgh'!

Cue singing: When your chewing on life's gristle. Don't grumble, give a whistle. And this will help things turn out for the best. Always look on the bright side of life. (Monty Python).

Sometimes fighting the good flower fight, especially in this heat, is tough. To help me win I need:
• Rain or planting Zinnia will be like trying to dig a hole in pottery.
• Rain so the Mole stops uprooting the polytunnel plants and moves back to the field
• Rain for the wildlife. Mrs Hedgehog has worked out how to stand on and open the hens feeder (caught in the act). Mr Blackbird has taken to coming into the house at breakfast tome, causing chaos as I try to shoo him away & Betsy tries to grab him.
• Ladybirds & Lacewings as the blackfly is horrendous. Even the Foxgloves are covered.
• a sense of humour as the bigger than ladybird, Lupin Aphids arrived overnight. (Groaning at I've now got to dig & chuck the Lupins).

At least the lack of rain has meant no 10pm slug patrol with a scourge of mozzies chasing me.

📷 Bouquets & Bunches from the past fortnight. Thank goodness the joy outweighs the pests.



I've just fed you!Having a co-dependent relationship with a Blackbird has its challenges. After a 5 month absence, the p...
31/05/2023

I've just fed you!
Having a co-dependent relationship with a Blackbird has its challenges.

After a 5 month absence, the patter of blackbird feet on the corrugated iron roof is joyful. (I'll add a quick recap in the comments about me & Mr B).

Being chastised (loudly) at 6am, following me around the house staring in, then berating me when I finally go outdoors is enough to succumb & fall back into old feeding patterns.

He knows his name. He thinks it's 'come on then', he knows it means food. As do the hens & the terrier (who is intolerant of flapping wings).

Up the garden path we go, me calling & my entourage in tow. But either Blackbirds learn quickly or I'm being hoodwinked. Suddenly there are 4, all expecting food, squabbling over suet. The intolerant terrier puts a stop to it, charging in, wings flapping, hens & birds scattering & some tasty suet as a reward.

Meanwhile, in the flower field the Roses are out before the Peonies, the heavy scent lures me in, where I'm finding little moments of joy outweigh the hustle and hassle of to do lists.

📷 from the field: 1. Cerinthe Honeywort 2. Just Joey 3. Belle epoque (best scented rose ever) 4 & 5 Rachel 6. Geum 7. Peony ( the only one so far) 8. Belle epoque






The merry month of MayOld familiars have returned to the morning dog walk. The Robin who is always in the popular tree s...
16/05/2023

The merry month of May

Old familiars have returned to the morning dog walk. The Robin who is always in the popular tree singing his cheerily cheer-up cheer-up cheerily cheer-up is now joined by the warblers & the lonesome Cuckoo.

The lanes have the classic & timeless May appearance with frothy cow parsley, Hawthorn blossom, wild garlic & bluebells. It's as if May is celebrating a special occasion with her best blue & white china.

In the field, those familiar flowers have arrived bringing an early Hummingbird Hawk-moth flitting around the polytunnel, enjoying the heady scent of spring.

Being outdoors, finding joy & contentment in nature makes May my favourite month.

Ingredients (all from the field): Briza media, Tellima grandiflora, Camassia, Alliums, Aquilegia, Phacelia, Cerinthe, Sweet rocket, comfrey, Virburnum opulus, cow parsley, Honeysuckle, Hazel branches.
Lots of blue, purple & white with the splash of orange Geum.





I've neglected spring.In a blink of my eye the horizon is looking vibrant & green. Beltane is here, gateway to summer & ...
02/05/2023

I've neglected spring.

In a blink of my eye the horizon is looking vibrant & green. Beltane is here, gateway to summer & the return of life, energy & fertility.

Lighter, warmer evenings have me spellbound and captivated. There's a brief moment when the setting sun illuminates the tulips so they glow like fancy lampshades.

The hedgerows are filled with birdsong, the Cuckoo has arrived & as the apple blossom opens, the insects have returned bringing the swallows for evening feasts.

The field is whirling with energy, new life & new beginnings. I'm making time to fill my days with joy & awe, to take nothing for granted and to reduce the pressure and expectations I put upon myself.

It's going to be a different flower farming year as I continue to recover so please bear with me. Flowers may be sporadic but I'm hoping connecting with life in the field will increase my energy levels and encourage me to sow some seeds.

It's lovely to be back here. Let me know what I've missed. And, for those new followers, welcome, I'm delighted you are joining me on my flower filled adventure.

📷 April in the field

A flash of red in the cherry tree, glinting in this mornings sunrise catches my eye.It takes a moment for the penny to d...
01/02/2023

A flash of red in the cherry tree, glinting in this mornings sunrise catches my eye.

It takes a moment for the penny to drop, a young woodpecker, with a bright red, glowing crown. He's almost made it through his first winter.

He joins the buzzard who has spent this week on the fence, seemingly unsuccessful in his hunt for voles. If he moved a few feet he'd realise the compost heaps are full of them.

Nature carries on regardless in the field, life interwoven with the cycle of the sun. Today we reach Imbolc, the reawakening of the earth as it turns towards warmth and longer days.

I always plan to embrace winter, use the time to plant ideas & sow seeds for the future. But my attitude is more hedgehog like, curl up somewhere warm, wait for winter to pass & flowers to arrive. So I'm all for celebrating the reawakening going on outdoors.

📷 Spring blooms: Tulips, Narcissus, Anenomes, Clematis & foliage grown here



I find myself warmly tucked under a blanket. My head popping out as if I'm a spring bulb slowly waiting, gathering energ...
20/01/2023

I find myself warmly tucked under a blanket. My head popping out as if I'm a spring bulb slowly waiting, gathering energy to surge into the cold winter air.

I'm enjoying the comfort and calm of winter. Cherishing short days, sunshine through the dirty windows, podcasts, breathwork classes, suppressing my social media need to post pressure.

Enjoying instead the subtle changes which tell me spring is on its way: bluetits checking out the nest box, fluffed up robins, no longer the only song on the bloc. The spring bulbs have a slowness to them this year. The indoor grown Narcissus are not bothered to exert any energy and be ready to flower in 2 weeks.

Perhaps, I should take that as a cue to stay under the blanket until they do.

📷 Camassia bulb today, January 2022 blooms with Narcissus Erlicheer, Heather, Virburnum tinus, Hazel catkins.


Most liked versus most deserved.I guess you get to decide.2022 and I found my place in Ranunculus growing. Big, healthy,...
30/12/2022

Most liked versus most deserved.
I guess you get to decide.

2022 and I found my place in Ranunculus growing. Big, healthy, top quality blooms, no disease, no greenfly.

They didn't get the ❤️ on the grid that 📷2 did (the most liked photo of the year).

But behind the photo is me, hardly able to stand, breathless and completely knackered from covid, pushing myself to keep going, to just get through the list.

Thoose Ranunculus remind me of the importance of health (& the wealth that comes alongside), of being kind as you never know what's going on in someone's life, of joy and gratitude. (Because im thankful to those Ranunculus for bringing joy into my life when I felt ****).

As we start our descent towards the end of 2022 I'm so grateful for your support, kindness and at times patience. I wish you a joyful & healthy 2023 with positive memories to cherish & kindness at every turn. I hope its one filled with the beauty of flowers. 💚






☆ Winter Solstice ☆ Midwinter ☆ Yule ☆Mr Blackbird returned during the cold spell. He has been illusive since summer. I ...
21/12/2022

☆ Winter Solstice ☆ Midwinter ☆ Yule ☆

Mr Blackbird returned during the cold spell. He has been illusive since summer. I thought he'd not survived the challenge of finding food for his young in extreme heat.

He arrived with the usual impatience to be fed, running up and down the corrugated garage roof to get my attention and then berating me for not having food ready. As if I should have known he was coming back home.

His survival gives me hope for me & the flowers. It's been a trying year. A year I couldn't have imagined, a year of struggle with the heat, drought & illness.

As I settle into the longest night I'm grateful for the winter, time to pause, re-energise, wrsp up warm and enjoy the great outdoors & hopefully recover my health whilst the sun starts his journey back.

I hope you have good health, festive cheer & time to pause over the coming week.


📷 Ranunculus & Hazel catkins








Winter's arrived, carried in on a blanket of fog which has got thicker as the week progressed.I'm reminded how lucky I a...
02/12/2022

Winter's arrived, carried in on a blanket of fog which has got thicker as the week progressed.

I'm reminded how lucky I am by the fledging robin who each day puffs out a few more feathers. He's favouring the Virburnum tinus, perhaps hoping to find an insect on the flowers as the other robins refuse entry on the bird feeders.

Still, it doesn't stop me expressing how cold it is, how freezing my feet and hands are, whenever I step outside.

Like the robin I've been drawn to the Virburnum this week. It's tiny flower buds stand out in the fog as they change from lime green to pink before opening to reveal white florets, brightening up the garden. Reminding me of a Christmas tree.

As it brings me joy & hope for sping, brings insects a much needed source of winter nectar, I hope it keeps the robin protected & warm.

I hope you can keep warm & enjoy some time in nature this weekend.










Showing some more love for the Chrys (golden) anthemum (flower).I've neglected the field this week. Mainly due to emptyi...
25/11/2022

Showing some more love for the Chrys (golden) anthemum (flower).

I've neglected the field this week. Mainly due to emptying bedrooms (why do i have so much stuff and yet i feel i live a simple life), and pulling up carpets ready for the new ones.

Now I just need to remind the terrierists to wipe their feet before coming in and not to zoom around the bedrooms when they are wet.

If you are looking for British seasonal flowers in November these Chrysanthemums just about sum up what's normally in bloom. They are:
○ easy to grow (mine are grown in pots)
○ easy to take cuttings from to double your plants
○ last week's in a vase
○ most smell like honey and
○ the late varieties can keep flowering to Christmas.

What's not to love about them?
What else would you like to know about them?




Navigation, chaos & adaption is the theme for the week ahead.The bed is in the lounge ready for new carpets this week. I...
20/11/2022

Navigation, chaos & adaption is the theme for the week ahead.

The bed is in the lounge ready for new carpets this week. It's contented chaos alongside nostalgia for those simple days when all that I needed was in one room.

I'm excited to spend my evenings relaxing on the bed instead of cramped on the sofa with two terriers as bookends, taking up all the space & grumbling when I move.

The polytunnel is in full autumn chaos. Some beds full of Chrysanthemums, others full of dahlia tubers drying out and the path full of crates of spring bulbs.

I'm probably going to end the week feeling as if its the polytunnel I'm living in, especially as a mouse has taken up residence indoors and out. How's your week ahead looking?




I'm getting back on the horse.Not a real one, I'm useless at riding despite being named Philippa (meaning lover of horse...
14/11/2022

I'm getting back on the horse.

Not a real one, I'm useless at riding despite being named Philippa (meaning lover of horses). I mean social media as I've been negligent.

The flower field is slowly being put to bed but I still have so many flowers which shouldn't be flowering this time of year. It's seriously worrying to see butterflies out in November!

The flowers in the photos were all picked today! Only the Chrysanthemums should be in bloom this time of year, the Astrantia and Potentilla are flowering as if its May, as are the weeds.

The hedgehogs are taking advantage of the prolonged slug invasion and I guess I'm grateful I've not got the heating on. Am I weird yo be looking forward to a crisp winters day?




Out with the old, in with the new A weekend of letting go (of the Zinnias), honouring the rot & decay (filling the compo...
31/10/2022

Out with the old, in with the new

A weekend of letting go (of the Zinnias), honouring the rot & decay (filling the compost bin), followed by rebirth & renewal (planting the sprouting Daffodils).

For me, a perfect way to honour Samhain, the gateway into winter.
Today I will embrace the darkness & light a candle for my ancestors.

It's time for me to let go of the old as we step into the new celtic year.

Wishing you a happy Halloween, a blessed Samhain, a fun festival of rememberance.



Warning! Due to the current workload the light at the end of the tunnel has been switched off. I saw this sign today. It...
26/10/2022

Warning! Due to the current workload the light at the end of the tunnel has been switched off.

I saw this sign today. It reminded me of autumn in the flower field. Lots of juggling to manage the many jobs, feeling restricted by the shorter days and this week, the sudden downpours.

But I see bright glimmers of lighter days: the Camassia bulbs breaking free from the soil with new growth, catkins on the hazel, buds forming on the wallflowers.

And with the dahlias putting on an amazing autumn display I can forget about the worst of the jobs, digging up tubers from wet clay.




Doesn't It feel like June with these warm (20 degree) October days & thundery shower?The let-on it's October, the rusty ...
21/10/2022

Doesn't It feel like June with these warm (20 degree) October days & thundery shower?

The let-on it's October, the rusty leaves leaving like confetti, the sweet summer aroma changing to damp and decay.

The dahlias continue in abundance and Queen bumbles frequent them, not ready for their winter sleep. It's time to leave the flowers to their own devices whilst I clear beds, focus on Ranunculus & Tulips and enjoy autumn.

What's your favourite thing about autumn?

📷 This week's flower bunches: Amaranthus, Chrysanthemums, dahlias, Zinnia, Phacelia, Scabiosa, lemon basil






It's a bittersweet week.October has been kind to the flowers which in turn have been kind to the pollinators which have ...
17/10/2022

It's a bittersweet week.

October has been kind to the flowers which in turn have been kind to the pollinators which have fed the spiders.

The robin and wren are very happy with this arrangement and flit around me as I plant the Wallflowers & Sweet William whilst wearing a t-shirt.

It's a bittersweet decision but I know it's time to clear the beds and prep for spring blooms. This week is the last week to order fresh flower bunches.

📷 of today's flower bunch. Amaranthus, basil, Artemisia, Zinnia, Scabiosa, Cosmos, Florists dill, Feverfew, Phacelia, Chrysanthemums and dahlias.




October dahlias Making up for their dislike for the hot summer. They make my heart sing everytime I walk in the field.I ...
15/10/2022

October dahlias

Making up for their dislike for the hot summer.
They make my heart sing everytime I walk in the field.

I can hardly walk down the path as they find any gap to expand into. They are enjoying this perfect October weather of warm days & cool nights. When they're so abundant it seems like sacrilege to dig them up for winter. Should I wait? Or, will I regret digging into sodden clay?

It's a sudden downpours type of Saturday. I daren't look at the dahlias. Rain means heavy dahlia heads and broken stems and me getting soaked trying to battle my way down the dahlia paths.

If the sudden downpours are keeping you inside do check out the stories Suzy is hosting and filling the stories with today's flower farmer posts.

Whilst there's still blooms the bunches of dahlias are available by DM.




Sometimes my thoughts spiral out of control, fuelled by anxiety or feelings of hopelessness or helplessness.Those unhelp...
10/10/2022

Sometimes my thoughts spiral out of control, fuelled by anxiety or feelings of hopelessness or helplessness.

Those unhelpful thoughts are all my own doing. It's like I've invited someone I don't like over, they've out stayed their welcome and are rude and hurtful. And, I can't get them to leave.

What I know (as a nurse and someone who has had low, negative times) is being outdoors, focusing on the flowers, listening to the birds and watching the land around me change with the seasons feeds my soul and reminds me of all which is positive.

That change of focus, even for five minutes, lets me know I'm doing ok. If your mental wellbeing isn't doing well spending time in nature or doing something which makes you happy is important.


I'm hoping if you've read this you can suggest things that give you personal wellbeing. What you say could help someone who's stuck with an unhelpful guest.


A bevy of ladies all glammed up ready for the weekend. Bunches of dahlias to brighten up your home are available viamy w...
07/10/2022

A bevy of ladies all glammed up ready for the weekend.

Bunches of dahlias to brighten up your home are available viamy website or you can message me.

Have a wonderful weekend. Have you got any plans?

Join me on a virtual evening wander around the dahlias.At the end of the day after staring at a computer the dahlias pul...
03/10/2022

Join me on a virtual evening wander around the dahlias.

At the end of the day after staring at a computer the dahlias pull me into the field.

The magical hour before sunset provides a vivid splash of colour against the darkening sky. The radiant blousey blooms seem to energise me. Either that or the cool, fresh October evenings.

If you need some energy to get you through the week imagine you are here, strolling between over grown beds amongst the enchanting dahlias.

Maybe next year I should open for evening strolls? I can guarantee it'll refresh those tired eyes.

Bunches of dahlias are available until the first frost. DM me if you fancy some vibrant joy in a vase.

I hope Monday has been kind and tireless?



It's as if someone has flicked a switch overnight from late summer to late autumn.I've been delving into the wardrobe lo...
30/09/2022

It's as if someone has flicked a switch overnight from late summer to late autumn.

I've been delving into the wardrobe looking for warm layers whilst my stomach is urging me to add my layers through its craving for soup & crumble.

The dahlias resemble older ladies in bright & cheerful headscarves soaked through with their heads bent over as they struggle to walk into the wind.

If I can muster the energy to get out from under the blanket which is warming my toes, I'll film them.

Meanwhile, here are this week's subscription flower bunches. Their rich autumn colours are perhaps the reason I can't stop thinking of fruit crumble.

Ingredients: Dahlias, Zinnia, Tithonia, Cosmos, Coreopsis, basil, Artemisia, Amaranthus, Dill, Cerinthe grasses and Feverfew.



Address

Bridgwater
TA52BB

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 1pm

Telephone

+447799268681

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