Sussex Grove Flowers

19/08/2024

What a joy to make this beautiful tribute for a lady who loved gardens and very special to include some from her garden, her daughter's garden and her next door neighbour's garden as well as others from 2 local growers.

24/06/2024

Summer subscription bouquet. The dahlias are finally here... not mine sadly as the slugs have minced them... but they and the sweet.peas are.locally grown... other bits and pieces from the cutting garden... just looking at these flowers makes me happy and the scent is heavenly too!

08/06/2024

On National Florists' Day ... a new one to me ... I'd like to share and celebrate the ladies I've been lucky enough to work with over the past week, very intensely, and a year more loosely, in the planning stage for the at Chichester Cathedral. Sam Ward was the team lead for the 3 installations in the South Transept (sitting in our chair of contemplation and reflection) she did a brilliant job of interpreting ideas in the brief from overall festival designer Hannah Howells (second pic in the flowery jacket) and also did a lovely calm job in directing the rest of us... Hannah , Lottie , Rebeca and Kim . We've never worked as a team before... some of us have met freelancing at weddings and Hannah H brought us together for this project. Ladies, you have all been a joy to work with!

The last 2 photos are very important to me... Mummy, I wouldn't be a florist if it weren't for you... mentor, teacher, guide, support and encourager on this floral journey of mine. I miss you so much and also feel your presence around me all the time, especially when I'm in the garden and when I'm arranging flowers. What a gift you were as a mother! I am grateful.

04/06/2024

Very excited to have created this installation to help commemorate the 80th anniversary of DDay at 2024. So grateful to all the many people who have helped me with the project.

There are so many tremendous displays in the cathedral. The 3 chapels dedicated to the armed forces all have a D Day theme. The rest of the festival is based on the story of Creation as told in the book of Genesis in the bible. I was also very lucky to work on another series of installations in the South Transept with a very talented team of florists... more on that another day.

Hannah Howells Tawny Flower Studio is the festival designer this year. I'm in awe of her creative talent, energy, good humour and positivity. I'm so grateful that she asked me to take part.

If you have the chance to go and see the festival it is a wonderful spectacle...

04/06/2024

2024 opens tomorrow. I was very honoured to take part this year and make an installation in Saint George's Chapel to commemorate the army and it's part in D-Day in 1945.

I'm indebted to for supplying willow for my frames and teaching me how to make origami peace cranes, to for loaning some very special items of her uniform used in active service which are incorporated into the bottom section of my work... representing the Normandy landings (with camouflage colours, seaweed, driftwood and shells) also for helping transcribe moving letters from the front which I found online and being a practical and intrepid help to install the piece at Chichester Cathedral, to for help with panel making, installation and keeping me going all last week with all manner of support when I was getting exhausted, to Zoe Neal who kindly put together information about Selsey's role in Day.

If you want to learn how to make dried flower panel I highly recommend who has a fabulous, practical and easy to follow online course.

Final huge thanks to Hannah Howells the amazing festival designer. She has worked so hard! She is kind, good humoured and professional. So creative and so encouraging to others. Thank you for trusting me to take this on Hannah! It turned out to have a lot of personal resonance as I discovered more of Selsey's role in D-Day ... I was glad to have the link to my town and to play my own very small part in helping to commemorate the 80th anniversary.

22/05/2024

Farewell flowers for a young lady.

It is always an honour to be asked to make a tribute for someone. A final act of love. Often when I'm making such flower arrangements, I find myself immersed in thoughts about the person who has passed away; their story, the impact of their loss on friends and family. I was very glad to know that the family were happy with these flowers. They were sourced locally and included lots of special things from the garden such as the forget me nots, aquilegia, chives, roses and foliage. While I was putting the flowers into their mossy base I heard buzzing and found I had a visiting bumblebee foraging in the flowers.

For me, it is very important to be working as sustainably as I can. I no longer use floral foam when arranging. It is a single use plastic that breaks down quickly into many microscopic pieces that can easily get into our water. Research has shown tiny water organisms with flecks of this green plastic in their gut. Many people are unaware of this pollution. Moss used in a base can be reused multiple times and eventually composted. Something to consider when ordering flowers ...

21/05/2024

Lovely subscription bouquet full of locally grown flowers... some even by me!

What makes your heart sing? I know mine does when I'm busy flowering... also happens when I'm playing my banjo... and swimming at sunrise when the sun pops up and turns the waves a colour not dissimilar to the tangerine dream geums in the bouquet!

07/04/2024

Burst of spring! It smells divine and looks so pretty... almost sad to go and deliver it. What's your favourite flower perfume? This is.pretty heady with the stocks and geranium leaves!

22/11/2023

Birthday bouquet all locally grown. A present and raffle prize from last Christmas' raffle for Saint Wilfrids Hospice. I hope the lady enjoys her flowers!

11/11/2023

Grateful to have had a commission again this year to make the peace wreath for Chichester Quakers. It's caption reads: In remembrance of the military and civilians of all nations who have been victims of war. May we all work hard for peace.

What an important message that is!

31/05/2023

A gorgeous collection of flowers used for a lovely wedding at Square Tower, Old Portsmouth on Monday. It's been a while since I've been this 'knee deep' in flowers!

01/03/2023

Finding it hard to find my mojo and post as often as I should. So enjoying tulips at the moment. Their colours and the squeaky sound they make as I work with them. Hope you enjoy this little pink moment... not sure many will see it as I expect my non posting habits will cause me to be invisible to many! Hey ho!

The lillies and spray carnations in here are just over two weeks old and tulips newly added to the arrangement.

30/09/2022

I've been quiet on here of late ... needed to take a breather. The cooler weather and abundant rain of the past few weeks has made the dahlia patch very happy indeed. I'm never totally sure about Sylvia - the bright orange pompom dahlia ... she's a bit marmite .... are you a lover or a hater? Somehow coming into Autumn I find her less brash and more like a bright jewel reminder of summer ... thoughts of the sun rising over the sea when I swim on the East of the peninsula and setting on evening swims on the West.

30/09/2022

Capturing these Autumn days in dahlias. They have been unhappy this year with the hot weather and my meanness with watering but now, for as long as the frosts hold off, they are loving life and blooming away beautifully. Hope this jewel like gift posy will be well received!

03/08/2022

August in the garden. A little posy to say thank you to a very kind friend! Full of all sorts.of lovely flowers.and scents that the garden has to offer at the moment. Would make a lovely bridesmaid's posy!

21/07/2022

10/07/2022

After all the swim stories on my feed here's a seaside inspired birthday bouquet. Statice and alstroemeria from the flower farm up the road and lots of lovely flowers, foliage and seedheads from the garden. Hope it helps you feel cool looking at it if you are in sweltering heat too! Don't envy the chaps with their Wimbledon final to play in this heat! Looking forward to a swim with my lovely school friend Diane a little later ... how can.we be 60! Where did those years go?

Dm me if you would like a summer bouquet!

09/07/2022

Enjoying the dahlias that are now starting to come thick and fast in the garden... the last of the 'snaps' from my local flower farm and new dianthus from Tawny Nursery in Birdham. They smell so sweet! Excited to be planting them in the garden!

Excuse the wonky candles .going for that Pisa vibe!

Dahlia bouquet anyone?

30/06/2022

A wreath for Andi who loved Selsey so much when he visited as a boy he wanted to come back and live here, which he did and taised his family here too. The wreath was inspired by that story and his desire to put the fun in funeral. As the piece came together it really made me think of our beach and the seaside combining garden flowers, a little foraged material from East Beach along with some beachcombed finds. I don't think there are many wreaths with crab she'll, driftwood and seaweed in them ... but they do seem to fit.

23/06/2022

The garden is so coming into its own and I'm thrilled with the new addition of Lady Gardener rose from David Austin Roses bought on my recent visit to the stunning rose gardens at . The peachy toned roses at the top are Elina and were already in the garden... it flowers well and has a little scent. The Lady Gardener is slightly brighter toned as it opens and packs a huge punch on the perfume front. Can anyone identify the little white spray rose? ... also one that was already in the garden. It has improved immeasurably since I followed the pruning advice on instagram kindly shared by David Austin Roses]

13/06/2022

A little celebration.of.summer flowers and foliage, all from the.garden except the glorious peonies which I bought in. Would make a lovely early summer wedding combination.

01/06/2022

Funeral tribute made for a sister. She loved the Royal Family, particularly Princess Diana. I grew many of the flowers and bought sweet scented stocks, pinks and statice from my local flower farm. It’s a privilege to be trusted to make these special pieces and I’m always glad to hear that they have touched mourners and brought some peace and beauty to a difficult day.

01/06/2022

Jubilee! A table-centre made as a prize for a fundraising raffle for aid to Ukraine organised by The Selsey Private Club Ltd] won by a lovely lady, Anne, who was excited to have something to decorate her house this weekend. The The Selsey Private Club Ltd] have done an amazing job raising funds with 2 events in our small town raising about £6000 so far. If anyone feels moved to donate I’ve put a link to the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) I’m glad to be part of such a caring community. Most of the flowers and foliage came from my garden, the beautiful sweet scented stocks and statice were from the local flower farm.

17/05/2022

Floral tribute made for a lovely gentleman who I’ve known since I was a young child. It was a great honour to create this for his funeral. Flowers chosen to complement the RAF flag on his coffin.

06/04/2022

Mossed Spring wreath full of lovely English flowers and foliage. It was an honour to make this and I was glad to know it brought comfort and beauty on a sad day.

27/03/2022

A lovely pink themed Mother’s Day bouquet filled with pretty tulips, gorgeous frilly ranunculus and beautiful hellebores. First shot in the studio the second in its new home. Thanks to Elaine for the photo … I love her vase and kitchen! She told me she was ‘a lucky Mummy!’

26/03/2022

In my happy place making bouquets for Mothering Sunday full of lovely English flowers and foliage. This one was a raffle prize from an event to raise money for Ukraine.

13/03/2022

A little moment with the tulips … feeling gratitude for the good things in my life. That includes lovely English flowers, fresh green foliage in my garden … but especially the calm, peace and safety of my home and the love of friends and family. What are you grateful for today?

17/02/2022

The sun’s out and it feels like Spring! Storm Dudley’s dying breaths are still in the air …. Do hope we all survive what Eunice has in store … the poor garden had a real salt battering yesterday … it’s not going to be happy to have another worse one tomorrow. Meanwhile these lovely English grown flowers going out for a birthday have filled me with good cheer.

31/01/2022

Just right for a January birthday… a swoon of gorgeous English tulips tousled with garden foliage. The tulips will continue to grow, twist and turn in the vase giving continued interest and added colour over the coming days. It’s a beauty and reminding us that Sping and brighter, longer days will soon be ours!