Some Proper Photos For Once

Whenever I do an event, I always intend to take a load of arty photos of the flowers before I deliver them.  The reality, of course, is  that I’ve usually been up since five and am running late so rush out the door, remembering to chuck my Argos camera in the back of the van if I’m lucky. The snaps I end up with are fine as a record for me (you can usually spot a bouquet in the distance if you know what you’re looking for) but not really the sort of thing I’d want to use to advertise my product.

So it’s always lovely when the official photographer takes pictures of my flowers. The photos below are of a gorgeous wedding I did in September and were taken by Dorset wedding photographer Courtenay Hitchcock of Courtenay Photographic, who has kindly let me use them.

This one was – somewhat obviously – taken by me!

Decisions, Decisions

It’s the end of another season and time to make some decisions.

My problem has always been focussing. No matter how much I enjoy something, the minute I see someone doing something else even vaguely interesting, I’m all “Ooh, ooh, I wanna do that! No, that! Ooh, maybe that! No THAT!”

The problem with this flower-growing malarkey is that it’s a small industry and there is no established model to follow. When I first considered doing this, I envisaged a regular stall at several different farmers’ markets and JW Blooms flower stands at local shops. Now, after two years, I’ve realised I never want to do a stall again (WAY too much work for the rewards) and worked out that flower stands in shops are just stalls with people who don’t care about the product as much as I do overseeing – or more likely neglecting – them. I’ve also really got into the floristry side of things, which is great but also opens up even more possibilities making the decision even harder.

But space, time and finances are all limited and if I am to make a real go of this I have to decide where those limited resources are best directed, cross the others off the list and then just knuckle down.

I’m looking for more land, and whether I manage to find some could be what makes the decision for me. I hope so. I could do with escaping the big decisions.  After a long, hard summer of work, the small ones  are enough for now.