Written by Rona Wheeldon
February 01, 2017
Romance is in the air at New Covent Garden Flower Market this month! With Valentine's Day this year falling on a Tuesday, 'Red Naomi’ roses from Holland, pictured above, and ‘Freedom’ from South America are tipped to be the florists' top choices.
Read on to discover what else you can expect to see flowers, foliage, plants and sundries wise when you visit over the coming weeks...
British Flowers
British tulips have started to come in, with this stunning cerise pink variety called 'Marvel Parrot'. You'll find it at Zest Flowers.
And there are also several types of Narcissus available, including these 'Golden Harvest' daffodils at Pratley.
World Flowers
If you’re looking for a 'different' red rose, how about this gorgeous one at Bloomfield called 'Matilda', with its petals verging on a deep terracotta tone.
Or for a blush pink palette, there's the classic 'Sweet Avalanche' rose.
And for a lilac rose, 'Ocean Song' at Dennis Edwards Flowers is a great choice!
As an alternative to traditional roses on February 14th, you may like to consider red ranunculus...
...or perhaps 'Red Princess' tulips? If you missed it first time around, here's a link to a Product Profile Report about this iconic bloom.
Even though we're technically still in winter, flowers with a touch of spring are in evidence at Nine Elms, like these 'Blue Passion' hyacinths.
You really can't beat the incredible scent of sweet peas, can you? These pretty petals from Italy can be found at DG Wholesale Flowers.
To add a zingy green freshness to floral designs, why not pick up some Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' (guelder rose) at Zest Flowers.
Or if sunshine yellow is more to you and your customers' tastes, you’d be hard pressed to find more vibrant a bloom than Ranunculus Pon-Pon 'Stella' at Dennis Edwards Flowers!
That's where you'll find bunches of Acacia dealbata 'Mirandole' (mimosa) set off nicely against their glossy black packaging.
Dainty Scabiosa 'Vanilla Scoop' is available at DG Wholesale Flowers...
...and they have white anemones too. These are Italian, but Israeli grown are also starting to come in.
British Foliage
Outside on Foliage Row, variegated berried ivy can be found in abundance at GB Foliage.
And if you're looking for trailing ivy for table runners or urn designs, then you’ll find it there too.
At Porters Foliage, there's senecio with its soft, silvery-grey leaves.
Whilst containers full of English small leaf eucalyptus, pictured below, and the large leaf variety can be found at GB Foliage.
Head to Porters Foliage for a plethora of cotoneaster, with its vivid red berries.
And how amazing are these lofty teasels that they also have? Ideal for adding a natural texture to your arrangements.
World Foliage
Proving to be popular for wedding designs, there's Brunia albiflora.
And to add a touch of fragrance to your designs, Bloomfield have these dainty aroma bouquets featuring bay, borage, sage and rosemary.
British Plants
How lovely is it to see Primula vulgaris (primroses) at L Mills? A sure sign that spring is on its way...
...and they also have trays upon trays of jasmine plants.
World Plants
Picking up again on this month's rose theme, you'll find miniature 'Magnolia Kordana' roses at Quality Plants.
They also have just had a delivery of a new Phalaenopsis orchid variety called 'Old Rose', which has beautiful dusky pink petals...
...and these Medinilla plants with their pendulous flowers. Apparently, being tropical, they love humidity! So they're a great for a bathroom.
If you're on the search for a splash of colour for contract work, how about these Vrieseas? They're available at Arnott & Mason.
Sundries
C.Best always have a great selection of sundries. And this month, you can find rustic metal lanterns, which have glass candle holders inside...
...'wooden' containers in different shapes and sizes, perfect for bulbs...
...and these weighty stone effect pots, which come in various designs.
So, I hope you've enjoyed reading this month's report and it's given you lots of inspiration! As always, we'd love to hear from you if you have any comments or questions. Simply fill in the boxes below.
P.S. If you already know what you need for Valentine's Day, it's best to order from the traders asap. Then, as more requests for particular flowers and foliage come in, you can simply add them to your order list.
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