You've got to love those quiet country lanes!
After a busy few weeks (standard), I took a wee trip down to the delightful countryside of rural Northumberland. In a small hamlet called Newton, just 10 minutes from Hexham, a friend was celebrating her 30th birthday with an extra special ceilidh. Newton village hall, although very charming, needed a bit of life injected, and I took it upon myself to bring the outdoors, indoors.
Rummaging through the old kitchen cupboards, some water jugs and tea cups were the perfect vessels for rustic, wild flowers to be placed.
Off I set down the country lanes, anticipating eagerly what I may find, and boy, was I not disappointed!! Hawthorn, cow parsley, snow berries, ilex berry, viburnum, elderflower berries, wild roses and a beautiful trailing purple flower all collected, although with much difficulty due to a no scissors situation. Brute force was the only answer. After winding back down to the village hall, passing a field filled with the softest looking cattle, I sat down, put on some London Grammar (favourite band of the moment) and started to fill my water jugs.
Suddenly, a door flew open and there was a dear friend with bunches of pink dahlia, picked that afternoon from her garden! This was ideal for little teacups to go on the tables to be drowned in candle light, and enjoyed by the young girls who pretended they were at a very posh tea party.
The evening went on to be a great success, and the flowers were much admired. At this time of year, the hedgerows and roadsides are filled with wondrous textural foliage and the odd bloom, so get out your shears, cover all exposed skin (those darn nettles), and get out and about, you'll be surprised what you can find.
If you do, be sure to put a photo and a wee note on our facebook page or twitter, which you'll find when searching for Narcissus Flowers.
Enjoy and go wild!
ps. the last photo is a recreation from items in the shop, so don't be disappointed when you can't find hydrangea, physalis or euphorbia, these can be quite rare
