Dartmoor Flower Shed

Growing and Sewing all things Floral

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I write this in praise of the garden birds- for their joyful song, for their busy comings and goings, for the Robins who are my constant companions, for the baby birds being fed by their Mothers. And for the life they allow me to share on my little plot of land which they make a Heaven on Earth. #gardenbirds #birdsong #mygarden #mygardentoday #fabricbirds #babybirds #nestingbirds #amomentintime #inmygardentoday #my_creative_square #stylingtheseasons #vintagefabric #slowstitching #littlebirds #photography #macro #nature #spring #springbirds #ilovenature #mygardenthismonth

Delicate and fragrant and with their sweet bell-shaped flowers hanging coyly down, Lily of the Valley flowers seem to speak of love, romance and longing. Legend tells of how the first Lily of the Valley flower fell in love with a Nightingale. Every night the Nightingale would come to the garden to sing. Enchanted by the birdsong the Lily of the Valley fell deeper and deeper in love. But too shy to speak out, the Lily of the Valley hid in the shade and after a while the Nightingale grew lonely and flew away. Alone in the garden, the Lily of the Valley waited in vain for the Nightingale to return. Eventually she grew so sad that she stopped blooming. Grief stricken, she only resumed flowering again in May when her beloved Nightingale returned and her happiness was restored 🥀🥀🥀 If, like me, you wish to enjoy a bunch of these exquisite flowers which seem to have disappeared from Florist shops in recent years, then help is at hand. For Fran @ladidardyflowers who has a passion for growing Lily of the Valley, will post out the most perfect bunch of blooms for £19.50 (including delivery for mainland U.K). Mine arrived in perfect condition and were so happy to be united with the little blue glass, hand painted vase. A match made in heaven! Swipe left to see them in the little vase and DM Fran to arrange your very own special delivery. #lilyofthevalley #muguet #mayday2019 #flowersbypost #floralarrangement #amomentintime #bridal #bridalflowers #floral #flowerphotography #exceptionalstilllife #floristsofinstagram #flowergram #flowerpower #flowers #my_creative_square #inmygarden #stylingtheseasons #wildforflowers #flowergram #flowersmakemehappy #inspiredbypetals #botanicalpickmeup #still_life_gallery #still_life_nature #slowfloralstyle #justbefloral #flowersandotherstories #petalsandprops #underthefloralspell #springflowers

My name is Harry. I was found in a town in Cornwall where I was living rough and surviving by scavenging food from bin bags. I can’t remember if I once had a home, it’s all a bit of a blur to be honest. When I was taken off the streets I stayed in a foster home where I was bullied by another cat. So I stopped grooming myself and I have been a little bit quiet ever since. I had to stay in the same place as the nasty cat for over a year. You see no one wanted me because I am black and people prefer fancy patterned and striped cats. Or they think I will bring bad luck. But I really got lucky when I came to live in my forever home. I was groomed which made my coat shine and my sore gums were fixed. I lost my teeth, but it doesn’t bother me one bit, for I can still munch biscuits quicker than Daisy-Mae! And she has a full set of teeth! It’s been said about me that I ‘don’t have a bad bone in my body’. It’s also said that when I lie on someone’s knee that it is such a wonderful feeling. I now know what it feels like to be loved. I must go now because my heated cat bed has warmed up and it’s time for a little nap. It’s been lovely meeting you. Love Harry 🐾. #rescuecats #rescuecatsrule #blackcats #blackcatsofinstagram #instacats #lovecats #ilovecats #instagramcats #catlady #crazycatlady #catlover #furbabies #furbabiesofinstagram #cats #catsareangels

I understand all about the psychology of colour. But I would love to find out more about the total euphoria which I and my flower loving friends experience when we see floral shapes, colours and forms which we love. When I first saw this photo I actually felt sensation in my tummy and then my heart! In exactly the same way as I do when listening to a beautiful piece of music. Loving flowers is such a powerfully emotional experience and those of us lucky enough to know this feeling are really familiar with the euphoria which accompanies seeing a flower bloom. I call it my natural ‘high’ where no drugs are required. It surely goes to show what a healing, natural therapy gardening is and what a safer, more peaceful place the world would be if more people connected with the power of flowers. #floristsofinstagram #flowers #flowerpower #floralarrangement #amomentintime #floral_faffery #inmygarden #inmygardentoday #my_creative_square #stylingtheseasons #wildforflowers #flowergram #flowersmakemehappy #inspiredbypetals #botanicalpickmeup #still_life_gallery #slowfloralstyle #tulips #justbefloral #flowerstagram #flowersfromthefarm #petalsandprops #underthefloralspell #springflowers #myfloraldays #mymomentwithflowers #idreaminflowers #exceptionalstilllife

To all my fabulous Instagram friends, here are my Very Best Happy Easter Wishes. They are brought to you by my beautifully perfect yet imperfect vintage Bunny (he has a broken ear and has been lovingly glued back together somewhere in his life). But that endears him even more to me. For aren’t we all a little bit broken in parts and glued back together? I made natural dyes for the eggs and these rich colours, together with the Hellebores, Bunny and a little bit of hay, create a bit of Easter peace which I send lovingly to you all 💚. #floristsofinstagram #easter #easterdecorations #bunniesofinstagram #easterbunny #floralarrangement #helebores #amomentintime #floral_faffery #my_creative_square #wildforflowers #flowergram #decorations #flowersmakemehappy #goodfriday #inspiredbypetals #botanicalpickmeup #stilllifephotography #still_life_gallery #slowfloralstyle #justbefloral #petalsandprops #underthefloralspell #myfloraldays #eastereggs #naturaldyes #mymomentwithflowers #exceptionalstilllife #idreaminflowers #happyeaster

Many years ago, I used to cross Dartmoor to visit a village called Landscove, near Totnes. I made this trip of over 100 miles, there and back, for one reason only; to buy cut flowers from a roadside stall. The blooms were not arranged like mine, but were in simple bunches. But, oh! -the colours, beauty and vitality of these flowers took my breath away. I don’t know exactly what happens to flowers which are grown on an industrial scale and are then flown for miles to reach us. Is it that they lose some important part of their essence in this process? For the difference between flowers grown in real soil, in a garden, with love and those grown with the aid of technology is staggeringly different. My electrician tells me that most people just pick up flowers in a store and would not dream of travelling as I did for flowers. He’s probably right; of course he’s right. But please don’t let people accept that there is nothing better available than store bought flowers. I went back to visit the flower grower in Landscove last Summer. I had never met her despite my weekly visits. Sadly, she is very elderly now and crippled by Arthritis. Her garden is overgrown. I knocked on her door and made sure that I told her how much her flowers had meant to me. I felt sad for her looking out on a garden which was full of weeds. I couldn’t help wondering when I too might be in the very same situation, unable to tend my flowers myself. Anyway, my intention is to garden forever. And these Wallflowers are my tribute to her and to all other small scale flower farmers who care passionately about ‘real’ garden flowers. I salute you. #floristsofinstagram #countryliving #wildforflowers #cottagegardenflowers #floralarrangement #amomentintime #floral_faffery #inmygardentoday #my_creative_square #stylingtheseasons #flowergram #flowersmakemehappy #inspiredbypetals #botanicalpickmeup #still_life_gallery #slowfloralstyle #justbefloral #macro #photography #flowersandotherstories #petalsandprops #underthefloralspell #springflowers #wallflowers #myfloraldays #mymomentwithflowers #exceptionalstilllife #gillyflowers #flowerstall #roadsideflowers

Every flower order is special to me; however small or large. That someone would ask for my flowers when there are so many other very talented growers and florists around, tells me that I am doing something right. But when an order came in for the fabulously talented @gemmalofthousedesigns then I did feel a frisson of excitement! Gemma paints and creates designs which have been put into production by Anthropology for goodness sake! Here’s a girl who knows and loves every detail of every flower and then turns that love into a design which ends up in our homes. So what was I to create for a beautiful girl with flowers in her soul? Well, I wanted to make something a little wild in form, English Cottage garden in style but with a dash of bohemian for the Artist in her. It is Gemma’s Birthday today and I have heard that she loves the flowers. I have never felt so pleased 😀 ( The first photo shows the flowers without their finished velvet ribbon, the second shows it in detail). #myfloraldays #slowfloralstyle #flowersandotherstories #botanicalpickmeup #justbefloral #floralarrangement #floralarrangements #amomentintime #floral_faffery #inmygardentoday #my_creative_square #wildforflowers #flowergram #flowersmakemehappy #inspiredbypetals #myfloraldays #justbefloral #flowersandotherstories #petalsandprops #underthefloralspell #birthday #birthdaygirl #birthdayflowers #exceptionalstilllife #easter #cottagegardenflowers #mystyle #countryliving #flowergrower #florist #floristsofinstagram

I have always loved Easter. For me it is such a hopeful time; a time when its possible to start afresh. And it seems so easy to be creative now, when everything in nature is flourishing and bursting into life. I love the sensation that absolutely anything feels possible. So it’s lovely to make Easter decorations to mark this special time. Here are some details of a twig wreath with bunnies I have made. The Straw Flowers which I dried in the Summer are so sweet and refreshing on this wreath. These blooms in shades of Orange and Lemon provide the sweetest little flower Meadow for the Bunnies to play in. #easter #easterdecorations #felt #feltbunnies #easterwreath #twigwreath #strawflowers #helichrysum #driedflowers #nest #blueeggs #eastereggs #ribbonsandbows #petalsandprops #cottagegardenflowers #floralarrangement #amomentintime #floral_perfection #floral_faffery #my_creative_square #wildforflowers #stylingtheseasons #inspiredbypetals #botanicalpickmeup #slowfloralstyle #justbefloral #flowersandotherstories #underthe floralspell #myfloraldays

I love a real fire. And I absolutely love a coal fire. For the love of coal is in my blood, with many of the men in my family, going back three generations, working in the mines. My paternal Grandfather began working there in his youth, looking after the pit ponies but worked his way up to Manager. I grew up with my Maternal Grandmother (whose Father had been the Deputy Manager). We lived in a house in view of the Colliery and were warmed by her real fire where she burned the coal given to her as her widows allowance after her husband died. The coal was delivered in huge pieces, which we had to break up with a pick. The pit wives learned to be resilient and frugal; after several years of wear, winter coats were turned into rag rugs. These rugs sat in front of the Rayburn. Most of the men grew all their own vegetables. The wives, of course, grew the flowers; fragrant Lilies and Roses in the Summer, alongside a herbaceous border so spectacular with Anchusa, Phlox and Delphiniums. This is a garden which each year of my adult life I have been trying to match. I have my fire lit now and on this bitterly cold day I have chance to dream again of the new garden I will create this year. As always, it will be a tribute to all those men and women in my family who knew the meaning of hard work, but who also derived great pleasure from making things grow. #petalsandprops #mymomentwithflowers #underthefloralspell #stylingtheseasons #coal #coalminer #ragrugs #flowerstagram #flowersmakemehappy #myfloraldays #exceptionalstilllife #still_life_gallery #slowfloralstyle #justbefloral #realfire #coalfire #amomentintime #nostalgia #my_creative_square #cottagegarden #cottagegardenflowers

The cold weather meant that my Tulips were not ready for Mothering Sunday. The sunny weather since has made lots of the blooms open their petals wide, but I have never seen anything quite as stunningly beautiful as this pink Parrot Tulip! This is a flower which is proclaiming “I have lived life to the full, I am the colour of passion, love and desire, I have been painted by great Artists who have ensured that my beauty will never die”. Many of the great fabric houses have also celebrated the Tulip, so I have placed this stunning flower on a @manuelcanovasparis ‘Feria’ creation. And the background features a @manuelcanovasparis ‘Cerisy’ Toile. The colour clash is exciting and powerful. It comes to pronounce that Spring has arrived! #springflowers #easterflowers #wildforflowers #flowergram #stylingtheseasons #flowersmakemehappy #inspiredbypetals #botanicalpickmeup #still_life_gallery #slowfloralstyle #justbefloral #flowersandotherstories #petalsandprops #underthefloralspell #tulips #myfloraldays #mymomentwithflowers #idreaminflowers #exceptionalstilllife

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