10 dopamine dressing pick-me-ups for the new season…

Read more

So I thought I’d put together a little Tulip 101 - as have had lots of questions about when and how to start - so if you’re a seasoned tulip grower feel free to skip this one!

Subscribe now

Choose Your Bulbs:
Well this year, I’ve made it easy for myself and you too: I’ve spent hours deliberating over my tulip bulb collection with Premier Seeds Direct and have not only chosen all my favourites but grouped into collections that go together. As I said in my recent instagram vid, I am planning colour blocking for the pots and my front door and stripey sensations en masse by the back door! And this Blackcurrant Parfait Collection is what I’m going to be putting in my borders.

We have had notifications to buy tulip bulbs from mid-summer, but you really don’t want to put them into the ground until this month. If you have gone in early, make sure youre storing them properly, keeping them dry so they don’t go mouldy. Some people advise to store them in the freezer but I’m really not sure - any one have any experience with this?

Leave a comment

When To Plant:
This is the month! I’d aim for mid November as we want to wait for cooler weather. Store them somewhere cool and dry - in an outdoor shed or garage perhaps. I would go ahead and plant bulbs when night temperatures drop consistently below 10°C (or when the ground feels cold to the step). Don’t do it too early before it’s properly cold as you run the risk of the soil being too damp and warm and potentially causing ‘tulip fire’ (the damaging fungal disease).

Subscribe now

How To Plant:
Once you’ve chosen your bulb colour and variety you can plan where they’ll come up. You might choose a mixture of borders and pots or one or the other. Have a think about the colours (same or tonal or a lovely mix) of the tulips and also the other flowers around them and how you want them to look.

For Pots:
I would always make sure you put plenty of gravel down first so there is adequate drainage or mix grit with your soil. The bulbs don’t want to stew in waterlogged ground or pots. Then add a layer of soil (I use peat-free where possible). Then add in your bulbs - space the bulbs about 5–8cm apart within your cluster to give them room to grow without touching. Then add some manure and perhaps some moss on top to make the pots look lovely while you’re waiting. If trying to deter squirrels, add some rose cuttings (thanks for the tip ) and then chicken wire on top.

For Garden Borders:
Same as above but no need for the gravel. Use a peat-free multi-purpose compost and think about mixing in a few handfuls of horticultural grit or perlite to help with

drainage. Dig deep, (about two to three times their own depth - roughly 20cm inches deep), to encourage them to return year after year rather than burning out; and really think about spacing. Plant in ‘drifts’ or groups: I never plant tulips in single file lines or isolated single bulbs, as it looks a bit sparse. Instead, dig a wide trench and plant them in dense clusters of 10 to 15 bulbs of the same or mixed variety.

Favourite Tulips:

Some of my favourite pot planting combinations:

My Strawberry Minuet Collection

My Green Flash Collection

And this is what I’m going to be putting in my borders, my Blackcurrant Parfait Collection.

Subscribe now

Still, no time to dwell, it’s full steam ahead until Christmas now - event flowering, wreath workshops, book tour plans and much more. It’s an exciting time of year, which is just as well as the weather makes me want to hibernate…

Lots to perk us all up in this edition - colour, craft, chats & more!

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In this week’s dispatch - 10 colour & joy fashion pick-me-ups, My Flowery Life chat with Arthur Parkinson, Clodagh’s autumn recipe from her new book, how to create sugared fruit Christmas decorations, a new podcast & more…

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Cover Girl!

I am SO excited to grace the cover of the December issue of Homes & Gardens magazine! It came out this week but here’s a sneak peak… Photographed at home with Poppy my dog, it includes lots of my festive decorating tips to make Christmas feel sparkly, abundant and fun at home in a ‘How I Host’ special feature.

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Arthur Parkinson on My Flowery Life

Thank you for those of you that joined me for my chat with the brilliant (and hilarious) this week. It was such fun to chat about chickens, hanging baskets and gardening (and a few more surprising topics!) in my video series, My Flowery Life.

You can watch the recording here.

Subscribe now

Colour, Comfort & Joy

10 dopamine dressing pick-me-ups for the new season…

Read more

You can also read all about Arthur from our 2023 interview, here.

Arthur is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Flower Yard, plus 4 other books - The Pottery Gardener, Chicken Boy: My Life with Hens, Planting a Paradise and his latest, Hen Party: A Celebration - Arthur Parkinson is well known for his love of flowers and gardens, chickens, bees and butterflies (and Absolutely Fabulous memes). But behind the author and unlikely Instagram influencer is a dedicated and knowledgeable hen keeper, a passionate animal rights activist and an unaffected family man with an authentic appeal.

Arthur also has two brilliant courses on planting with pots with Create Academy.

But you must watch the full episode to really get to know Arthur!

For more on Arthur, visit Arthur Parkinson on Substack and follow @arthurparkinson_ on Instagram

Watch all the My Flowery Life conversations with Kimberly Fleming (aka Marlston Farmgirl, Jo Thompson and Clodagh McKenna and here.

Next up we’re chatting to Jessie Randall. Stay tuned for the details to put in your diary and the link to join, and for My Flowery Life chats for your diary.

And please let me know who else you’d love to see me with chat with live on My Flowery Life…

Leave a comment

Get more from Willow Crossley in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

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1. The award for best red jumper of the season goes to….

2. A chic, cropped satin jacket to dress up winter evenings, fab with denim

3. The satin, harem trousers in midnight for when you can’t wear trackies!

4. Our new rattan everyday vase - one for you, one to gift

5. Knuckle duster in bold jewel tones to bring you out of the grey

6. The eyelash skirt - party time starts now!

Plus 6 more for our paid subscribers:

Read more

You can read all about Arthur from our 2023 interview, here.

The Sunday Times bestselling author of The Flower Yard, plus 4 other books - The Pottery Gardener, Chicken Boy: My Life with Hens, Planting a Paradise and his latest, Hen Party: A Celebration - Arthur Parkinson is well known for his love of flowers and gardens, chickens, bees and butterflies (and Absolutely Fabulous memes). But behind the author and unlikely Instagram influencer is a dedicated and knowledgeable hen keeper, a passionate animal rights activist and an unaffected family man with an authentic appeal.

Arthur also has two brilliant courses on planting with pots with Create Academy.

I can’t wait to chat with Arthur all about his flowery life…

‘MY FLOWERY LIFE’ VIDEO CHAT with Arthur Parkinson

Date: Tuesday 3rd November
Time: 9.30am (UK Time)
How: Join the link on the button below and watch on Substack via the app on your phone or with your computer browser

To Join The Chat, Click Here

You can ask questions on the chat itself on the live, or please do let me know in the comments here if there’s anything specific you’d like me to ask Arthur….

Leave a comment

And, please do feel free to share with any of your flower-loving friends who might like to join our chat too…

Share

See you tomorrow!
Willow x

For more on Arthur, visit on Substack and follow @arthurparkinson_ on Instagram

PS. for this first series, I’m opening it up to everyone, not just paid subscribers. I want you all to get a taste of The Seedling and hear from my wonderful guests.

Subscribe now

This post is public so feel free to share it.

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First Published: 27 May 2023

“I am a toddler the first time I meet a chicken“, recalls Arthur in his latest book, Chicken Boy - My Life WIth Hens. “The hen has tiny eyelashes, a strawberry-jam face and a voice of purring clucks. I sense a happy spirit of inquisitiveness and smile in fascination. From that moment on, I will always love the company of chic…

Read more

I know… November?! How? Deep breath and onwards we go.

November arrives with woodsmoke in the air, leaves gathering underfoot and fireworks in full swing. There is plenty to love in this quieter month - a chance to plant the last bulbs, bring a little of the outside in and enjoy the evenings drawing in. Though with festive plans beginning to take shape, I suspect the quiet may be short-lived…

We have 53 days until Christmas. But we can do this! There will be bonfire nights, Thanksgiving for some (I feel it should be all of us), and end-of-year parties, all before the real festivities get underway.

I’ll share my ideas on festive decorating with a botanical spin, wreath making, garlands and more in the coming weeks but for now, let’s just take a breath and enjoy November…

In this edition, I’m talking you through winter bulbs, tulip planting, share my monthly wish list, Willow Loves; introduce you to my supplement wellbeing regime, and more.

This is all for free for my non-paid subscribers. Those signed up as paid subscribers get extra Willow Loves and of course, my weekly emails, and much more. Do consider joining us - it’s a happy, flower-loving community.

Wishing you a very happy and productive month ahead.

With love,
Willow

*This is monthly free edition, but every week, I send out emails to my paid subscribers with flowery, fashion, food and wellness content - ideas to inspire, create and nurture. Plus live videos, chat and much more. I hope you will join us!

Willow Loves

What I’m loving this month… colour, texture, jewel-like embellishment. Because we can’t hibernate all month!

1. The award for best red jumper of the season goes to….

2. A chic, cropped satin jacket to dress up winter evenings, fab with denim

3. The satin harem trousers in midnight for when you can’t wear trackies!

4. Our new rattan everyday vase - one for you, one to gift

5. A knuckle duster in bold jewel tones to lift you out of the grey

6. The eyelash skirt - party time starts now!

Willow Loves… (6 more!)

(scroll to the end)

Winter Bulbs

This time of year - when the garden is becoming bare and we are starting to hunker down at home - is the perfect time to start planning and planting winter bulbs to bring botanical life indoors (and a mini science experiment too).

There are all sorts of ways to do it - from keeping things wonderfully simple with a single bulb in a glass hurricane vase, to creating something a little more elaborate; a giant bowl of bulbs covered in a mossy duvet; a party of pots with mixed bulbs; rows of paperwhites in terracotta pots - the only limitation is your imagination, so go for it!

Here is a handy reminder of when to plant and when they appear…

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A few important things to remember before you start forcing your winter bulbs:

Prepared bulbs: These have been specially treated to flower early, so they do not need the usual long cold period.

Ordinary spring bulbs: Many need a cold period of around 10–14 weeks at roughly 4–9°C. Check the variety, as requirements vary.

After chilling: Bring pots gradually into a brighter, slightly warmer room once shoots have developed and then they will begin to flower.

Paperwhites: No chilling needed. They are one of the easiest bulbs to force. You can plant them in soil or resting on gravel over water.

Amaryllis: No chilling needed. Leave the top third of the bulb above the compost or I like to keep them like specimens in old glass bell jars with just a trickle of water and no soil. These are one of my fave varieties.

Snowdrops: I’m new to forced snowdrops and excited to try Leucojum ‘Gravetye Giant’, or giant snowflakes. These pretty, nodding white flowers would normally appear in the garden in April, but specially prepared bulbs can be forced indoors to flower as early as January.

Plant several small batches two weeks apart rather than everything at once so you get a much longer succession of flowers.

Leave a comment

Tulip Time Tips

November is Tulip time! Obviously to start growing them as cut flowers not for them to flower, we can thank spring for that joy of joys…

I thought I’d put together a little Tulip 101 - as have had lots of questions about when and how to start - so if you’re a seasoned tulip grower feel free to skip this one!

Choose Your Bulbs:
Well this year, I’ve made it easy for myself and you too: I’ve spent hours deliberating over my tulip bulb collection with Premier Seeds Direct and have not only chosen all my favourites but grouped into collections that go together. As I said in my recent instagram vid, I am planning colour blocking for the pots and my front door and stripey sensations en masse by the back door! And this Blackcurrant Parfait Collection is what I’m going to be putting in my borders.

We have had notifications to buy tulip bulbs from mid-summer, but you really don’t want to put them into the ground until this month. If you have gone in early, make sure youre storing them properly, keeping them dry so they don’t go mouldy. Some people advise to store them in the freezer but I’m really not sure - any one have any experience with this?

Leave a comment

When To Plant:
This is the month! I’d aim for mid November as we want to wait for cooler weather. Store them somewhere cool and dry - in an outdoor shed or garage perhaps. I would go ahead and plant bulbs when night temperatures drop consistently below 10°C (or when the ground feels cold to the step). Don’t do it too early before it’s properly cold as you run the risk of the soil being too damp and warm and potentially causing ‘tulip fire’ (the damaging fungal disease).

How To Plant:
Once you’ve chosen your bulb colour and variety you can plan where they’ll come up. You might choose a mixture of borders and pots or one or the other. Have a think about the colours (same or tonal or a lovely mix) of the tulips and also the other flowers around them and how you want them to look.

For Pots:
I would always make sure you put plenty of gravel down first so there is adequate drainage or mix grit with your soil. The bulbs don’t want to stew in waterlogged ground or pots. Then add a layer of soil (I use peat-free where possible). Then add in your bulbs - space the bulbs about 5–8cm apart within your cluster to give them room to grow without touching. Then add some manure and perhaps some moss on top to make the pots look lovely while you’re waiting. If trying to deter squirrels, add some rose cuttings (thanks for the tip ) and then chicken wire on top.

For Garden Borders:
Same as above but no need for the gravel. Use a peat-free multi-purpose compost and think about mixing in a few handfuls of horticultural grit or perlite to help with drainage. Dig deep, (about two to three times their own depth - roughly 20cm inches deep), to encourage them to return year after year rather than burning out; and really think about spacing. Plant in ‘drifts’ or groups: I never plant tulips in single file lines or isolated single bulbs, as it looks a bit sparse. Instead, dig a wide trench and plant them in dense clusters of 10 to 15 bulbs of the same or mixed variety.

Some of my favourite pot planting combinations:

My Strawberry Minuet Collection

My Green Flash Collection

And this is what I’m going to be putting in my borders, my Blackcurrant Parfait Collection.

Subscribe now

My Flowery Life

Have you seen my new video interview series, My Flowery Life?

It is in the format of an intimate, informal chat about life through the lens of flowers and gardens, which you can join live here on Substack or watch afterwards.

Each episode, I chat with someone about their flowery life. Some of my guests may be in the flowery world, others not. But they all share a love of flowers and recall memories where flowers made them feel something. It’s a bit like Desert Island Discs but instead of music, we’re talking flowers!

You can watch a recording of all the live video chats on catch up on Substack for free here.

So far, I’ve had wonderful conversations with Kimberly Fleming the US florist turned UK flower farmer (aka ); the award-winning garden designer and rose enthusiast, ; chef, broadcaster and grower, ; and award-winning garden designer and House & Garden top 50, . You can watch all the conversations in full here.

Next up I’m chatting with Arthur Parkinson (on Tuesday! ) and Jessie Randall (very soon!).

Would love your thoughts on who I can chat with next about their flowery life - please tell me in the comments…

Leave a comment

Winter Wellness

I have been on a supplement regime since the summer and I do think it’s making a difference to my overall physical and emotional wellbeing. I am now also adding in some natural home remedies to try to keep my immunity strong and lower the risk of getting cold and flus, especially at this busy time of year.

top row: Ancient + Brave Wild Collagen Powder, Wild Nutrition Vitamin D, Wild Nutrition Lions Mane Plus, Solgar Magnesium Glycinate, Ancient + Brave True Biome Sachets,

bottom row: Berocca, Wild Nutrition Ashwagandha Plus, Ancient + Brave True Skin Alchemy Capsules, Solgar Omega 3-6-9, Ancient + Brave True Hydration Sachets.

I take the Omegas and Magnesium to help my ongoing back pain, the Ashwagandha for sleeping and stability, the Lions Mane as an ADHD medication alternative and Berocca for when sleep has been elusive!

I’m having as much Vitamin C as I can naturally every day but also supplement with this if I know I haven’t had enough.

I drink lots of water throughout the day which I know makes a difference as I feel tired and low in energy if I have a day when I skimp on this. I sometimes add in hydration sachets if I’m feeling dehydrated.

As the weather gets colder I need hot drinks to keep me warm, especially when flowering in my outdoor studio! So I rotate coffee (can only have 1 or sometimes 2 a day or I am jittery) with herbal teas to keep warm. I have returned to making hot water and lemon and sometimes add some honey and ginger. And in the evening, I love to make golden milk - recipe below taken from my book, The Wild Journal: A Year Of Nurturing Yourself Through Nature.

Golden milk, also known as turmeric milk is a delicious drink full of antioxidants and natural anti-inlamatories. The goodness and health benefits come from the turmeric or, more specifically, a compound in the turmeric, called curcumin. Curcumin is a seriously potent, natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and has been used for over 4,000 years in holistic medicine to treat many health concerns such as immune function and arthritis.

The earthy spice is bright yellow in colour. Mixed and heated together with any type of milk - I like it with coconut - and a little black pepper to activate the drink. It’s perfect for before bed as it’s thought to help with relaxation and handily it boosts the immune system while we’re sleeping.

There are lots of different recipes for this, but the one I mostly make is as follows:

• 360ml (2 cups) milk (almond, dairy, oat, coconut or any milk of your choice)

• 1 tsp grated peeled turmeric root

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• pinch of ground black pepper

• small piece of peeled fresh ginger root

• 1 tsp raw honey, to taste (optional, if you like it sweeter)

Put all the ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and slowly heat over a medium heat until it’s hot but not boiling. Pour into a mug and enjoy!

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November What’s On

What to see, visit & plan this month…

1. Join me for My Flowery Life on Substack Live with this week (Tues, 3 Nov)

2. Rivals is back - with bonfire night drama and festive season surprises! On 11 November on Disney+

3. Book tickets for Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends on now at the National Portrait Gallery until 7 February

4. Visit Painting the French Riviera at The Royal Academy until 31 January

5. Go and see The 90’s: Art & Fashion exhibition at the Tate until 14 February

6. Create Academy are having a big sale (30% off) and both my flowery courses are included amongst so many wonderful creators. Winter could be the time to curl up and learn new creative skills from the comfort of home!

7. Book skating at Glide at Battersea Power Station, opens 6 November

8. See Gillian Anderson if you can find tickets in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Soho Place until 19 December

9. Join Countryside Arts Club for events in London and West Berkshire

10. Visit the EFG Jazz Festival, 13-22 November at various venues across London
    

Where else should we go to this month, watch or book ahead for?

Leave a comment

PS. Willow Loves (6 more!)

The coat you’ll buy now and have forever, a cardigan match made for denim, vitamin C for the body, the book I’m reading etc…

Read more

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Butter grew up on a farm on the East Coast of America. Her deep appreciation of beautiful surroundings and passion for gardening runs deep in her veins: her mother, aunt and grandfather were all keen and accomplished gardeners.

Once in England (she arrived in 1988 after meeting her English husband while working At Christies in New York), Butter trained at the English Gardening School and The London College of Garden Design. Originally working for Colefax and Fowler in the world of decorative interiors, she then followed her lifelong passion into garden design and founded her own garden studio. Butter is now an award-winning designer for gardens in London and beyond.

Butter is also a mother of four and raised her children while building her garden design career.

5 take aways from my chat with Butter:

1. The towering orange flower sitting next to her she grew from seed! It’s the magical Tithonia

2. Butter prefers paperwhites over the ‘fleshy and floppy’ hyacinths

3. To deter squirrels from wrecking tulips in pots, use the climbing rose cuttings from your autumn pruning and stack them on top of the pot. So first the tulips then some smelly manure, a layer of moss, the rose cuttings and some chicken wire on top of everything

4. She uses peat free compost but has some recommendations of what to add in in to the soil mix that is also organic but helps replace the peat

5. Butter’s real name is Elisa but she’s been known as Butter since her father knicknamed her this as a baby

But you must watch the full episode to really get to know the wonderful Butter!

For more on Butter, visit www.butterwakefield.com or follow @butterwakefield on Instagram and on Substack

Watch all the My Flowery Life conversations with Kimberly Fleming (aka , and here.

Next up we’re chatting to and . Stay tuned for the details to put in your diary and the link to join.

And let me know who else you’d love to see me with chat with live on My Flowery Life…

Leave a comment

Join me for my next live video in the app.

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So, it’s time to bring out the big guns - coats, jackets, knitwear, hats and colour to add some joy when the world starts turning a little monochrome.

In this week’s dispatch - 13 smart new season buys that will see you through winter and be classic enough to pull out again this time next year…

Leave a comment

New Season Fashion

13 winter fashion staples to update and invest in now for the seasons to come. From cool trainers to wear-everywhere-jackets, chunky knits to heart-stopping boots, and easy-chic evening knitwear - all the essentials with a few stying notes…

1. The Night Time Knit

Fleur Merino Jumper

One needs a night-time-knit at all times. It’s a bit like packing a little black party dress, just in case. You never know when the opportunity arises and on the occasion you do want to drag yourself out on a winter’s evening, you need this winning winter combination of long sleeves paired with metallic sparkle! Just the ticket to elevate jeans and trainers. And stripes are essential whatever the season…

2. The Statement Shirt

Wide Placket Studded Shirt

I absolutely adore this denim tuxedo-ey shirt. Oversized, studded and a little bit cowboy. I’ll wear it like a shacket with lots of very thin merino layers underneath, a mini skirt, thick tights and my new Chelsea boots ( which are now on sale)

3. The Trainer

Chocolate pony Adidas, Red Adidas, Herringbone pink Adidas, Emerald & pink Nike.

The more colour the better; although saying that, how life enhancing are those Wales Bonner X Adidas chocolate ones?!

4. The Every Day Jean

The Mid Rise Lasso Sneak Straight-Leg Jeans

When you need an every day jean that can take you from the garden to sidelines to lunch and to dinner, this is her. Nothing fancy, just a great cut a straight leg and a great denim wash.

5. The Boot

The Incredible Boot

My winter boot collection is predominantly Penelope Chilvers. I’ve worn the same pair of navy velvet lace-up ankle boots for the past four years, but they’ve finally reached the end of their life. And I deserve the heart flutter that only a delivery of the Incredible Boot can deliver. Wear for sidelines, parties, to the slopes, everywhere this season…

6. The Sideline Coat

I have just defrosted after a couple of hours watching my smallest play rugby on a very wet sideline in Birmingham and decided I need to up my waterproof coat game. Did you see Claudia’s cropped, boxy little Barbour in this week’s Traitors? It was so good. This burgundy patchwork one with a proper hood is definitely related, if not actually it. And this one is very similar but in a different colour way. And then I love the chunky, shiny hardware on this one.

7. The Night Time Trousers

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Tune in live tomorrow (Tuesday at 09.30 UK time).

Butter grew up on a farm on the East Coast of America. Her deep appreciation of beautiful surroundings and passion for gardening is a family inheritance running deep in her veins: her mother, aunt and grandfather were all keen and accomplished gardeners, and she remembers with great fondness wandering around their beautiful gardens as a child.

Once in England, Butter trained at the English Gardening School and The London College of Garden Design. Originally working for Colefax and Fowler in the world of decorative interiors, she then followed her lifelong passion into garden design and founded her own garden studio and is now an award-winning designer for gardens in London and beyond. She has a profound love for her job and her clients and takes a tremendous amount of time and care over them both. She is also a mother of four and raised her children alongside her love of gardening from her west London home.

I can’t wait to chat with Butter all about her flowery life…

‘MY FLOWERY LIFE’ VIDEO CHAT with Butter Wakefield

Date: Tuesday 20 October
Time: 9.30am (UK Time)
How: Join the link on the button below and watch on Substack via the app on your phone or with your computer browser

To Join The Chat, Click Here

You can ask questions on the chat itself or do let me know in the comments here if there’s anything you’d like me to ask Butter….

Leave a comment

And, please do feel free to share with any of your flower-and-food-loving friends who might like to join our chat too…

Share

See you tomorrow!
Willow x

For more on Butter, visit www.butterwakefield.com or follow @butterwakefield on Instagram and on Substack

PS. for this first series, I’m opening it up to everyone, not just paid subscribers. I want you all to get a taste of The Seedling and hear from my wonderful guests.

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Share

Clodagh is, of course, the Irish cook and TV personality whose 10th cookbook and new TV series launches this month. Clodagh lives on the sustainable farm, Broadspeer, with her husband Harry Herbert here in England and as well as being a brilliant chef - is a keen gardener, grower and flower enthusiast.

We talked a lot! About flowers, food, colour, comfort and joy… gardening, dream suppers and dahlias!

Clodagh’s new TV show Clodagh: Cooking at Home is now airing on itv and itvx every Saturday at 12pm, and her new cookbook, Clodagh At Home also launches.

Visit | www.clodaghmckenna.com | @clodagh_mckenna | Clodagh McKenna Chef on YouTube

Join me for my next live video in the app.

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It was such a pleasure and joy to chat with Jo about her life long love of flowers, of her destiny to study garden design, early impressions growing up in Italy of gardens and architecture and her love of roses and romantic gardens. We could have chatted for hours!

We have lots more to come and make sure you follow Jo’s wonderful The Gardening Mind substack.

Love, Willow

x

Leave a comment

Visit | For more contact www.JoThompson-garden-design.co.uk | Follow @jothompsongarden

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Inspired by the rich colours of dahlias and to keep our spirits high as we descend into the grey, I’ve rounded up my favourite colour punch fashion of the season. Nothing is better than adding colour to your everyday to lift the mood, especially as the days get shorter and the grey descends…

Thank you for those of you that joined me for my chat with the joy-spreading this week (don’t miss her brilliant new show at midday Saturdays on ITV) and I hope you’ll join me with the wonderful garden designer next week. It such a pleasure to chat about flowers and gardens in my new series, My Flowery Life.

Leave a comment

In this week’s dispatch - Dahlia Mania, my new rattan vases (priority access!), my chat with Clodagh McKenna, Colour to Covet, The Hand Cream You Need & more...

Colour Crush

As the days get shorter and the brightness fades, it’s imperative (to me) to bring colour into the everyday. Flowers, foremost, but also in what I wear and the everyday objects at home - it’s the easiest way to inject joy for me and I layer the colour through knitwear, accessories and the rituals of home. My bright yellow bin in the kitchen is a great example of keeping spirits high through the mundane.

This week I bought a bright purple jumper and have been wearing it with my emerald green Adidas bottoms with blue stripes, bright chunky beads, lilac socks and a bright purple hat. Dopamine dressing at its absolute best.

My chat with Clodagh McKenna

This week, I hosted the joyful on My Flowery Life. We had so much fun chatting all about our shared love of food, flowers and gardens! (and dahlias!).

Join us next week for the wonderful garden designer and flower enthusiast, - next Tuesday, 20 October at 09.30.

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Let me know what you’d like me to ask Butter about?

Leave a comment

Dahlia Mania

My 3 new obsessions and all-time faves

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Thank you for those of you that joined me with my chat with Jo Thompson this week and I hope you’ll join me with Clodagh McKenna next week. It is just so much fun chatting about flowers and gardens and how are lives intertwine, in my new series, My Flowery Life. Who else would you like me to interview?

In this week’s dispatch - my new book, my chat with garden designer, Jo Thompson, London with Loeffler Randall, the dreamiest garden huts, why I’m reconsidering suits this season & a proper new hand repair rescue...

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My new book!

I have been very busy for over a year now working on my new book! This is book number five (can you believe that!?) and I’m so excited to announce the details and that it’s actually available for pre-order already! But it officially launches on the 16th of February.

It’s called Flora and is all about flowering through the seasons. Divided into the four seasons, I show how to bring the joy and beauty of simple flowers and artful arrangements into the home year-round. Being a Rizzoli book, it will take pride of place on any coffee table and I’ve spent months shooting and choosing my favourite seasonal flower imagery and creating mood boards of the seasons along with writing all about my inspiration and tips for the most beautiful seasonal flowers. And the wonderful, whimsical illustrations are by the very talented Fin Fellowes.

I hope you enjoy it! We’ll have lots of exciting celebrations around the actual launch next year so stay tuned for that…

Flower Power at Bicester

We’ve taken over the nostalgic newsstand at Bicester Village until the 16th of October. Our lovely colourful seed packaging, designed by the brilliant Natalia Bagniewska is bringing colour and joy to the Oxforshire outlet. Do check it out if you’re visiting. The postcards are so lovely and make gorgeous cards for friends this season….I will be there this morning if you happen to be around and want to come and say hello!

My chat with Jo Thompson

This week, I hosted the divine on My Flowery Life. We struggled to keep to 30 mins as it was so much fun chatting all about our shared love of flowers and gardens! You can watch it our conversation here.

Join us next week for the brilliant cook, author, gardener, broadcaster, and Ireland’s favourite, - Tuesday, 13 October at 09.30.

Let me know what you’d like me to ask her about, in her foodie, flowery life?

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A Bonni garden escape

Can you think of anything more heavenly than escaping to your every own studio at the end of the garden? Somewhere that is built completely to spec, delivered and finished within a few weeks, a turn-key walk-in fitted and furnished ‘she shed’. Where all you have to decide is pitched or flat roof, the paint colours (from 6) and any little extras, where you choose from a menu. It’s a step up from my greenhouse in that I might even want to sleep there sometimes!

Bonni are brilliant - husband and wife teem Koo and Denny Akers have created a Bonni wonderland of outbuildings from their Oxfordshire home and they’re just getting started…

What would you use yours for? Writing? Gardening? Yoga? Guest cottage? Teen retreat? Or just somewhere to simply sit and read with some crafting by the pot belly stove? Heaven!

Lovely Loeffler Randall in London!

Last night I was invited to a very spoiling dinner to celebrate the opening of the new Loeffler Randall store here in London. We are so excited they are here!

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Tune in live tomorrow (Wednesday at 09.30 UK time).

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What I’m loving this month…

1. Cosy and chic cream with a removable tasselled cape. I mean…

2. Joy in book form - A Year In The Garden by Matthew Rice

3. Supernatural superstar face oil

4. Merino wool bed socks for all day colour & comfort

5. Luminous skin liquid - on it’s own or as a hydrating primer

6. The perfect denim skirt. Just add tights (now it’s October, we can!)

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I almost feel relieved we’re here, after the madness of September and the pressure we put on ourselves to get back to work, settle into new school routines and adopt own new regimes of our own for this new year of sorts.

I have loved the September sunshine but there is something calming and comforting about sliding fully into the season. The leaves are turning, the days are shortening, the dahlia’s are hanging on, just. Autumn is here.

In this edition, we chat with the wonderful printmaker Molly Mahon who is celebrating a decade in print with her eponymous brand and studio. Molly and I share a love of colour, print and bringing joy to the home. When we had our pubs in The Cotswolds, Molly designed one of the bedrooms in her heavenly prints and it was so joyful! Her new Wanderlust collection has me wanting to redecorate at home, all over again.

I also share my fashion and beauty wishlist in Willow Loves, talk about what I’m sowing for the garden now, share my go-to smoothie which is the highlight of my autumnal mornings, and more.

I hope you find something that inspires in this edition and wishing you a very happy month ahead.

With love,
Willow

*This is monthly free edition, but every week, I send out emails to my paid subscribers with flowery, fashion, food and wellness content - ideas to inspire, create and nurture. Plus live videos, chat and much more. I hope you will join us!

PS. this is a long read so might be best to read in app/web browser (just in case it cuts off in your email).

Willow Loves!

What I’m loving this month…

1. Cosy and chic cream with a removable tasselled cape. I mean…

2. Joy in book form - A Year In The Garden by Matthew Rice

3. Supernatural superstar face oil

4. Merino wool bed socks for all day colour & comfort

5. Luminous skin liquid - on it’s own or as a hydrating primer

6. The perfect denim skirt. Just add tights (now it’s October, we can!)

Willow Loves… (6 more!)

(scroll to the end for our paid subscribers)

What I’m sowing now

I’ve spoken before about how I’m starting to sow earlier this year. Partly it’s me getting organised and planning my garden for next year and partly it’s this strange weather we’re having, I'm experimenting! And partly - ok, quite a lot, to do with the fact that I now have a greenhouse and find every excuse to be in it!

The advantage of autumn sowing is that the seeds have more time to develop strong root systems which in turn means healthier, bigger, stronger and earlier flowers. Not every seed wants to be sown now, just a few hardy annuals and perennials that benefit from that cold winter burst.

I’m going to sow ammi majus, corncockle and sweet peas now in the greenhouse and then directly sow poppies, larkspur, nigella, sweet rocket, these amazing chianti shades pansies and calendula into the ground outside.

I have already had great success sowing corncockle a few weeks ago, they germinated like lightening in just a few days - I can’t tell you the JOY!

In my Sunday vid this morning I’m talking through what I’m sowing….

Also, if you don’t have a greenhouse, do not worry! I have gotten by for many, many years using seed trays in windowsills or somewhere where there is as much light as possible. Don’t forget to label what you’ve sown, that is a surprisingly easy thing to forget to do and it’s not worth leaving to chance, especially if you’re sowing lots of seeds and planning your spring garden in detail…

Watch may video below for a little more how-to if you’re new to it all…

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Interview - Marvellous Molly Mahon

Molly Mahon, the British printmaker and textile designer, has spent ten years bringing joyful, handcrafted print into homes in Britain and around the world.

For Molly, this decade in print has been a journey between the Sussex countryside and India - developing hand-carved blocks and hand-printed cloth, and bringing them home again to develop into beautiful collections in her rural studio.

It’s also been a very personal journey - from the realisation that ‘this was it’ at a block printing workshop, to starting her eponymous brand and studio while battling breast cancer in the early days.

We spoke to Molly about the inspiration behind her most personal collection to date - Wanderlust - the importance of preserving traditional craftsmanship, and how colour and print and the collected stories we gather in our homes inject joy into the everyday…

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My Go-To Smoothie

I remember going to a yoga day about twelve years ago and being given a smoothie halfway through the morning. It didn’t look like much, more sludge than smoothie, but it was so delicious that I’ve never forgotten it.

Then, this summer, I had a similar one at the airport en route to Mallorca, and was reminded about the sensationalism of it. I’ve now started making my own each morning when I run out of time for a proper sit-down breakfast. It’s become the new highlight of my day, almost taking over from the coffee moment in the joy stakes.

One banana
2 teaspoons of crunchy peanut butter (I’m sure smooth will work too)
2/3 dates (these ones are insanely good ones)
Possibly a blueberry or two if I have them
A sprinkle of my Milled Flaxseed, Almonds, Brazil Nut, Walnuts & Q10 mix
A teaspoon of either collagen or creatine from Ancient & Brave
One cup of oat milk
Ice

Whizz it all up in the Nutribullet and enjoy!

My Flowery Life

I’m so excited about my new live video series - My Flowery Life, hosted here on Substack.

Think it of as an intimate chat where you’re all invited and where we chat about life, through the language of flowers. Each week I’ll chat with someone about their flowery life. Some of my guests may be in the flowery world, others not. But they all share a love of flowers and recall memories where flowers made them feel something. It’s a bit like Desert Island Discs but instead of music, we’re talking flowers!

We began last week with the utterly fabulous Kimberly Fleming AKA The . You can watch our conversation here. We chatted Kim’s career pivots from fashion to flowers - opening her own flower shop, then flowering on film sets including Oceans 12, managing the flowers (and moving them in a sustainable direction) at The Whitehouse under the Obamas then moving to England and starting her very own flower farm. Yes, she is fabulous.

This week, I’m chatting with the wonderful - garden designer, RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal winner and author - whose Substack ‘The Gardening Mind’ is a must. Tune in live on Wednesday at 9.30 UK time.

I have so many fabulous friends coming on for a chat in the coming weeks. If you’re tuning in from abroad and the time doesn’t work, don’t worry, we’ll send a recording afterwards.

Who would you like me to chat with about their flowery life?

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October What’s On

What to see, visit & plan this month…

1. Go see The 90’s: Art & Fashion, Tate Britain from 8 October

2. Try to get tickets if you can for Kristin Scott Thomas in The Cherry Orchard at Harold Pinter Theatre from 3 October

3. Visit Painting the French Riviera at The Royal Academy, on until 31 January

4. Visit the BFI London Film Festival 7-18 October

5. See Gillian Anderson if you can find tickets in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Soho Place until 19 December

6. Visit the Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art at the V&A before it closes on 8th November.

7. Join Countryside Arts Club for events on 9 and 15 October in Oxford and nearby

8. New season telly:

   Celebrity Traitors on Sky - it’s back and an all-family pleaser
   War - Sienna Miller & Dominic West on Sky

   Brothers - Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey on AppleTV
   Mobland on Paramount - The Harrigans are back…
   Youth on HBO - Sharon Hogan is brilliant in this dark comedy-drama
   The Real Rooneys on Disney+ - Wayne and Coleen Rooney are opening the doors to their Cheshire home for a new eight-part reality series
   The Gentleman Series 2 on Netflix -
   Slow Horses on ITV - It’s back with rave reviews
   The Blame on ITV - crime thriller for the dark nights
   Number 10 on Channel 4 - coming soon
   

Where else should we go this month, watch or book ahead for?

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PS. Willow Loves (6 more!)

My autumn to winter wish list..

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For Molly, this decade in print has been a journey between the Sussex countryside and India - developing hand-carved blocks and hand-printed cloth, and bringing them home again to develop into beautiful collections in her rural studio. Each collection merges classic centuries-old techniques with a fresh, colourful aesthetic - a marriage of India and the English countryside that feels right at home.

It’s also been a very personal journey - from the realisation that ‘this was it’ at a block printing workshop, to starting her eponymous brand and studio while battling breast cancer in the early days. Now comes a full-circle moment, with her studio based where her first introduction to block printing began.

We spoke to Molly about the inspiration behind her most personal collection to date - Wanderlust - the importance of preserving traditional craftsmanship, and how colour and print and the collected stories we gather in our homes inject joy into the everyday…

Tell us about your early years. How did your upbringing shape your love of home, textiles, creating and travel?
I grew up in a very creative household. My mother, Celia Lewis, is an artist and was always making something at the kitchen table, marbling, embroidering, upholstering, painting. My grandmother was creative too, so making things was simply part of everyday life. We also spent long summer holidays in Scotland, which gave me a lifelong love of wild landscapes, nature and travelling. I think that combination of creativity, countryside and a very hands-on approach to life has stayed with me.

You launched your eponymous brand 10 years ago. Had it always been a dream?
Not at all, I had spent my twenties running an events company in London, and after having my first child I was looking for something creative to do. I tried various things, but when I discovered block printing through Angel Hughes, something just clicked. I remember lifting that first block and seeing the impression appear and thinking, this is it. I became completely obsessed. It was tactile, imperfect and incredibly satisfying.

It began very modestly around the kitchen table. I started printing paper and then cushions, and a friend asked me to decorate a shepherd’s hut. That little project led to wallpaper, then more commissions, and gradually I realised that something I had started purely for myself might actually become a business.

And in a full circle moment, the studio you now design from is the one where you took your first course? Tell us more…
It really is extraordinary. Angel’s workshop was in the Sussex countryside and I was so inspired by the space, the colour and, above all, the blocks themselves. I later moved closer to the area and spent time helping Angel, learning more and more about the craft. To now have my own studio in this same space in Sussex, surrounded by the things that have accumulated over the years, feels like coming home to where it all began.

That same year you launched your brand, you were diagnosed with breast cancer. How has that experience shaped not only you but the brand and studio you have continued to grow since then?
It was obviously a huge shock, particularly because the business was only just beginning. But I was determined that I wasn’t going to stop. If anything, it made me much more conscious of how precious time is and of wanting to spend it doing something that feels meaningful.

I think it has given the business a stronger sense of purpose. I care deeply about the people we work with, the craft itself and creating things that will last. I am also particular about how we create, using only water based inks and natural fibres for the base cloth. I want to offer a clean product within my industry.

Your rural home and the seasons in Sussex are a source of inspiration to you - how does that weave its way into your collections, including your new Wanderlust collection?
Nature is probably my most constant source of inspiration. I notice the way the light changes, leaves unfurl, seed heads dry, flowers come and go. Living in the Ashdown Forest means there is always something to draw or photograph.

Wanderlust is perhaps where the two halves of my world, Sussex and India, meet most clearly. It brings together some of my much-loved designs with new colours and patterns inspired by that constant exchange between home and travel.

Do you collect objects on your journeys? Is there a particular piece that holds a special story?
Yes, absolutely. I’m much more interested in things that have a story than things that are simply beautiful. I collect textiles, old prints, ceramics, blocks and little found objects. I love things that show the hand of the maker and that remind me of a particular place or journey.

You marry the British countryside interior beautifully with a global nod to textiles and colour. Has your interiors style changed?
I think it has become more confident. I’m less concerned with what is supposed to go together and much more interested in what makes me feel something. I love the tension between English country-house pieces, Indian textiles, old furniture and lots of colour. I want a home to feel collected rather than curated.

What is your favourite room of the home to be in?
The kitchen, without question. It’s the beating heart of our house, the place where everyone ends up, where we eat, work, talk, make things and generally live.

What three essentials does every happy and comfortable home interior need?
Colour, pattern and things with a story.
I want a home to feel personal, warm and lived in, a bit rough around the edges. Never like it has simply been assembled from a showroom.

My last supper — If you could enjoy one final meal anywhere in the world, with no limits, what would you choose?
A long, slightly unruly table at the end of my favourite loch in Scotland, in this instance it would be warm and midge free! Very cold champagne to start, followed by the simplest, most delicious grilled fish, with salty chips and a fresh green salad and a huge pudding of course! My family and closest friends around the table, everyone talking at once. Nothing too formal. Maybe a bag piper standing on top of the mountain, his melodic tune blowing over us in the wind.

How do you unwind?
Walking. Always walking. Ideally with the family or the dog, through the countryside, followed by tea, cake and a fire.

Can you choose a favourite or two from the new collection, Wanderlust and why?
Marwari is a favourite because I’ve always loved the slightly eccentric procession of horses and it has such a strong sense of Rajasthan. I also love Audrey because it feels like a new direction for us, softer, more intricate and with the addition of embroidery. Together they show the old and the new sides of the collection beautifully.

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Let’s Play Favourites

Flowers: Dahlias, sweet peas and poppies
Artist: Vanessa Bell, particularly her work at Charleston
Interior Designer: Kit Kemp
Scent/Fragrance: Something green and botanical, I love Diptyque’s Philosykos
Travel destinations: India, Scotland and Morocco
Place in India: Jaipur. I have a very soft spot for the Anokhi Museum there, it changed the course of my creative life
Garden: My own, it’s a simple space in the middle of the forest, but, I love the towering oaks, the peace and quiet and the joy of flowers planted by oneself!
Book: The White Umbrella by Brian Sewell, a little book that has stayed with me
TV series: The Durrells
Film: Out of Africa
Wellness ritual: Walking outside every day
Colour: Pink and blue. I think they are embedded in my soul
Beauty essentials: Fresh Scottish Loch water swims and moisturising cream by Inbalance Iona
Music or soundtrack: Anything with a bit of soul, folk, old classics, something nostalgic. Mumford & Sons or King Creosote are often on the studio playlist
Season: Autumn, although I think I say that about whichever season we happen to be in
Restaurant: Petersham Nurseries. Beautiful, thoughtful and full of soul
Meal: A long Sunday lunch with everyone around the table
Mentor: Angel Hughes. She was the person who first opened my eyes to block printing and showed me where that first door was

Shop The Story

Visit www.mollymahon.com / Follow @mollymahonblockprinting / Substack

Photography: Emma Lewis and Alun Callender

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