Written by Rona Wheeldon
November 27, 2014
Christmas has well and truly arrived at New Covent Garden Flower Market!
And you'll find everything you need to create stunning festive designs for your clients.
The scents of pine, cinnamon and star anise are around every corner and glitter is in abundance! Plus, furry and fluffy animals are proving to be extremely popular. Read on to discover what you can find at Nine Elms… you're in for a real treat!
If you're looking to add texture and colour to a Christmas arrangement, there are umpteen different types of pine cones, both sprayed and natural. Some come loose in bags and others are on sticks.
C Best have an astonishing assortment of baubles in a myriad of different colours and types!
They're displayed high up on their shelves, which are virtually stacked to the ceiling. So do ask the guys on the stand, like Andy, to assist you.
Also, in their dedicated Christmas aisles, you'll find just about every conceivable festive decoration that you can imagine, including lots of different types of faux flowers, which are ideal for clipping or wiring on to wreaths and garlands.
Staying with gold, there's sprayed salal at Porters Foliage, together with magnolia, coral fern, skimmia, eucalyptus and bear grass.
Zest Flowers have expanded for the festive season, with two new large Christmassy areas next to their stand. They have lotus heads…
…roses…
…pears on sticks…
And even glittery hydrangeas, in a variety of different colours.
Outside at Foliage Row, Porters have sprayed hazel catkins…
…grevillea…
…and a new florist's favourite, Asparagus plumosus. When lots of foliage at this time of year is 'spiky', this delicate fern provides a lovely, soft and almost ethereal contrast. It's available in a range of colours including white, gold and brown. Some have a touch of glitter too…
And snow twigs are in plentiful supply.
Have you seen these pretty baubles before? Filled with feathers, they can be found at C Best…
…as can these textural designs.
There are lots of wreaths at the Market. These particular ones below can be found at Zest Flowers.
And that's where you can also p-p-p-pick up one of these little fellas! The John Lewis Christmas advert featuring Monty the Penguin is definitely influencing demand at the moment, as they're flying off the shelves.
Owls are also very much in evidence. These white fluffy ones are available at J H Hart Flowers.
And you'll find them high up on the look-out at C Best …
…together with a family of polar bears.
Oh…and there's white reindeer too at Zest Flowers!
Plus glittery ones, at The Flower Store, which is part of Bloomfield. So, as you can see, animals are proving to be very popular this year!
Ian at Whittingtons also has a range of animals. And in their 'alleyway', you'll find lots of Christmas decorations including faux flowers and wreaths.
Plus they have Christmas lights aplenty, as do C Best and DBD London...
…which leads us nicely onto the Yuletide essential! After a slow start due to the warm weather in Denmark, Christmas trees are now in abundance at Nine Elms. Pictured below are Gary and Dean at Quality Plants, who have plenty available, as do several other traders including Evergreen and Pratley.
GB Foliage have made a real statement at their stand, with the creation of this wonderful hanging display.
And on their and Porters's stands, you'll find blue pine wreaths in a range of different diameters.
If it's garlands you're after, there are all-round ones, which are perfect for decorating banisters. And then there are flat-back ones, which are ideal for mantelpieces or around windows and door frames. If you'd like to make your own designs though, there are also bundles of blue, Douglas and Scots pine.
To decorate your wreaths or garlands, there's an Aladdin's Cave of sundries available, from cinnamon sticks in 8cm & 20cm lengths…
…to natural cones…
…cinnamon dusted, white-tipped and glitter cones…
…orange slices…
… a rainbow of painted and sparkly birch twigs…
…glittery and waxed fruit…
…pepperberry…
…frosted berries…
…plus there are lemon slices, whole oranges, apple slices, mini pumpkins, chilli peppers, natural lotus heads…the list goes on!
And there's a huge range of assorted ribbons, including these at C Best.
For customers who would prefer a non-foliage wreath, how about these wonderful rose hip ones at Dennis Edwards Flowers?
And to add colour inside, poinsettias are available in a range of sizes, with more varieties coming in over the next few weeks.
Last, but not least, is Santa himself, in the form of these very cute Christmas tree decorations at C Best!
So, if you're looking for inspiration for Christmas 2014, I'm sure you'll be bowled over by the extensive range of fabulous festive flowers, foliage, plants and sundries when you visit the Market. It really is the place to shop, with everything all under one roof.
This report is just a little whirlwind tour! I've not even included wire wreath rings, sphagnum moss, ilex, cyclamen, amaryllis, candles, birch bark, reindeer moss, artificial trees, nativity scenes, picea, mitsumata... And if you're looking for anything in particular, please simply ask below and we'll get back to you.
P.S. Don't forget that if you're not based near London, we have our Flower Market Delivered service. Alagar, Porters Foliage and C Best will deliver straight to your door anywhere in the UK.
See when we're open and closed over Christmas and New Year. Go here ›
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