5 Questions with Sarah Whiting of Nettlewood Flowers
Another week has come to an end. I am totally over home schooling and I feel like my shoulders are starting to lower knowing it is a three day weekend!
When I first came on Instagram one of the very first accounts I came across was Nettlewood Flowers. I was completely drawn into it. Not only are Sarah’s arrangements so beautiful she is also a cut flower grower. After a couple of years of enjoying her displays, I was delighted to see that she was moving down to Laughton Sussex and would start growing from there. I touched based with her at the beginning of the year, hoping to meet her in the spring, but this will have to wait for a little bit longer.
Wonderfully she agreed to take a bit of time out to answer my 5 questions. So if you have ever wanted to grow flowers sit back enjoy and get some tips from this fabulous lady.
Alicia: Sarah, firstly I love the name of your business 'Nettlewood Flowers' can you please tell our readers how you came up with the name?
Sarah: I spent a lot of time mulling over names when I set up my flower business 3 years ago. But as my cutting patch started to bloom and I needed to make a decision so that I could market and sell my flowers. Nettlewood Flowers was my husbands idea. I used to live on Nettlewood Road. I met my husband while I was living there and it’s where I first started to grow flowers just for cutting. Also I do love nettles, their wild nature, heart shaped leaves and fresh green colour, they are a sign of good soil, have healing properties and are a haven for wildlife. You can forgive them their sting!
Alicia: You have recently moved down to Sussex from Teddington, why the move and what plans have you got in terms of your cutting garden?
Sarah: We moved from Teddington to Laughton in East Sussex just before Christmas last year. We had been talking about moving down this way to be closer to family on the South coast for a while. Juggling growing flowers in our 1/4 acre garden and an allotment a couple of miles away was a challenge so we wanted more land where we could bring this all together. It’s a big project however. The house requires a complete renovation, there is an overgrown and derelict formal garden to be tackled. Alongside this we’re starting from scratch establishing a cutting and kitchen garden in our field. Things are underway and despite the current situation we’ve managed to get some of the land cleared and planted. Tulips, narcissus and hellebores went in the week we arrived, before we’d finished unpacking. I bought a lot of plants with me and have started and planted many more for the season to come. I’m also enjoying seeing what come up in the garden, we’ve had some lovely surprises like wild orchids under the apple trees and some lovely iris hidden under a patch of bramble. There are also lots of useful shrubs and flowers for cutting. I have had flowers available for sale for the last month and have been sending some up to London florists who I’ve worked with for years as well as selling some locally. It’s early days but we’re growing as much as we can and will expand our growing area if there is demand.
Alicia: Explain the importance of working with seasonal flowers and with British flowers?
Sarah: I am inspired by the seasons, by the constant change. The delight of new buds appearing, leaves unfurling and boisterous summer blooms. Then the delicate decay of autumn and the silhouettes of winter. This very much influences my floristry which is abundant, full of seasonal blooms and movement and reflective of the English gardens that I love.
Provenance and sustainability is very important to me. We are lucky in this country to have the most beautiful flowers available to us. The number of small scale British growers is increasing as people are becoming more aware of the impact of industrial scale floriculture and shipping flowers half way around the world is having. As a nation we spend round £3 billion a year on flowers and it’s great to see that an increasing proportion of this is being spent on British grown flowers.
Alicia: Do you think it is possibe to manage a cut garden and be a full time wedding florist? I have had great plans for my garden and yet there never seems the time between the school and the family to then turn my attention to the cutting garden. Is it a full time job to be a grower?
Sarah: It’s all a matter of balance I suppose and it depends what you’ve got on. Growing flowers has a cycle to it and you can plan for the peaks and troughs of activity. I’ve got better at planning over the years, although I did do two weddings last year at the same time as I needed to plant out the dahlias. It was exhausting! I knew that as I’d be setting up a new cutting patch this year that I couldn’t commit to doing as many weddings as last year, so I’ve only taken on a few. As it is everything is on hold, so I have the time to get to grips with things here. I love what I do so it doesn’t feel like a job. I’m so lucky to spend my days tending and nurturing my flowers and I can be out there from dawn until dusk and not even notice the time passing.
Alicia: If someone did want to start growing flowers in their garden can you suggest any flowers that are easy to grow and perhaps ones that are a little bit more tricky and to stay clear off until you have got more experience?
Sarah: A couple of the easiest annual flowers to grow for cutting are cosmos and calendula. They come in so many pretty varieties and really are simple. You can start them inside or directly sow them into a weed freed patch of ground. The taller varieties may need a bit of support as they grow, but they are fabulous plants as the more you cut them the more flowers they produce. Flowering shrubs like Viburnam Opulus, Lilac, Philadelphus are all pretty maintenance free once established too. If you’re just starting out I’d avoid things like ranunculus or seeds that require special conditions to germinate. The key is to grow what works in your conditions, soil type, site and the amount of time you have to tend them. With a bit of information, patience and practice anyone can grow a huge range of flowers for cutting.
Bonus Question
Alicia: We are obviously in extremely challenging times at the moment. As part of the Stay at Home and Get Creative campaign we are encouraging people to get creative as it is a source of mindfulness. What are doing in isolation to keep your creative hands busy?
Sarah: These are incredibly challenging times for us all and I am very lucky that I have a garden and flowers available to play with. We also have woodland on our doorstep which I walk in every day which has an abundance of wild flowers and beautiful views of the Sussex countryside. I’ll often spot a particular flower or branch that has a particular shape. It will stick in my head and begin to form into a design I’d like to achieve. Once created I’ll then spend way too much time moving around the house trying to find the right spot to photograph it in. But if I just want to zone out I find the repetitive tasks of weeding and planting, having my hands in the earth, very grounding and calming.
A big thank to Sarah for taking part in our series of interviews. I loved interviewing her and I am finding myself eager to get into my garden today and start digging, planting and planning. Have a glorious weekend everyone and join us next week where I will be interviewing the delightful Emma Cox.
Nettlewood Flowers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nettlewoodflowers/
Website: https://www.nettlewoodflowers.co.uk/
5 Questions with Lucy Hunter
Welcome to our ‘5 Questions with ’ a series of interviews with the countries leading floral designers, florists, growers and wholesalers. I hope these interviews will give you an insight into our industry. It is one of creativity and a great deal of hard work. From discovering new varieties of flowers, to transporting and selling at the markets, to entering the florist shops and being created into floral art. The floristry industry is bustling . So sit back, grab yourself a cup of tea and immerse yourself into the world of floristry with Flourish Sussex Flower School and some very special guests.
For my first interview I am delighted to be interviewing the lovely Lucy Hunter. Lucy’s work is full of romance, beauty, with a historical feel. Here she gave up some of her time to give us a little insight into the world of Lucy The Flower Hunter, Enjoy.
Lucy thank you so much for agreeing to kick start off our series of interviews. Please tell us about your background and how The Flower Hunter was created.
I have spent my life in a garden really and I’m always drawn to the outside whatever the seasons. After completing a fine art degree at Liverpool Uni (many moons ago) I eventually did further training as a garden designer. It was a perfect blend of the outside life, plants, trees and shrubs and creativity. Running my own business also gave me the freedom to look after my very young son at the time as I needed too. As he grew older and more independent so did the business and the jobs. My landscaping work became big on every scale and I stopped looking at the fine detail and flowers that I loved so much. I spent all my time trying to work out spreadsheets, vat returns and getting 30 landscapers on site to do what I wanted. It was at his point I felt I needed to stop or at least slow down and notice again, listen to my creativity which felt a bit lost.
My sister decided to get married and I was roped into do the flowers. That was 3 years ago. I discovered Instagram and went on a few floristry courses and started to really observe and look at flowers again.
Bringing them inside and working on a smaller scale focused my attention. I loved it. Now I do both but I’m more selective over what I take on.
I also really enjoy teaching here and abroad with other fabulous creatives, photographers and florists; encouraging guests to find their creative voice again.
Your work is like a painting. I feel like when I scroll through your Instagram page it is a fusion of early 20 century glamour and elegance, Where does your inspiration come from to create your floral designs?
Thank you.
I grew up with a Father who deals in antiques and a home filled with eccentric and beautiful objects. I’ve always loved items that have a story to tell and are noble through their authenticity rather than some mass market fake grandeur. I’m always trying to tell a story I guess.
I adore the elegance of 19th century architecture and the glamour and grace of the early 1920’s. Things weren’t made on mass so much then and objects were passed down and loved through the generations. When I think of an object I see more than just a vessel to hold water, it is very much part of the entire arrangement.
Your background is in landscape design, was it a natural progression to move into floral designing?
Yes, I think the two inform each other and both have made me look and question the other. Both consider proportion, form, texture and colour. I always loved creating show garden for the RHS as well, instant impact, a bit of theatre which is why I enjoy floral installations and a bit of ‘smoke and mirror’s as well really. I also think its important to have some understanding of the plant you are arranging with. The way it would naturally grow, how it would interrelate with the other flowers and plants around it. This all makes for a peaceful image.
When clients approach you about doing their wedding flowers, what is your creative process from the first consultation to creating their wedding flowers?
I look at their Pinterest boards. Observe their colour combinations, style preferences, consider the venue and how this can work. If we seem to be the right fit then I will send them a brief mood board and price list.
I very much view floral designing as an art form and think your style of floristry defines that. Like many artists do you ever get artistic block? If this does occur how do you go about overcoming it?
Oh goodness. Yes, all the time. I think it is so important to stay curious as an artist. It is so easy to just look at the bottom line in our businesses and become a slave to the client, vat man or Instagram. While we obviously do need to make money and pay the bills and Instagram is a really important business tool, it is also essential that we keep our creative minds active and thoughtful and really take the time to ‘stand and stare’ because that is who we are and what fuels the future of our business (and state of mind).
If I feel that I’ve hit a wall and everything I do is just not cutting it or feels pretty rubbish I tend to give myself an afternoon in my studio with flowers and photograph and just create for the sake of it, not for anyone else, just me. I take the pressure off and give myself some freedom. Walking the dogs in the mountains is good too!
Sometimes you just have to except that today is an odd day but tomorrow will be much better. Inspiration can come when you least expect it so sometimes its good to stop looking for it… it is still there, just waiting for you to see again.
I love the stories that you share with your photographs on Instagram. How did you come up with the concept for these delightful captions?
Ha ha… well my mad eccentric family and the bizarre world we live in fuels my ‘wittering’s’ each week. They just evolved, it wasn’t something I set out to do really.
Bonus Question
We can not ignore the very challenging times that we are finding ourselves in right now. As part of the 'Stay at Home and Get Creative' campaign we are promoting being creative as a source of mindfulness. I was wondering if you could share any creative activities that you find particularly calming when things seem overwhelming.
I have really enjoyed having the time to paint again over the last few weeks. It really isn’t something I’ve allowed myself to do for years (it felt like an extravagance) but just time, with my headphones on up a ladder making a mess on the wall of the studio has been very therapeutic.
We are very lucky in that we live on the side of a mountain as well so our daily exercise walking the dogs has the benefit of beautiful inspiring views.
If it all becomes far too much then I take myself off to the greenhouse, listen to the sounds of the Ocean waves on my headphones (can really recommend the app – ‘insight timer’ for this) and sow seeds individually into pots. Some are so tiny it takes every bit of concentration… especially as I’m quite blind these days. Oh.. and don’t watch too much news….!
Lucy The Flower Hunter
Website: https://www.theflowerhunter.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucytheflowerhunter/
A massive thank you to Lucy for kicking of our ‘5 Questions with’ .. Join us next week for some more very special guests.
Social Distancing at Flourish Sussex Flower School
As we progress through the Pandemic we want to address how we at Flourish Sussex Flower School are going to be carrying out social distancing at our school for the rest of 2020 to comply with government guidelines. At the school we will be holding smaller classes to ensure that two metre distance between students can be maintained.
All students will be supplied with disposable gloves, face mask and alcohol gel on their table. The tables will be sprayed with anti bacterial spray before and after the workshops.
Tape will be placed on the floor to ensure social distancing is clear.
Students will also be encouraged to bring their own water flask with them. Disposable glasses, tea cups and plates will be provided.
We hope this will help our students to feel safe in the schools environment, but we will ensure that the atmosphere in the lessons is still fun, tranquil and full of creativity.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact us directly.
If you would rather pick up all materials and do the class from your home, you can book a space and an online tutorial video will be sent to you.
Stay Home & Get Creative
We are excited to launch our free online course, Stay at Home & Get Creative. On our course page, we offer a series of talks about the fundamental skills needed in floristry such as conditioning, non floral foam methods, working with colour, photographing your work. We also have put up 27 floral demonstrations. Each one has a step by step guide, but if you would rather you can just click on the tutorial and watch how I would go about creating the display.
All the arrangements are split into three different levels; beginners, intermediate and advanced. Once you have mastered the more basic display you can work your way up.
I am a big believer in looking after your mind, especially at the moment. Floristry is a great hobby to enjoy nature, get creative and get your mind focused on something else for an hour.
We hope enjoy the tutorials. Remember to tag us in any of your creations. Stay home and get creative with Flourish Sussex!
Flourish Sussex Team Up with Marples Cakery this Mothers Day
We are thrilled to be teaming up this Mothers Day with Marples Cakery. To treat our students this Mothers Day, not only will guests get to create their very own dried flower door wreath, but they will also get to taste some very yummy cup cakes and macarons from Marples Cakery. Start drooling as a lot of yummy pictures are about to come up!
Alice is the business owner and creator of Marples Cakery. She creates cakes and yummy treats for all types of events; including weddings, birthdays, christenings, baby showers, hen dos to name but a few. The selection of scrumptious goodies range from celebratory cakes, to cookies, macarons, brownies and many more.
“When I baked my first batch of cupcakes 11 years ago I immediately fell in love with baking. As my passion for baking grew, it became my dream to own my own cake business. During my gap year, I travelled to Paris where I took courses at ‘Le Cordon Bleu’ to develop my skills and explore the world of pastry and cake further. It was later that year where my dream became a reality, when I launched Marples Cakery.”
We can’t wait to share these delightful goodies with our students at our Saturday workshop. If you would like to find out more about these divine yummy treats check out Marples Cakery website, Instragram, and Facebook page. It is a sweet tooth’s heaven.
Facebook: @marplescakery
Instagram: @MarplesCakery
