About Me

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antrim, antrim, Ireland
Hello and welcome to my blog. If you like flowers and gardens, housey stuff, food and banter, then this is the place for you. I am a decorative artist, florist and maker of things. I sell painted furniture, plants and crafts, through a local retail shop, in my native Ireland, and wedding flowers from home. I am married to a lovely patient man and have a smashing little girl. I blog for the fun of it. Thank you for listening.

Thursday 10 January 2013

Blooms for the new year.

Once the decorations have been taken down and stowed away for another year, I always think my home looks a little sad and plain. My thoughts turn to flowers for some 'living' decoration to breathe new life into the new year. I have found some lovely inspiration on Pinterest.





 Although formal arrangements can look stunning in the right place, I much prefer something simple for my home.



I love the soft and pretty colours of all these arrangements, easing us into the new year gently. The containers are wonderful too, even this rusty old tin! The little vintage fabric bag for the lily of the valley, is such a clever idea.












Ring the changes with a single flower on your napkins instead of a table arrangement, simpler, and more modern I feel.


I often see these little trees in magazines and on the Internet, they are myrtle I think. I would love to be able to get hold of one or two, as I think they are fabulous, and also my mum's name was myrtle! At the end of the summer I did buy 2 rosemary topiaries, which I have on my kitchen window. I wasn't sure how they would survive, but they are doing well and are even in flower at the moment. I have no batteries in my camera , so I cannot show you them, but here they are when new.


There is something strange going on in my garden at the moment. I grew poppies this year for the first time. They were so colourful wild when in flower, and then the triffid like seed pods were amazing. I cut all the seed pods down to dry for this year, and the plants died back, but one started to perk up again around September and before Christmas there was an actual flower, I had to cut it as there was a heavy frost one night and it bent right over. Here is the picture inside.


It didn't last too long, the frost had got it, but I was flabbergasted that it would even try to bloom. Perhaps one of you gardener types could tell me if this is normal. There are two more blooms on the plant now, so fingers crossed. Wishing you all a 'bloomin' good week, with love, Linda x

21 comments:

  1. Hello Linda:
    What a pretty selection of floral decorations you show here. We are in complete agreement with you over the simple flower arrangements being the best and adding a modern and fresh look to the house and the dining table. We too are particularly fond of white flowers as they always look so elegant and stylish.

    What a strange thing about the Poppy. It looks so sad having been frosted, a poignant still life which reminds one of the First World War battlefields. In our gardening days we were constantly surprised by plants blooming at odd times of year, but as to why this should happen, we have absolutely no idea.

    We love the new layout of your blog. So very 2013......Happy New Year, dearest Linda!!!!!

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  2. Dearest Linda,
    This is a very beautiful and inspiring post! I was contemplating about forcing some bulbs later this month.

    Before writing my comment, I stopped and added "pick up bulbs at Watson's" on my weekend "To do" list!
    I have some vintage flower pots that are now holding pinecones. The pots would be perfect for forcing bulbs.
    If I blog about it, I will link back to your lovely post!

    Have a lovely day, sweet friend!
    ~Lynne
    w/L.



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  3. Hi Linda. Your blog is looking very pretty and fresh. I love all the ideas you have inspired us with. Love your little rosemary trees. I have never known a poppy to flower at this time of year!

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  4. What beautiful flowers.Great ideas.
    Rosezeeta

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  5. Happy New Year, Linda! I love your inspiring pictures and great topiaries. I like topiaries very much.

    Has your weather been warmer than usual? That might have contributed to the bloom so early. Let it dry and save the seeds to scatter. They will come back for several years and then you will have to start over with seeds. My spot needs new seed because they stopped coming up.

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  6. I always enjoy my visits and have done so again today, lovely post. However please forgive me for being less than attentive with my visits and comments at the moment as my husband is unwell.

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  7. Those spring bulbs are so cheery! I love poppies - if we weren't renting this house, I would sow poppies in the garden, and I would be 'The Crazy Poppy Lady' in no time. Have a great weekend! XOL

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  8. Beautiful post! I loved seeing all those pale and delicate spring blooms and the gorgeous interiors. I have put some bulbs in china cups and old flower pots too....I love how they look! Thank you for sharing such treats. Wishing you a very happy weekend, Linda!
    Helen x

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  9. Hi Linda, thankyou for your kind xmas wishes...I hope you and your family had a lovely xmas celebration and wish you all the best for the new year. I've been catching up on your posts...love your wreaths...my friends and I had a wreath making day and all produced some lovely individual results. I've been busy on the net, sorting out my photos, setting up a tumblr and a new blog, and in between that rearranging the house...I always feel the house looks bare and needs a change after the chrissy decs go down. Bringing flowers and bulbs into the house is a fun and relatively cheap way to achieve this...(although the odd vintage find doesn't hurt). Robx

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  10. Lovely spring decorations Linda! It must be a delight working from home. I would love that too :-)

    Happy weekend!

    Madelief x

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  11. Hi Linda, thanks for sharing all these lovely photos. I particularly love the pot of muscari-type blue flowers simply wrapped in (musical score?)paper and placed in a wire pot - gorgeous!
    Despite the snow (now on the ground here)and ice a few weeks before Christmas, the trailing lobelia and petunias from my summer hanging baskets left outside are still alive and green - as strange as your poppy flowering. Maybe there hasnt been enough consistent cold to kill them off.
    Love the idea of the rosemary topiaries - I might take a leaf out of your book there and try some indoors too, our local garden centre have them half price.
    Thanks for all the lovely floral inspiration Linda, have a great week.
    Gill xx

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  12. I love the idea of single flower on a napkins it look so chic and modern...thanks for sharing linda:) wishing you a good year ahead!

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  13. Ciao Linda, I love all the photos, there are so lovely!
    Cristina

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  14. Your photos are amazing. I know that you are a florist, but have you ever thought about selling your photography. You have a lovely way of creating art, and I can just see some of your photography hanging in a gallery.
    You're a very talented gal.
    Your blogging sister, Connie :)

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  15. I love selection of floral decorations, you have inspired me beyond measure!!
    xx Vicky

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  16. Love your springflowerarrangements! I also need always Flowers on my table, preferably from my own garden.
    Regards, Janneke

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  17. Hi Linda
    Just popping in to say hi and hope all well with you and yours.
    I expect you're busy with preparations for the forthcoming wedding fair, hope it's all going well and that you're enjoying it.
    Take care,
    Gill xx

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  18. Jolie fotos des fleures de PRINTEMPS !! Je veux le printemps aussi!!:0) Mais a Moscou il faut attendre longtemps encore!

    Bonne semaine!!!!

    xxx Maria xxx

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  19. Beautiful flowers and photos! Whar an inspiration!

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