Always learning.

As a florist, you can never know it all. You never will know it all. There are always new flower varieties, new products,  new techniques etc...etc...

I definitely don't pretend to know it all nor declare that I ever will. Do I think I am a good florist? Im ok yes, but I could be so much better. How do I become a better florist? I listen to my peers, to the people in the industry that have a passion like no other. By attending workshops and trying to things. Also by helping sweep up and clean buckets, make tea and cakes and my holding something so those top designers can work on it from another angle at events, photo shoots or even when just visiting.

I found an old photo album last week and let me tell you...some of the designs that I thought were stunning at the time...are absolutely cringe worthy! haha!! They are so bad I wont even post them for a laugh!

So here are a few designs I made whilst attending the Fusion Flowers Summer School in 2011 with Mark Pampling from Australia and then again in 2012 with Baudouin Roelants from Belgium who I met in 2011 when I assisted with the Fusion Flowers photo shoot.

This year Im looking forward to Summer School 2013 with the wonderful Greman Designer -Björn Kroner who I have met at Fusion Flowers photo shoot in 2011 and 2012 so very excited about this workshop. 

With Mark Pampling

With Mark Pampling

Bridal bouquet made with Mark Pampling 

With Baudouin Roelants

With Mark Pampling

With Mark Pampling

With Baudouin Roelants

With Baudouin Roelants.
Also delighted that this piece was featured in the article in Fusion Flowers covering the work shop.

Mark's facebook page for his flower shop in Australia. Mark's Facebook page

Baudouin's facebook page. Baudouin's page.
Fusion Flowers Magazine. Fusion Flowers.

It always good to get your teeth into something different.

It's always good to get a little break away from normality. In the shop its a lot of bouquets, arrangements, sprays etc. So when I get to have a little bit of play time I want to break away from the normal mold.

We're gong to RHS Chelsea... AGAIN! :D

Well just in case any of you didn't know yet, Amanda has qualified for RHS Chelsea Florist of the year competition again.

Back in December she travelled to Glasgow with her Mum (designated driver)  to take part in the heats even though she was still in plaster and hoppling on crutches.

This year the competitors had to make;

"Make a bridal design for a Gold medal winning Chelsea gardener to carry at her wedding ceremony."


Amanda made a modern shower bouquet, made from Japanese gold wire. Added to that were decorative beads, wooden slices and golden caps to add a different finish. Fresh materials used were helleborous, ornithogalum, Hypericum berries ( dried heads as well ) succulent petals, orange magic vanda orchids, a slection of small foliage leaves and crab apples. The handle was bound with two toned gold threads and finished of with a matching gold cap.

The judge described it as very unusual and greatly crafted.

Over 400 other florists enter the competition each year and only 16 make it to the finals. Amanda is the only Scottish contestant once again in the senior section.

Amanda now awaits to see what design they will have to make for the finals. The finals will be held in the heart of the pavilion in the show grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. 

" I am looking forward to it again this year but on a completely different level. Last time it was all new and I knew nothing about the behind the scenes. Now that I know the in's and out's though I think it will be a lot more exciting and maybe just a little bit less nerve wracking" 

Below is a picture of Amanda's qualifying piece....but the big question is, what will the brief be for the final? 

"Last time I was there was 2011, we had to make a Jockey's silk. It certainly wasn't expected as a design. So I'm not even going to try and guess to what we will have to design this time around!"

What do you call a florist with one good leg...Amanda!

As some of you may know, I used to be a competitive Highland Dancers. Travelling all over
Scotland to compete and even canada on three seperate occassions to compete at their Interprov championships. In November ( last year already! ) Elise Lyall asked some of her..lets say retired dancers to return to do a selection of choreography which we had done several years ago.

After several weeks of practice the show arrived and everyone had a fantastic first show and was raring to go for the second. The second night arrived and my first piece went as well as the first night, busting moves in our Saturday Night Fever outfits like no one had seen us move before lol! The finale however had a slightly unfortunate drama for myself....

...upon our entrance to the stage for the finale, we arrived through the middle of the hall and through the audience. What happened to me right in the middle of 400 people... my achilles tendon ruptured! OUCH! Still the show must go on etc.. so like the true professional that I am ( hehe ) I got up and hobbled up the stairs and onto the stage where I made a quick exit to stage left.

A trip to Accident and emergency resulted in my poorly peg being put into plaster for an initial 6 weeks. Then after for another 4 weeks my cast was changed weekly stretching out the tendon. Then three weeks in a walking cast.

So im now cast free but still using the crutches to get about until the muscle is built back up and with the help of a wonderful pyhsio team moving freely again.  The office chair is definitely a fantastic invention and has helped me wheel about the shop.

So it has been a very crazy 13 weeks with Christmas, christmas weddings, valentines, weddings and now heading to mothers day but fingers crossed ill be back up on my feet properly in the next couple weeks so I can get back to driving as well!

So just a big thank you to everyone for understanding that its been taking me a bit longer to get orders made, delivered etc :) As usual you've all been fab! xxx

Wedding Fayre

We're busy here at Amanda's getting prepped for this years Caithness Horizons in Thurso. On display we will have hand tied bouquets, shower bouquets and a couple of modern designs. As well as those we will have a couple of table centre designs, cake designs and lots and lots of inspiration to help you choose your wedding flowers!

So pop along and see us! All the details are on the poster below!

See you there!!
xxx