Radiant Ranunculus...

In life we need pioneers to go beyond the norm pushing the boundaries and creating new trends… most people play it safe and follow the crowd allowing the status quo to dictate how we conduct our lives. I appreciate that everyone has their own opinion on their particular taste, but sometimes we need to be the ones who step over the fresh hold and create new trends. At Quintessentially we provide the perfect launch pad for you to do just that…

That is why this year the hottest flower is the Ranunculus. Just saying the word should be enough already, but for those of you who don't know about this, I will bring you into the loop of the flower-world’s best kept secret... we have only just started to see this year’s early crop available for us to buy. Therefore at the moment they are limited in size and colour, but do not worry, you are now entering into a long season in which to really enjoy this amazing specimen. In about 6 weeks when we start to receive the English and Italian variety, being patriotic it hurts me to say it, but the Italian Ranunculus are of another world their beauty is stylish... this flower can't properly be described in words and a photo also doesn't do justice to the magical sense you get when you’re able to enjoy it in the comfort of your own home. To start with they last about two weeks and in that time their appearance just keeps getting better. They have a layered soft delicate petal that has an endless sense of comfort. As they open the depth continues to add a density as the petals simply spread and grow to what becomes a heavenly vision. Like a fine wine they improve with age allowing you to really be able to enjoy the charm that is Ranunculus. They come in just about every colour and look great by themselves. When the English ones arrive shortly you can buy a mixture of colours and really enjoy a rainbow effect which will add real joy to any office or home.

Only true style guru's already know about this flower, that’s why I'm letting you in on it now, so you know early on in the season, so you too can claim some of their magic. You can have them tied up with green, with berries, as part of a bouquet, or simply by themselves. Whatever your choice, contact us with your order and we will be happy to send you some of this alchemy…

Rose Revival

Roses are renowned for drooping. This tends to happen when the water hasn't been changed regularly. Air travels up the stem causing an air bubble blockage just below the head and stopping the flow of water to the flower.

Great tip!

You can now revive your roses. Take them out of the vase, cut the stems at an angle and lay the bottom of the stems into boiling water. Leave them for about 30seconds to a minute. Then transfer them straight into cold water. Leave them for a couple of minutes. Re-cut the stems and arrange in a vase with fresh water. The heads should now be upright and brought back to life. The combination of the hot and cold water shifts the air bubble and works as a shock treatment. Now you can enjoy your beautiful roses for longer!

Snowberries

Snowberries grow in North and Central America and are part of the much loved honeysuckle family.

They are at their peak in September and look gorgeous when used with any white flower but in particular delicate roses. The contrast in texture adds an extra element of interest to a design. Alternatively, the berries look stunning in a bunch on their own, tied with pretty ribbon to cover the stems. Why not add some pearl beads or pins to decorate. The pearls mimics the form of the berries and enhance the look.

The Anemone

We are just starting the Anemone season, a delicate papery flower. A favourite that comes in around 120 varieties. Some of the best examples of colours are classic purple or a vibrant cerise pink. This is a flower that looks beautiful by itself, simply choose your favourite colour and fill a fish bowl or short cylinder vase with these rich, deep, velvet looking, ''relatives of the buttercup family,'' flowers. Please be aware that their capacity for water is massive so to get the complete shelf life you should top up the vase every 2 days with fresh water. They are beautiful at every stage of flowering - from its early stages as the deep dark stems, ends with a whispering soft leaf that magically holds the intense bud.. It opens to reveal, what can only be described as the essence of nature itself. For its hypnotic velvet centre, intense blackness that is the centrepiece of this flowery dream, displaying the paper like petals abundant in colour.

As it is very early season the stems are shorter and colours less varied, but over the next few months be prepared to be spoiled with this amazing flower. Its availability will be daily here at Quintessentially ready for you to enjoy