THE Blog

A space to dip into for floral styling tips and creative inspiration.

Lifestyle Alex Barton Lifestyle Alex Barton

Christmas this Year at Webb and Farrer

Christmas this year has seen the introduction of my new Paper Collection of Christmas Cards and Wall Prints.

I’ve finally pushed myself beyond my comfort zone and made steps in the right direction and it feels like such a weight has lifted. I’m honestly blown away by how many of you have shopped from the Christmas Collection so far and each time an order alert comes through on the Etsy app on my phone I cheer.

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How to Make a Dried Hydrangea Wreath

You can create your own dried hydrangea wreath in 5 simple steps and before you know it, you’ll be hanging it from your front door for all the neighbourhood to see.

In this season of Autumn, now's the time of year to collect dusky toned hydrangeas and dry them. When you build a hydrangea wreath you can use hydrangeas that are beginning to turn crispy and they'll dry further on the wreath or you can use some already dried hydrangeas to create your design.

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Lifestyle Alex Barton Lifestyle Alex Barton

Facing Self Doubt to Finally Create a New Project

Do you ever put something off because you don’t feel qualified, think someone else will do it better, feel like you’re not quite ready, or procrastination turns up whenever it’s time to start?

I’m exactly the same, I haven’t created the Paper Collection I dreamt up two years ago because of all the reasons above. I’ve got ideas and have made designs for hand lettered and illustrated stationery and wall art but they’ve simply remained ideas for months.

I’ve been working on battling the limiting beliefs that are holding me back from jumping in and creating the Paper Collection. Facing self doubt is now a task I’ve taken on so I can finally create this new project.

Here are the resources and actions i’ve started to work through and my designs are slowly but surely coming to life now. I hope this list inspires you if you feel like you’d like to start a project that self doubt has held you back on.

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Which Wedding Bouquet Style is Right for You?

Here are the 3 main wedding bouquet designs to choose from so you’re confident knowing the best one to suit you and your wedding day style. There are bouquets more suited to lively weddings where the bouquet is guaranteed to be tossed for everyone to catch, there are bouquets that hold sentimental value because they’ve incorporated a family heirloom and there are also bouquets that accentuate what you’re wearing because of their shape.

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Lifestyle, Wedding Flowers Alex Barton Lifestyle, Wedding Flowers Alex Barton

5 Things that Shaped My Path as a Florist

I’ve looked back on the floristry path that’s taken me all the way from the start of Webb and Farrer in 2014 to where I am now. I’ve had a think about some of the forks in the road I took and choices I made that shaped the way I am as a florist now. I’m sure there were many serendipitous moments that were factors in shaping my career that completely passed me by! But below I’ve put together a few decisions that came up for me when it came to defining what kind of florist I’d like to be. I don’t think I ever neatly ticked off any of these choices, I ummmed and eerrred over them for months on end probably, but in the end they’re the choices I made that have laid the foundations I’m on today.

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Lifestyle, Flowers at Home Alex Barton Lifestyle, Flowers at Home Alex Barton

How to Arrange Flowers in a Jug - Video Workshop

Find that jug at the back of the cupboard, it might be that one you use for gravy when you're pulling out the stops and making a fancy roast, it could be the jug you use twice a year and throw cucumber into and guess the Pimm's : lemonade ratio, or like me it'll be that jug you keep wooden spoons in by the hob.
Jugs are such simple vessels to arrange flowers in because they usually have a narrow top and slightly wider base.
I’ve created these workshop videos on Skillshare all about how to arrange flowers in a jug. I’ve broken each stage down so you can learn online and get to grips with flower arranging in the comfort of your own kitchen - where you know you’re guaranteed your favourite mug and the good biscuits.

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Wedding Flowers, Flowers at Home, Lifestyle Alex Barton Wedding Flowers, Flowers at Home, Lifestyle Alex Barton

8 Cut Flower Alternatives to Roses

Roses are beautiful flowers, particularly for wedding bouquets because of their layered petals and romantic connotations. The rose is a popular bridal bouquet flower choice but the flower world has other flowers hidden up its sleeve… Here are 6 other flowers that create a big impact in bouquets and arrangements. If you’re confident identifying a rose but you’d love to learn more about other flowers full of drama, colour and beautiful petals, then read this blog.

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A Cranberry Red Wedding in Sussex with Hollywood Curls

Lydia and Steve’s December wedding was a Wintery day filled with Cranberry tones and warm vintage colours.

On a wedding day, I deliver and style all the wedding flowers in the morning and arrive amidst a cloud of hairspray in the air and when the first champagne glasses of the day are clinking. I'm usually long gone before the ceremony begins, so getting to see how the day unfolds in photographs is always a real treat. I've selected some of the wedding photos so you can see Lydia and Steve's day too. Lydia and Steve's photos were taken by D&A Photography.

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What are the Benefits of Flowers?

I wanted to dig a little deeper into why flowers help us feel so calm and I hope my investigation can help you turn to flowers whenever you want to take a moment to feel calm after a long day (or week!) at work. Taking the time to prepare flowers and place them in a vase is an act of mindfulness which is a soothing remedy for our busy lives. In the post below, I’ve looked below the surface beautify of flowers to really understand how they’re so rewarding when we have a go at arranging them.

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The Top 6 Foliages I Use for Garlands

Not sure what goes into a deep green and botanical garland, or how you can choose foliage to perfectly match a dusky Mediterranean theme? I’ve explained the ideal types of foliage you can choose for garlands and also described the looks they achieve. If you’ve seen many a foliage garland on Pinterest but you want to make sure the look of the garlands match your wedding decor, I’ve selected foliage varieties and listed them below so you can confidently choose how you’d like your garlands to look. If you want to make your own garland, this blog post will help you choose from 6 types of foliage that are ideal for garland making. Take a look down the list below to help you choose the leaves for your arrangement.

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