Planet Bloom

07/05/2024

Seeing the underside of this Orange-tip made me think how some of the most beautiful aspects of life can lie in the less obvious.
How our deepest joy often dances between big life events, cloaked in the mundane.
How the “weed” we’re quick to remove turns out to have the most exquisite little flowers.
How we can know someone for years then one day realise they’re our soul mate.
Flipping butterfly! I only popped out for some lettuce… 🫠

13/02/2024

Cumbrian - naturally grown and dried flowers for sale.
Medium = £15 (pics 1&2)
Large = £30 (pic 3)

FREE delivery within 3 miles of Cockermouth town.

20/01/2024

20/01/2024

One good thing to come from lockdown is I FINALLY learnt how to use a sewing machine! I love finding funky fabrics to personalise our home. This ‘vintage-veg’ style material makes me long for spring and even more sowing!

11/01/2024

The robin is the one
That interrupts the morn
With hurried, few, express reports
When March is scarcely on.
The robin is the one
That overflows the noon
With her cherubic quantity,
An April but begun.
The robin is the one
That speechless from her nest
Submits that home and certainty
And sanctity are best.

(The Robin by Emily Dickinson.)

14/12/2023

I make a limited number of fresh wreaths a year because, frankly, I can think of better things to do! 🫠
I enjoy the more unusual, creative ones where I have to work with what I can forage and find. This is the final one of ‘23 for me… Amen!
Merry Crimble everyone! 💙

12/12/2023

An understated woodland wreath of natural beauty for my folks - foraged from the land.
I’m from a mining town in Yorkshire. My parents are genuine, grounded, no-fuss people who know what’s really important in life. I remember a time when I told Mom that Bryan Adams might be coming over for tea and could she cook something vegan. I was proper giddy about it. She didn’t bat an eyelid at the time but said, matter of factly, “Oh, Gemma, isn’t he a bit old for you?” 🫠
This wreath is for their door and reflects the qualities in them I hope I’ve inherited.

23/11/2023

It’s that time of year again!
I made this wreath from foraged goodies (with permission, as required!)
It’s unique, easy to make (even if it does create a right ol’ mess) and really gets you in the festive spirit! Ho-ho-how about it!? 🎅🏽

16/11/2023

Scott and Emily opted for natural, free flowing, seasonal florals, most of which I grew especially for their big day (just a few miles away).


Photography 💚

13/11/2023

The delightful Emily on her and Scott’s special day.💚

19/10/2023

“High on dry!”
I love working with dried flowers - especially ones I’ve grown, cut and dried myself! This half-wreath commission is to adorn the bedroom wall of a gorgeous, cosy Cumbrian cottage. It’s a luxury holiday rental property and the owner wanted something natural and beautiful that wouldn’t need replacing for some time. Carefully dried flowers retain their colour well and are a pretty and sustainable way of bringing cheer to the home all year round!

17/10/2023

“I am (Bohemian) Spartacus!”

These dahlias are true warriors, standing proud in the face of the enemy (Jack Frost X2)!
Picked today for home and complemented by some Ammi Visnaga (also still going strong!)
We breed ‘em tough oop North. 💪🏻

16/10/2023

A lovely, sunny autumn day spent harvesting, clearing the beds and spreading manure! Good for the soul. 💚🎃👩‍🌾

08/10/2023

‘The Compost Diaries’ - coming soon!
I’m going to be documenting our composting journey with a series of ‘one-take-wonders’ (i.e some very amateur video clips of me literally talking “rubbish”!)
It will be an overview of some new methods we’re trying (such as Bokashi bins and hot composting) as well as how we’re working to improve existing composting strategies (e.g cold composting and wormeries).

We’re not super technical atm and are learning every day but we have some experience and welcome any questions!

My hope is that The Compost Diaries get more folk thinking about how they can start or further develop their own composting journey!

Stay tuned for more of this garbage, including a full breakdown and many throwaway comments. 🤦

04/10/2023

“Wabbie alert is ON!”

We’ve had some wasps sneaking into the hive which has been a worry. Because it’s a new bee colony and the weather has been so wet since we got them, they’re an easy target for hungry wasps. Wasps can decimate bee hives - eating honey stores, grubs and even bees (they cut them in half and carry the bee abdomen away to feed their young with!)
In a bid to tackle this, we…
i) Reduced the size of the access point (see pic 2 for comparison) so the bees can defend the hive more easily. (This also doubles up as a mouse excluder!)
ii) Placed a few homemade wasp traps nearby.

(NB: I do recognise the importance of wasps and we are trying to deter them.)

The next step would be to physically move the hive a few miles away but, thankfully, our tactics seem to be working and I think we’re almost out of the danger zone! I just wish the bees would form an orderly queue to get in - it brings back stressful memories of trying to get on London buses…innit! 🫠

01/10/2023

Strange happenings at the allotment today! Rogue BNS’ and the most beautiful, autumnal slug I’ve ever seen! I think it could well be an Arion Rufus: a round-back slug that can extend to 15 cm! They’re interesting creatures in that they’re omnivores and hermaphrodites. ‘They’ were so vivid amongst the greenery, I thought someone had dropped a satsuma! 🍊

01/10/2023

Never mind Dry January, it’s Dry October chez PB.
Despite still having plenty of fresh flowers in bloom, Autumn turns my attention to ‘everlasting’ arrangements. Here’s one I made earlier for our home.
The colours shown in the pic are true (no filter) - it’s all about picking flowers at their best and drying under the right conditions.
Then, by keeping them out of direct sunlight, away from radiators and by avoiding humidity (bathrooms & kitchens), they can potentially last for years!

27/09/2023

Table decorations for a September wedding. The brief was “pinks and oranges” and “I love dahlias!”
Well, they picked the right season! ‘Twas a fine Cumbrian affair with some fine Cumbrian flowers.

24/09/2023

“One man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure!” as the old saying goes, and any gardener worth their salt will tell you how decent compost is worth it’s weight in gold. Saying that, the price of a bag of shop-bought compost isn’t far off, these days!🫠

So, what better way to recycle organic waste matter than to turn it into nutrient-rich compost and give back to the garden (and the pocket!)

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been training to become a Master Composter through the charity . I already compost green waste using ‘dalek bins’, pallet bays and a wormery, but am learning so much more about different methods and their benefits as well as extending the range of waste I compost (to include fish, dairy, cooked foods, bread, etc.)
I know I sound like a loser but it’s truly fascinating! 🤩

I’ll be posting more on the various methods and benefits, troubleshooting and talking soil science as I take you with me on my composting journey! Hold tight! 🤪 This month, I’ll be expanding my army of bins and can’t wait to introduce you to Mr Bokashi and Hot Johanna! (Both as intriguing and stimulating as they sound, I promise!)

Composting can take place at any level and you don’t even need to have a garden to participate. It’s easy to do, doesn’t smell and can be so rewarding. The compost you produce is often way more nutritious than shop-bought and, unlike the latter, will be biologically active - full of microbes, worms and a whole universe of other tiny creatures!

So, whether you think I’m talking rubbish (essentially, I am) or you’re already well aware of the potential treasures of organic waste, I’d love to hear your thoughts/experiences!

21/09/2023

Dreamy wedding vibes!

This light, romantic meadow was created in late spring using the runner (in Moon).

Multiple runners alongside an aisle create a stunning and seamless statement piece which can later be repurposed at the wedding breakfast to create striking table displays! This means maximum floral impact throughout the day without breaking the bank.

19/09/2023

‘Bee Totally Tangerine.’

I’m not the only one enjoying the dahlias’ strong September game! They’re in their stride now and will be around until the first frost… whenever that may be! 😬

17/09/2023

It’s been a busy few weeks chez PB but today we are languishing in lazy Sunday vibes!

15/09/2023

Sneaky peak of today’s wedding. 💕

14/09/2023

When they’re gone, they’re gone… like Summer 😢!
Autumn’s pretty special though! I’m always ready for the next season but in the meantime, let’s eke out the zero+ temperatures 🥴 and make the most of it! 👙🍉⛱️🕶️🌻🌞

13/09/2023

This morning’s little harvest. I’ll go back for the corn on the cob later (best eaten just-picked, before the sugars turn to starch! 🌽)
I’ve grown new varieties this year and can’t wait to test them out: Amazonka pumpkins, Cheyenne, Inferno and Bird’s Eye chillies (the latter packing quite a punch!), Roma tomatoes and Pinstripe aubergines!
Avoided any gluts this year…well, almost, anybody want a cucumber?!! 🥒🥒🥒 🥒🥒🥴