Wednesday 25 January 2012

Spring (Season)

The definition of 'Spring (season)' (according to Wikipedia) :

Meteorologists generally define four seasons in many climatic areas: spring, summer, autumn (or fall) and winter. These are demarcated by the values of their average temperatures on a monthly basis, with each season lasting three months. The three warmest months are by definition summer, the three coldest months are winter, and the intervening gaps are spring and autumn.

(....)

In spring, the axis of the Earth is increasing its tilt toward the Sun and the length of daylight rapidly increases for the relevant hemisphere. The hemisphere begins to warm significantly causing new plant growth to "spring forth," giving the season its name. Snow, if a normal part of winter, begins to melt, and streams swell with runoff. Frosts, if a normal part of winter, become less severe. In climates that have no snow and rare frosts, the air and ground temperature increases more rapidly. Many flowering plants bloom this time of year, in a long succession sometimes beginning even if snow is still on the ground, continuing into early summer.

Meaning:

Ice cream colours....


Lovelyness in a mug (or two!)
Gorgeous parrot tulips

Snowdrops in teapots

Hurrah for spring!!!!!!

Friday 20 January 2012

sometimes....

we just let the flowers talk.....







'...and when the earth shall claim your limbs, then you shall truly dance.'
The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran

Friday 13 January 2012

Suitcase Spring


Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!

~Thomas Blackburn~

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Special Delivery!


When a very large box arrived in the shop this morning our hearts leapt...
...We knew what secrets it held....


Beautiful Cornish Anemones...a riot of soft colours....who will be able to resist these beauties?


If only we had smell-o-vision, as these English Narcissus are the perfect scent of Spring....4 different types adorn the shop, it is hard to pick a favorite.


I think it is safe to say that if put under interrogation, all 3 of us would crack and have to admit Spring is our favorite season....

We all took flowers home today, and a perfect start to 2012 they are!

Monday 9 January 2012

Tricks of the trade

Spring is coming!
The days are getting longer, the weather is mild and all the bulbs are coming up.
Daffodils, Tulips, Crocus, Lily of the Valley, Snowdrops and many more lovely spring flowers are adorning our houses, gardens and everywhere else around us.
Including the gorgeously scented Hyacinths.
But how can you tell what colour they will be?

Let me tell you the tricks of the trade:

Option #1 - The easy way:

Look at the side of the plastic pot. It usually gives you a little picture with the Hyacinths in flower. The pot should correspond with the bulbs! It will also tell you the colour in Dutch. Now I do realise that not everyone's Dutch is as good as mine (me being a Dutchman does explain a thing or two!) so hereby the colours and the translations:

Roze = Pink
Blauw = Blue
Wit = White
Paars = Purple
Rood = Red

Sometimes, especially with single Hyacinths, the whole pot is in the colour of the Hyacinth.

The easy option

So that was the easy option. But what if the pots are lovely gift wrapped, the bulbs are planted up or for some reason there is no label or anything on the pot?

Option #2 - The 'impress your friends and family'-way:

You can determine the colour of a Hyacinths bulb by looking at the bulb itself and by looking at the green leaves:
- If the bulb is a pale brown/sandy colour, it is a white Hyacinth
- If the bulb is of a more purpley colour, it is usually either pink or blue.
- If the tips of the leaves of the Hyacinths are darker than the rest of the leaves, it's blue.
- If the tips of the leaves are lighter than the rest of the leaves, it's usually pink.


Left = blue, top = white, right = pink

As you've noticed before with the translations, Hyacinths do come as well in a more lilac-y pink and a reddish colour, but the are often sold as single Hyacinths and less common to be planted up.
But because the bulbs and the tips of their leaves are very similar to pink Hyacinths, what looks like a pink Hyacinths doesn't always need to be one! If you're not sure, just ask us/your florist!
We/they should know!

Class dismissed!!!

Your teacher for the day: Martin

Saturday 7 January 2012

Happy Weekend


We are now off to find some stables to decorate...maybe we will get to go on a lovely winters day hack as payment? 
Girls can dream right?!

Wishing you all a Fun filled weekend x

Friday 6 January 2012

Tree out, plants in!

Most people will have taken their tree and Christmas decorations down by today or will do it tonight.
It's unlucky to do it after the 12th night after Christmas!


As nice as it can be to take everything Christmassy away again, it does make home feel empty and less cosy.
Maybe some of these lovely plants can brighten up your new year and make your house feel all lovely again!




Thursday 5 January 2012

Fancy a cuppa?


We've started the year fresh.
Everything Christmas related is gone.
Changed the shop around.
Changed the window.

Time for a cuppa....

Erm.....has anyone seen the cups and saucers??


Wednesday 4 January 2012

rainbow wreath


We never feel we are quite dressed as a shop without a wreath on the door... this is today's!!
Spot the delicious muscari..mmm

Tuesday 3 January 2012

Todays star....


.....is Rosa Spray Splash Sensation...a gorgeous multi headed rose, it looks like a whole posy of loveliness on just one stem....





...mixed with the heavenly scented 'Norma Jean'.... cream and pale pink rannunculus...made this bouquet look like perfect ripple ice-cream.....yummy!!!



Today's weather was so foul that it was the very first time EVER that we had no plants outside for fear of them blowing down the high street!!...so it was  very cosy  in the shop  today!!!



..

Monday 2 January 2012

Residence for sale

*For Sale*

* Charming period property
* Three storey Irish town house
*Individually built out of wooden butter boxes
*Wallpapered and carpeted throughout
* In untouched original condition
*Looking for sympathetic new owners to cherish it.
Price : POA

Sunday 1 January 2012

New Year Morning

The festive red has been gently nudged to the back of the flower table
to make room for the pure as a  'New Year Morning' white.
A top Martin and The Magpie favorite of white parrot tulips, overblown and fragrant hyacinths in a vintage 1950's studio pottery jug.

Growing hyacinths stand ready to burst in moss and our signature stamped brown paper.
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