Cymbidium orchids are prized for their colour range, elegance and long vase life. Su Whale shares her tips on caring for and using them.

There is nothing that lifts the spirit more than the sight of the sun shining through cherry blossom on a warm spring day.  This spring ‘pick-me-up’ is a universal feeling, celebrated all over the world, most famously in Japan, when every year the Japan Meteorological Company release its predictions for peak bloom season. This usually falls around the end of March and the beginning of April, when the nation comes together in a centuries old tradition to view the blossom and p

Who doesn’t love spring flowers? A welcome sight at the gloomiest time of year, it is currently peak time for these seasonal beauties, so here is an ‘At a Glance Guide’ of caring and conditioning our most popular spring flowers.  Anemone  Temperature: Cool, approximately 2°C.   Susceptible to bacteria so ensure all vases and containers are clean before use.   Place in shallow water which should be topped up daily.   Display in a cool spot with good air circulation.  Soft Anem

Su Whale praises the shamrock and suggests some suitably green foliage alternatives for floristry work.

Su Whale encourages us to embrace scented shrubs to add style and colour to spring arrangements.

If cabbages make you think of school dinners, think again! For this versatile vegetable,  otherwise known in floristry as the ornamental cabbage, has worked its way into becoming a seasonal floral fixture.   What Is Cabbage Crush Pinterest Trend 2026 Pinterest has released its latest annual Pinterest Predicts  report, which highlights 21 trends it expects to take off in 2026. The motto for 2026? Live, laugh, leaf! With Cabbage Crush Boomers and Gen X will say goodbye to their

While spray roses are sometimes viewed as the little sister of single headed roses, they are anything but. In every shade and variation of colour that you could wish for, they are good value for money with anything between five to a dozen heads on a stem, depending on variety. How to buy spray roses  Stem Length: 40-70cm, sold in batches of 10 stems. Cost per stem can vary, based on the length of the stem and the size of the flower heads. The taller varieties with large bloom

Spring is the florist’s season of renewal. This is my personal favourite season! Shop windows brighten, palettes soften, and customers return in search of colour, fragrance and feeling after the quiet austerity of winter. Spring flowers don’t just brighten arrangements, they carry emotional messages of hope, love and fresh beginnings that resonate deeply with buyers. For florists, understanding both the aesthetic value and the meaning behind spring blooms helps create arrange

Timeless roses and a soft pastel colour palette. Su Whale describes the detail.

The common primrose, or Primula vulgaris, is always the first plant to flower in Su's garden.

Celebrated globally, IWD promotes the social, political and cultural achievements of woman all over the world.

Reliable and versatile freesia work with every style of wedding and floristry work. Su Whale explains more.

Billy Buttons is just one of the many inventive common names for Craspedia, which is also known as Drumsticks, Woollyheads or Billy Balls.   Pronounced ‘kras-speed-de-uh’ this long-lasting, unusual flower is a native of Australia and New Zealand, although it can be grown in the UK. There isn’t really another flower quite like it with its slim, leafless stem and compact, bright yellow heads. It’s easy to see where its common name, Drumsticks, comes from.  Craspedia in Floral D

Simple sales opportunities with a bit of creative thinking. Su Whale explains.

A beacon of brilliant yellow, Forsythia is currently having its brief moment of glory before being overshadowed by the more prolific blossom of cherries, apples and plums. For eleven months of the year, Forsythia is a rather unremarkable shrub, but in late spring the arched stems of ‘Golden Bells’ or the ‘Easter Tree’ are unmistakable.