While some councils are doing their best to encourage wild flowers to grow on their roadsides and verges, it seems some don’t need to make any effort at all.

Wild orchids have taken hold on a roundabout in Kendal, Cumbria of their own accord, and are not only flourishing, but spreading along the busy road network as the gusts from passing cars help spread their dust-like seeds, which number in the thousands for each plant. (more…)

The bleak economic climate and the nation’s spiralling debt has led to much publicised cuts in Government spending, forcing all of the local authorities in Britain to take steps to reduce their expenditure and save money.

In Cornwall, council gardeners have sought help from nature to prune their budgets – replacing expensive cultivated flower beds with wild flowers, and the effect is as stunning as the savings. (more…)

The ability to take high quality images of  products is important for many businesses, particularly those engaged in distance selling which need to show the customer something which can’t easily be presented in person.

Floristry probably isn’t the first profession most would associate with photographic skills, but if you sell online or need to put together a professional portfolio of your work then being able to take a decent snap is essential. (more…)

Today the tulip is one of the most popular and commonly-seen flowers in the world and is a particular favourite in the UK, where you will find them in almost every florists and in many gardens.

However, in 17th century Holland new varieties of tulips were so in demand that prices soared well above what even the rarest orchids now fetch in a bulb-buying frenzy now known as “Tulip mania”. (more…)

With the 98th RHS Chelsea Flower Show getting underway this week there are increased calls for garden designers to reverse the trend for weird and wonderful gardens and get back to basics.

To the dismay of some of the industry’s more traditional gardeners, this year’s show will see Diarmuid Gavin push the boundaries further than ever before with a Sky Garden featuring a giant pink pod raised 82ft off the ground. The garden will be an impressive 130ft by 50ft in size and be suspended by a crane. (more…)

You can never truly say you’ve made it unless you’ve had something named after you; whether it’s a street in your hometown, a star in a distant cosmos or – and this is much more special – a variety of flower.

It’s no secret that plenty of the great and good have had flowers named for them over the years. The list of roses alone which are named after famous people reads like a Who’s Who of popular human history; every famous face from Agatha Christie to William Shakespeare seems to have been honoured. (more…)

Millions of people will send their mums flowers this Mothering Sunday, but research by consumer watchdog Which? suggests that a high number of bouquets will be lucky to see out the week.

In a test of the service and product quality offered by six flower delivery companies in the UK, market leader Interflora performed worst, with its Pink Perfect Gift (£26.99 + £5.99 delivery) particularly disappointing the Which? judges.

“The bouquet looked sparse and scrappy, not like the online picture. Some of the online flowers and foliage had been substituted. After seven days, most of the bunch had died,” commented a spokesperson for the watchdog. (more…)

Chances are that if you work in the floristry industry you’ll be rushed off your feet today. Almost certainly you’ll be too busy to read this until the dust settles and the madness that is Valentine’s Day subsides.

If you’re still reeling from the rush of demand for romantic flowers, it might be of some comfort to know that florists the world over are feeling exactly the same. Despite being a Christian celebration in origin (the day being named after Saint Valentine), the growing popularity of Valentine’s Day means it is observed in countries as far-flung as India and Japan. (more…)

Have you tried some ‘Spiky Hedgehogs’ or ‘Crocodiles Tails’ recently?  You may not have heard of them termed in such a way however you will be familiar with Echinacea and Aloe Vera, as they are more commonly known. (more…)

Nature has been an inspiration for artists since time immemorial; still life artwork is frequently found on the walls of Ancient Egyptian tombs and even the earliest cave paintings drew heavily on the local flora. In more recent times some of the most revered artists have based their work around flowers in recognition of their beauty and varied forms.

Probably the most famous study of flowers from the art world is Van Gogh’s series of Sunflower paintings. Created between 1887 and 1889 and generally considered the artist’s foremost masterpieces, the Sunflower works perfectly express the colour and vibrancy of the subject. Everything from the bright, full yellows of Sunflowers in full bloom to the fading browns of wilting and wilted flowers is there to see.

Through the use of cut flowers, Van Gogh’s work shows the cycle of life & death and the stages in-between – not bad for a simple vase of flowers. (more…)