Written by Rona Wheeldon
January 05, 2017
The start of the New Year is such a special time! And there’s an abundance of beautiful seasonal flowers to choose from at New Covent Garden Flower Market this month, including the incredible Ranunculus Pon-Pon 'Merlino' above.
And even though it may be winter, you’ll still find homegrown blooms and foliage at Nine Elms. Read on to discover more…
British Flowers
As well as Paperwhites from the warmer climes of the Scilly Isles, you’ll also find stunningly scented Soleil d’Or narcissi at Pratley.
And if you missed it first time around, you may like to have a read of this Product Profile about Narcissi and Daffodils. Simply click here.
From Cambridgeshire on the mainland, there are Tamara daffodils aplenty.
You’ll also find British lilies, chrysanthemums and alstroemeria.
World Flowers
Just how gorgeous is this peach-pink Chaenomeles superba (flowering quince) at Zest Flowers? So delicate and perfect for adding to a natural style design...
Another ranunculus, but this time the Cloni variety, which is also sometimes referred to as Clooney. This one’s called Mambo Extra and it’s available at Dennis Edwards Flowers.
If you’re looking for a long-lasting orange bloom, check out chincherinchee (Ornithogalum). Its typical vase life is one to two weeks although, with proper care, it can last a month or longer!
And if you love Icelandic poppies (Papaver), then you’re in for a treat, as there’s a plethora of them currently at the Market.
Can you tell that ranunculus season is picking up steam?! How about this striking pink and green beauty called Ranunculus Pon-Pon 'Aurora'?
For something more sculptural are these Nelumbo nucifera at Bloomfield, which are often referred to as 'shower heads'!
For adding an interesting textural element to an arrangement, perhaps you may like to use Brassica 'Crane King' at Zest Flowers.
Or if it's a bridal bouquet that's on your agenda, how about these elegant 'Captain Romance' calla lilies?
With the arrival of January, it's so lovely to see all the different varieties of hellebores on the traders' stands, including this light pink variety.
And oh my... can you tell that ranunculus are one of my favourite flowers?! I just had to share these breath-taking 'Hanoi' Cloni ranunculus with you...
As well as an abundance of ranunculus at the Flower Market this month, you also find lots of different types of tulips, like 'Barre Alta' at DG Wholesale Flowers...
...and 'En Pallada' at J H Hart Flowers.
And there's a fabulous selection of Italian anemones in red, deep burgundy (which are often referred to as black), pink, purple and white.
British Foliage
Outside on Foliage Row, expect to see container loads full of wonderful seasonal foliage, including camellia, with its dark green glossy leaves and buds.
Ideal for tall designs, as well as wreaths, you'll find laurel at Porters Foliage...
...where they also have rhododendron.
And you can find magnolia bud in different lengths...
...plus pussy willow just before it's 'fluffed out'.
If it's alder catkins you’re after, then make a bee-line for GB Foliage.
World Plants
Helleborus niger, also known as Christmas Rose, can be found at Evergreen...
...where they also have Skimmia japonica 'Rubella' plants in different sizes. Just the ticket for brightening up window boxes at this time of year!
And for those of you thinking of making up small gifts for your customers to buy, there are individual hyacinth bulbs in pots in different colours.
If you're looking for cut succulents, then you'll find them at Dennis Edwards Flowers. Seeing them reminded me of how Mary Jane Vaughan used them to spectacular effect on her stand at Brides the Show in 2014!
Staying with succulents...have you seen this variety of Kalanchoe before? Available at Quality Plants, it’s called 'Red Lips'.
That's where you'll also find these ultra delicate looking Calocephalus plants, which apparently are very happy outside tolerating the chilly temperatures which we're having at the moment.
Looking for something to replace the gap left by a Christmas tree? Then head to Arnott & Mason and choose from their amazing 'jungle-scape'.
They have a wide selection of tall plants including Podocarpus, Philodendron selloum, Strelitzia nicolai, Monstera, Beaucarnea, Heteropanax, Areca palm, Epipremnum aureum, Caryota (fishtail palm), Ficus cyathistipula, Ficus elastica 'Robusta', Dracaena hybrid and Alocasia 'Portodora'. You’ll be completely spoilt for choice!
Sundries
On the search for small pots, perhaps for your hyacinth bulbs? Well, Quality Plants have these lovely charcoal grey metal ones.
And for small arrangements, they also have a range of rustic metal containers.
Meanwhile over at The Flower Store, part of Bloomfield, they have these wonderful ridged clear glass vases... not only useful for cut flowers in water, but perhaps you may like to use them as an alternative way to display orchid plants, with the help of moss?
And last, but not least, they have these white crackle glaze jugs... ideal for informal arrangements.
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.
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