Flower grower and supplier
Local, seasonal flowers Hampshire/West Berks border
Supplying bouquets, DIY buckets, weddings and funeral flowers.
(3)
Workshops and pick your own days
Order online
By appointment only
PYO Saturday 13th July
Come and join us for PYO on Saturday the 13th July. There are lots of lovely flowers available at the moment.
Booking is essential, via the website.
£25/bucket
Refreshments are available to buy on the day
www.headleyflowergarden.co.uk
The field at the end of June. Lots of lovely flowers and busy insects.
June update
British Flower week
3rd - 9th June 2024
Next week is British flower week, an opportunity to celebrate the amazing array of flowers we can grow in this country. We have a rich heritage of growing flowers but there had been a decline in flower farming however in recent years there has been a renewed interest in British flowers, grown not flown with a smaller carbon footprint and more sustainable growing practices. I am very grateful to everyone who supports my business.
All around the field are signs of beauty and hints of the flowers that will flower over the next couple of months.
It has been a busy couple of weeks for the wedding florists I supply and the flower stall sold out this week, which was fantastic, thank you!
Most of the annuals are now planted out. I have sown a second succession of cosmos, scabious, malope and rudbeckia. If we get an early frost they won't be much good but if its late, they will be useful when the field starts to slow down in the autumn.
I, finally, planted the last of the dahlia, the ones already planted have taken quite a hammering from the slugs and snails but hopefully they will recover.
I would like to have an early morning open field and perhaps an evening session as well. This would be an opportunity to come and enjoy the field. I already offer PYO days but I envisage this a chance to enjoy the beauty of nature where it is. I personally, get such a feeling of tranquillity in the field (when I can ignore the weeds!) Would there be any interest in this as an experience, in exchange for a donation to St Michaels hospice? Please let me know your thoughts/ideas.
Flowers are available to order online (as usual), in Swan street stores in Kingsclere and from the flower stall Fridays and Saturdays.
Rebekah
One of my favourite flowers is nigella, I grow a few different varieties. They are great for boutonnieres, as well as adding an airiness to arrangements. There is so much detail on each flower. Last autumn lots of self seeded plants appeared in the polytunnel. I think the original flower was white but I now have a mix of white and blue. There is a really pretty single variety with blue veins on the back and a funny tufty one (don't think it is going to set seed sadly).
I would love to know more about plant genetics so if anyone has a suggestion for a very basic plant genetics book I would welcome a recommendation! I remember learning about Mendel's peas at school and clearly some colours as more dominant in certain varieties - for example blue in cornflowers.
I have had a busy couple of weeks supplying lots of flowers to florists for weddings and retail flowers, locally. There are lots of new varieties of flower available for picking. It's sad to say goodbye to the ranunculus (they don't like the warmth) but great to be picking peonies, stocks, campanula and lots of others.
The flower stall is now up and running every Friday and Saturday. Payment is by cash or via a QR code.
Rebekah
Flowers are available from the farm gate stall at the flower farm in Ashford Hill. Every Friday and Saturday through the growing season. Payment by cash or QR code.
The few days of sunshine have encouraged lots of growth. We will shortly be saying goodbye to ranunculus and this week I have picked the first peonies, roses and lupins.
This week we will be doing a big push to get the dahlia tubers all planted and also lots of the annuals. It looks like I will be needing a rain coat rather than suncream for the next few days but it's better for the plants, as they don't get as stressed.
These are last week's flowers. Gift bouquets can be ordered anytime - everything is cut to order, so 24 hours notice is required. Friday flowers are available .....every Friday, please order by Wednesday evening. Deliveries to Kingsclere and the surrounding villages are made on Friday. Collection can be arranged if you live further away.
Rebekah
Early May update
After the tulips finished a month earlier than last year we have had a bit of a 'May gap' at the end of April. Thankfully things are beginning to pick up again.
I'm expecting the polytunnel ranunculus to come to an end next week, they have been fantastic, the outside ones are starting to flower but look in desperate need of some sunshine.
The first dahlia tubers went in this week. I usually plant the tubers out directly rather than potting up first. The rest will have to wait until it stops raining, at least no watering is required!
We continue to sell gift bouquets - photo is of one that went out this week. Flower arranger buckets have also proved to be a hit this year. These can all be ordered through the website for collection or delivery to Kingsclere and the surrounding villages. Friday flowers, if you want a smaller bunch for yourself, or as a gift need to be ordered by Wednesday evening please.
Saturday 11th May we have a hand tie bouquet workshop, there are a few spaces remaining. Please book ASAP.
I love to chat all things flower growing so if you have any specific questions please feel free to ask away.
Rebekah
Thank you to everyone who came to our spring flower vase workshop last Friday. The weather held long enough for us to pick some extra tulips from the field and then it was down to the serious work of choosing and arranging using all the flowers already picked and waiting in the barn. Tulips, ranunculus, poppies, pennycress and broom were favourites.
The next workshop is Saturday 11th May 10-12, we will be making hand tie bouquets. Please book online if you want to attend.
Rebekah
Pull your own tulips Friday 12th 9-12, Saturday 13th 9-12
Seeing the sunlight on the tulips in the field this evening was beautiful. It also reminded me that tulips are only here for a few weeks each year and if we are going to do pull your own tulips, we better get on with it!
The standing water has gone but it remains very soft under foot. Thankfully it doesn't look like we are due much more rain until after the weekend so we will be doing PYO tulips Friday 12th 9-12 and Saturday 13th 9-12. Please wear suitable footwear as it will be a bit muddy.
No need to book. Only pay for what you pick £1/stem
Sadly there are limited parrot type tulips this year as these were the preferred diet of vermin over the winter, I estimate they ate 1,000 tulips bulbs! There are still lots of colourful singles, doubles and fringed tulips. The labels are attached to the side of the beds so you can make a list of types you would like to grow next year.
Any questions please message me.
Rebekah
Limewood Farm, Ashford Hill, RG19 8BB
Polytunnel update. Very windy today, so sound quality isn't great.
Rebekah
Well, the rain continues. I often have to irrigate the tulips to encourage them to grow - no such need this year. The field is quite heavy clay and so there are lots of puddles of water.
Outdoor grown tulips are very different to the hydroponically grown ones you buy from the supermarket. They are super fresh, much larger and they continue to grow in the vase. It is amazing to watch them develop and change.
The ranunculus are now flowering in the polytunnel and they were included in the subscriptions and friday flowers this week.
Thank you to everyone who has bought tulips already, I am still taking orders for collection/delivery over the weekend. Please book through the website or message me.
Although the tulips I've picked today are lovely and bright, the weather is definitely not!
The huge amount of rain we have had in the last 24 hours has left large puddles all over the field. Sadly it is not safe to do the PYO on Monday as it is just too slippery. Currently the weather forecast is saying rain all week so I'm not able to say whether we will be able to open next weekend but I will keep you posted.
Tulips will be available to buy through the website, farm stall on Friday and Saturday, and from Swan street stores in Kingsclere.
Rebekah
Flowers for Easter weekend.
There is a choice of a mixed bouquet (£25), lots of tulips with anemones, narcissus, poppies and hopefully the first ranunculus of the season.
There are also tulips wraps either £10 or £20.
Delivery to Kingsclere and surrounding villages on the Friday (29th), or collection from the farm in Ashford Hill either Friday or Saturday (30th, 9-12).
Orders through the website headleyflowergarden.co.uk
Please include your preference for delivery/collection and whether you prefer brights or pastels.
Seemingly overnight we have lots of tulips - literally armfuls!
If you would like some, they can be ordered through our website, purchased from the farm stand at the farm in Ashford Hill or at Swan street stores in Kingsclere.
I am currently planning on PYO tulips on Monday 1st April, I will upload further information closer to the time.
Rebekah
[email protected]" rel="ugc" target="_blank">[email protected]
Spring wreath workshop Saturday 23rd March 10-12.
Come and make a spring wreath, using willow as a base and including plants, flowers on bulbs and fresh flowers. It is completely compostable. Remove the cut flower stems when they fade and either replace or leave the plants to carry on flowering. When you have finished enjoying it on your door simply plant out the bulbs and plants or leave the wreath to do its thing in the garden.
Private workshops can be arranged, if you want to get together with a group of friends or family to do a bespoke workshop.
In other news, I have picked lots of tulips this weekend from the crates in the polytunnel. The first few tulips are flowering in the field, they are more advanced than this time last year but still a couple of weeks off being ready for PYO.
Rebekah
www.headleyflowergarden.co.uk
These are the ladybird larvae that are released today - excuse my dirty hands and nails! They help to control aphids that can become a problem in the polytunnel as aphids love the protected environment.
Rebekah
For those of you who like to see how things are going, this is the polytunnel this morning.
Mothering Sunday 10th March
Mothering Sunday is always quite early in the British flower season however because of the mild weather we have experienced so far this year we will have bulbs and flowers ready.
We have a limited number of planters (containing hyacinths, narcissus, fritillaria, muscari and viola)-£25 and Jam jars of seasonal flowers (Tulips, anemones, narcissus, muscari and seasonal foliage)-£15.
Collection from the farm in Ashford Hill (Limewood Farm RG19 8BB) on Saturday 9th (9-12) and Sunday 10th (9-12).
Available to purchase from the website
www. headleyflowergarden.co.uk
Rebekah
Despite the endless rain there is lots of growing happening on the farm.
I've spotted the first buds on the ranunculus and the tulips are budding up nicely, the first ones in the polytunnel will be ready for Mother's day in a couple of weeks. The outside ones are quite a way behind but thankfully it looks like we will still have plenty of tulips despite the persistent efforts of various pesky residents in the field!
Subscription flowers will start again in April.
We supply £25 bouquets, weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Delivered on Fridays and delivery is free to Kingsclere and the surrounding villages. The bouquets are different every week depending on what is blooming at the time.
All the flowers are grown on the farm in Ashford Hill. No air miles involved. The bouquets are wrapped in paper that can be composted.
Either order through the website or DM me. They make a great present for people who love flowers.
Rebekah
Headley flower garden
www.headleyflowergarden.co.uk
The new farm gate flower stall is now open. We currently are selling pots of narcissus. When our cut flowers start they will be available from here on a Friday and Saturday. Ordering through the website for Friday Flowers and bouquets remains the same but you will now (in season) also be able to buy flowers at the stall.
What: Currently pots of bulbs, from the start of April fresh cut flowers grown on the farm.
Where: Limewood Farm, Ashford Hill, RG19 8BB
When: Friday 9-6, Saturday 9-1
Payment method: by cash (exact payment) or through QR code (paypal or bank card)
Rebekah
The first pots of tete a tete narcissus are ready. If you would like a little bit of spring to enjoy, they are £6/pot. They can be planted out in the garden and enjoyed again next year.
Collection from the farm
DM or email [email protected]
Workshops
So after chasing round after flapping black plastic in the field today, I've retreated to the office to look at photos of lovely flowers.
It is already nearly the end of January and the days are getting longer (OK, so only slightly but....). The planting plans are well under way and the seed sowing schedule is set. I have also been sorting out the website and putting up the dates for the PYO and flower workshops.
The dates for workshops are:-
Friday 19th April Vase arrangements
Saturday 11th May Hand tie bouquets
Saturday 12th September Vase arrangements
Saturday 12th October dried flower wreaths
Sunday 13th October Autumn wreath
There is more information on the website including booking details.
All the workshops are for 2 hours, usually this will include a visit to the field and (always) refreshments.
If you would like to arrange a private workshop for friends and/or family please get in touch to discuss availability and costs.
Keep safe in these windy times.
Rebekah
www.headleyflowergarden.co.uk
Wedding flowers- Locally grown, seasonal flowers
Did you know we supply wedding flowers?
Last year was our busiest year for wedding and event flowers.
We offer a few different options:-
DIY buckets
For those who want to arrange their own flowers (or who have talented friends and family ready to help) we supply DIY buckets. The buckets contain 60-70 stems, typically 2/3 flowers and 1/3 foliage. There are two different stem lengths either bouquet (£70) or jam jar (£45). Jam jar are only available June-August. These buckets are also great for parties or other special events. Buckets can be collected 1-2 days before the event.
Bouquets, buttonholes, wedding party flowers
I love making bouquets, buttonholes and other personal flowers. These can be supplied in addition to DIY buckets/venue flowers or by themselves. Flowers are chosen to your colour scheme and selected at their best. Often the wedding couple visit to the farm the week before the wedding to look around the flower field so together we can select the flowers to be included.
Venue flowers
We supply venue flowers such as table centre arrangements, urns or churns, meadow boxes or top table arrangements to name a few.
There is more information available on the website (www.headleyflowergarden.co.uk).
Please get in touch if you would like to check our availability for 2024-25 and discuss your wedding plans further.
Rebekah
[email protected]
Photos showing what the voles have been up to over Christmas!
A quick farm update for those of you that like to know what's going on. The video is from the farm site polytunnel today. The sweet william cuttings I mention in the video had to be made as voles had eaten through the stems of 10 metres of Sweet Williams. The leaves can be lifted off like a mat, sadly I don't think most of the plants will recover. Fortunately Sweet William usually root quite easily, but this wasn't part of the plan!
Thank you to everyone who bought pots of paperwhites before Christmas. I now have more ready if you would like some of these fragrant indoor narcissus.
They are £10/pot. Collection from the farm over the next few days. They make a lovely gift or just a cheerful reminder of the joy of spring, when things are still gloomy outside.
Please DM to arrange collection.
Rebekah
I have a few pots of paperwhites for sale (£10). They are indoor flowering narcissus with an amazing fragrance.
For collection tomorrow (Saturday 23rd) from the farm.
More will be available after Christmas.
Please message me directly or via email
[email protected]
If you are looking for a Christmas present for someone who loves flowers, what about a subscription for locally grown flowers? These are a few of the flowers we grew and delivered last year.
Subscriptions are delivered to Kingsclere and the surrounding villages on Fridays. Collection from the farm is also possible, if you live outside our delivery area.
Subscriptions can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly for three months (April-June or July-Sept) or six months (April-Sept). £25/bouquet.
Gift cards, pick your own tickets or workshop places can be purchased through the website.
In season, we will also continue to deliver Friday flowers (£25) as well as gift bouquets (Wed-Sat, £35, £45, £60) and this year will have farm gate sales Friday and Saturdays for a variety of sizes of bunches/bouquets (£10-£25).
Rebekah
www.headleyflowergarden.co.uk
[email protected]
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The field at the end of June. Lots of lovely flowers and busy insects.
Polytunnel update. Very windy today, so sound quality isn't great. Rebekah
Amazed to see this icelandic poppy opening yesterday morning - it only took just over 2 minutes.
These are the ladybird larvae that are released today - excuse my dirty hands and nails! They help to control aphids that can become a problem in the polytunnel as aphids love the protected environment. Rebekah
For those of you who like to see how things are going, this is the polytunnel this morning.
A quick farm update for those of you that like to know what's going on. The video is from the farm site polytunnel today. The sweet william cuttings I mention in the video had to be made as voles had eaten through the stems of 10 metres of Sweet Williams. The leaves can be lifted off like a mat, sadly I don't think most of the plants will recover. Fortunately Sweet William usually root quite easily, but this wasn't part of the plan!
Here is a tour of one of the polytunnels on the 16th April 2023. Its not for the faint hearted - there are weeds and lots of them! It's helpful if you can identify seedlings as those weeds might actually be very useful.
This is a quick update on the other polytunnel for those of you who like to see what is going on. This was filmed on the 1st of May. The May newsletter is going out this evening. If you would like to read more about what is happening on the farm please sign up via the website to receive the newsletter. www.headleyflowergarden.co.uk
This is a video of one of the polytunnels taken today, the last day of March 2022. If you would like to visit the farm there are lots of different opportunities. Next month (23rd April) will be the first of our Flower club days so if you like the idea of visiting the farm, selecting some flowers, learning how to do a hand tie while enjoying tea and cake sign up on the website
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After growing flowers in my garden in Headley for a number of years I was given the opportunity to expand into a field in the next village. This is my first year growing on a larger scale. I offer one-0ff bouquets, subscriptions, DIY wedding buckets and provide weekly flowers to Headley community shop (on a Thursday) and have just started attending Newbury Farmers Market. I provide fresh, local, seasonal flowers, foliage and seed heads. I am happy to provide information on current flower availability by email.
