I’ve gone around in circles over what the first Daffodil Chat post should cover, put so much pressure on the subject to be PERFECT, unique, and exciting – and then I realised I was being totally ridiculous and instead decided to keep it simple and take it back to talking about flowers, and more specifically my favourite flowers.
The Sunflower – My absolute favourite flower!
I’m sure many followers of The Dancing Daffodil would assume that my favourite flower is a daffodil, hence the business name, however, that is actually untrue. Sunflowers are my absolute favourite flower, and loyal followers and customers will agree that these have almost become a staple of TDD brand.
My love for flowers started at a very young age when I would spend Sunday afternoons in the garden with my grandfather, creating and recreating pots and planters, whilst making a lot of mess – that man had some patience!! I have vivid memories of planting sunflowers, and having competitions with my brothers and cousins to see who could grow the tallest one, ironically I never did!
Fast forward a few years when I worked in a very stressful job, with teenagers and young adults in the care system – the logo of the house I worked in was a sunflower, and there was always something about it that mesmerised me. The poignancy of them following the sun throughout the day, and turning back towards the east ready for the next morning sunrise really rang true with the saying “tomorrow is a new day” which is a line I’d use regularly when supporting the children in my care.
During my time in this role I started undertaking evening classes in flower arranging as some light relief, creative mindfulness I guess….and the rest, as they say, is history!
David Austin Rose
Since becoming a florist I have come across soooo many unreal flowers; colours, scents, shapes and variations – I find it almost impossible to narrow down to just a few favourites!
A rose had to feature in my favourites, and for me, there is no better rose than a David Austin – the scent is absolutely insane, and I love the ruffles upon ruffles upon ruffles! When David Austin started his rose breeding programme over 60 years ago, he wanted to combine the charm, elegance, beautiful flower shape and disease resistance of old-fashioned shrub roses, with the flowering attributes of hybrid teas and floribundas. Today, David Austin Roses are among the most popular and most beautiful available. A garden (or wedding!) full of these outstanding roses is hard to beat for the sheer exuberance of flowers and fragrance.
Baby Blue Delphinium
Another favourite has to be baby blue Delphinium. I love the contrasting vibe that this beauty gives – a wildflower that stands tall with an almost regal feel. Delphiniums are used to symbolise joy and encouragement as well as to remember loved ones, so a perfect all-rounder with a really unusual colour.
So that’s my top three favourite blooms – three totally different but totally dreamy flowers that bring joy to my working week whenever I’m lucky enough to create with them.
I really hope you’ve enjoyed the first Daffodil Chat blog…I’m looking forward to the next one already!
Lots of flowery love, Rach xx
