Heuchera (pronounced HEW-kur-uh) are evergreen perennials with extremely attractive foliage in an extensive range of shapes, colours and textures. Native to North America, they are members of the Saxifragaceae family, the same group contains Astilbe and Bergenia. Commonly known as coral bells or alumroot, they produce elegant stems of pink, white or red flowers in spring. Not only will they bring a welcome splash of colour to outdoor plant displays, but they are also excelle

Su Whale demonstrates how to create a simple yet elegant orchid corsage/buttonhole, perfect for weddings, proms, special occasions, events and formal celebrations. This design combines a stunning orchid bloom with eucalyptus, ivy leaves and hypericum berries, while demonstrating essential professional wiring and taping techniques used by florists every day. Su Whale is a florist and freelance writer with over Thirty years' experience in the floristry industry. She is the auth

No party should be without flowers, so get creative and start promoting your floral centrepieces and tablescapes!

East Durham College’s informative and colourful exhibit at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show was based on the science of tropism. Led by tutor Allan Raby the students created a display which gave a visual, floral interpretation of one of nature’s most fascinating phenomena. What is a tropism? It’s defined as the directional movement of a plant in response to a stimulus. This reaction can be both negative and positive. If the stimulus requires the plant to move towards it, that

A cottage garden classic, Astrantia has tiny, star-shaped flowers surrounded by a ruff of colourful petals. Their slim, wiry stems project a delicate appearance, but they are actually quite sturdy and long-lasting as a cut flower. Commonly known as Great Masterwort, or Hattie’s pincushion, as the centre of the flower looks not dissimilar to pins stuck into a cushion, although who Hattie was remains a mystery. Hollow stemmed, they are in the Apiaceae family, alongside Angelica

recreate a slice of that feel good summer sunshine by stocking vibrant summer climbers such as Bougainvillea and Gloriosa.

Su Whale catches up with third generation cut flower grower and wholesaler James Cock

Su Whale enjoys the colour and scent of chocolate cosmos and shares her tips on using it in floristry work.

An attractive, delicate flower, Achillea has feathery foliage and slim stems topped with flattened clusters of small, daisy-like flowers. Sometimes overlooked as a cut flower, it is incredibly versatile, it’s long-lasting, it can be dried and dyed and is really easy to grow too. There are two varieties of Achillea grown as a cut flower: Achillea filipendulina Colour: Mustard yellow

Go tropical this season with our selection of the best five flowers and foliage for that statement summer look.

It may have been the middle of a heatwave, but that didn’t stop crowds of people attending the RHS’s new flower show at Badminton. This large country estate in South Gloucestershire is famous for its horse trials, but its grounds were filled this time with show gardens, trade stands and some fabulous florals. Floral Horse Jumps In recognition of Badminton’s equine credentials, the floristry students at City of Bristol College had lavishly decorated five full size horse jumps.

Nothing says summer more than the industrious buzzing of bees as they harvest the rich pollen of Lavender. This highly scented evergreen is not just for pollinators though, as a fresh cut or dried flower it has a myriad of uses in floristry too. Fresh Lavender Fresh Lavender is generally sold by weight and can be bought in bunches wholesale from March onwards (depending on the weather). In the garden, Lavender flowers naturally from June to September when it can be cut and

What is Plastic Free July? It is shared global movement helping millions of people reduce their reliance on single use plastic. The initiative was founded in 2011 by local government officials in Western Australia, where it was originally a simple idea that involved around 40 people. From this humble beginning it developed into the Plastic Free Foundation and from this comes Plastic Free July which is the biggest waste avoidance campaign on the planet. What is single use pla

High summer means flower growers across the UK are in full production. Su Whale guides you through the best UK-grown flowers available now.

Love your houseplants? Need to know what’s trending? Chelsea Flower Show’s popular Houseplant Studios were the place to head for everything new and innovative in the world of indoor gardening. Now a permanent feature at the event, the plants are displayed in attractive wooden summer houses in a leafy corner of the showground. The six studios are practically gardens in their own right, as they take over not just the interior but the exterior too, allowing visitors to get the f