Wedding Season 2025

 Hello to you all and a very exciting Happy New Year! I always feel like saying it’s Team’25…so there I’ve said it - you guys are my team for this year!

Whilst we still remain in the depths of winter I, like you I’m sure, are already dreaming of the warmer days of Spring and the excitement of another wedding season growing for my couples.

I have put together this blog post for my 2025 clients so you can see a measure of a season. It can often be hard to keep up with emails once March approaches and the ground is ripe for annual planting.

As a self employed business owner I find myself splitting up my week to cover all aspects of running a small business. One day I’ll be admin lady, the next marketing, then gardening……and when full wedding season kicks off I’m a florist! It can be a real challenge to get the right balance but I absolutely love my work.

For now, I will I will be doing a lot of planning for the upcoming season, phone calls, admin and keeping autumn sown babies going through the winter season. Following the success of a new plot and moving from the Duchy of Cornwall nursery, mid way through last season I had the opportunity to extend the new plot further. This was such an amazing opportunity as I have doubled my growing space. There is the sudden realisation that this is double the amount of gardening but for someone that loves homegrown flowers it really isn’t a chore! The second plot took a bit of a bashing in the recent storms and the fence line I hoped was ok isn’t so in the next few weeks my husband and I will be re fencing the entire perimeter. I confess it is not a job I enjoy but with rabbits ever hungry it’s essential. This area will hold increased stock of dahlias, foliage and in late autumn I planted a massive crop of foxgloves - it’s going to look so pretty! The first plot now has a new tunnel and this year I’ll be putting sweet peas under cover early for an earlier crop than what you can get outside - this is very exciting. With early crops does come mice, voles and other manner of creatures that want to feast on the early, tender, juicy options you lay in front of them. I will have to spend a lot more time up there with Mabel (my dog) by my side in the hope that they realise this area isn’t a free for all buffet.

Finally, I will be working on Colour Inspiration Boards for styled weddings so anyone that is waiting for theirs it won’t be too long now and huge thanks for your patience!

I’m really looking forward to growing your flowers this season - it’s going to be beautiful x

Currently

The flower beds are now all cleared down from annual stock. They have received a good layer of mulch but there is still plenty more to tackle with the new plot. I have a huge amount of new dahlia stock arriving in February which is exciting. Keeping autumn sown seedlings going in this damp winter is tricky, overwatering is easy and then they ‘damp off’ there is a reason why I sow so much. Both plots will see new varieties being added this year and the second plot will see a lot more perennial stock like phlox and campanula. All the narcissi and tulip bulbs are all in - it is always a huge job just before Christmas, I can’t wait to see the displays in Spring - green shoots are already appearing!

When I’m not on duty Mabel (the dog) and I seek out walks that aren’t under water - the rain has been awful. I have been giving our old cottage a much needed lick of paint and simultaneously been binging on Netflix! I have to remind myself this is my down time and to rest - once Spring comes its 24/7!

Early Spring

Spring is always a great time for Cornish gardens. They seem to burst into life and the bird song can be deafening. In early spring (April) expect to see lots of wonderful tulips and peach toned daffodils. I grow this stock in the Cottage garden where I can carefully watch out for anything that likes to nibble a bulb over winter. The bearded irises become the show stoppers in the Duchy tunnel and the cover gives their delicate petals good protection. These flowers are great for larger pieces of floral work. I had to divide the stock up as the numbers were getting out of control!

Icelandic poppies and flowering shrubs like lilac aren’t far behind the irises and teamed with the tulips the combination is magic.

Mid - Late Spring

As the frenzy of gardening starts to calm for a few weeks the garden often has more to offer than one can pick. Nigella, cornflowers and poppies compete for the best sunlight in the tunnel and their job is really to flower and fade as quick as possible. Watering is often the time consuming job at this time of year. Over the last few years down here in Cornwall we have seen crazy hot spring days that over heat the tunnel.

May the hedgerows come alive with wild flowers and the garden transitions into that sprinkly look that is so popular for this month. The bees go wild for borage and calendula and the peonies tease you with the ‘I might be out next week, but I might not’! Huge spears of foxgloves tower over the beds in the tunnel and the sweet rocket resembles oodles of fluffy white clouds.

Summer

Early summer sees the rush of hero flowers to the garden. Those romantic, heady scented roses and finally the peonies play ball and join in the floral game. The garden feels in full swing now and beds are packed in each of the gardens. Antirrhinums compete with foxgloves for the tallest flower in the tunnel but they are always beaten by the Ammi which often has to be cropped out before it is too high to reach. Geoffs Cornus is a moment to mark in the diary when it finally is full of flowering bracts. Some of my favourite flowers tend to the be the smallest at this time of year but somehow they knit all the arrangements together. Phlox, jasmine and Larkspur are just a few I love to include.

June however returns to many jobs in the garden and a very important month in the entire growing year. This is when the bi-annuals seeds need to be sown for next years weddings. Miss this window and you will miss all the foxgloves, early umbellifers like Orlaya and the ‘can’t live without’ Hesperus. The juggle of garden verses floristry really keeps you on your toes!

Autumn

As the summer fades and the light lowers autumn brings a calmness to my gardens and often to myself. Whilst it can be the busiest of seasons for weddings the frenzy of annual flowers is over. Seeds have set and the main floral centre piece becomes the Dahlia. The roses often repeat in mid to late September and I always try to savour what that scent is like as winter is long and June feels so far away for us to meet again.

Variety foliages become key ingredients in autumn and the hardiness is certainly welcomed. Flaming branches of Liquid Amber create statement pieces and movement from delicate grasses or seed pods tell of life once lived in the garden.

September, like June is important for next years flowers. This is when all the hardy annuals will need to be sown once again. It is also when all the decisions need to be made on additional plant purchases and bulbs. It is this month that you feel you have a foot in the future whilst being grounded in the present.

By the end of October we welcome the chrysanthemums, large showy flowers which extend the wedding season. It is often this flower that marks the last of my weddings.

Winter Jobs

It will take all of November and December to clear and prepare the beds for the next season. The roses will all be mulched along with all the perennial beds. Dahlias will be lifted, dried and set into crates so that cuttings can be taken early for the following year. Dahlias that get left in the ground in raised beds will be cut down and heaped with compost to ensure they don’t get caught by the frost.

Seed schedules will be arranged and it is always a good time to evaluate what grew well and what I want to avoid the next year whist it is fresh in my mind.

Late in the year also sees the start of all my next years wedding booking so again admin becomes a key priority. The dreaded accounts are also a constant on my ‘to do list’!

By Christmas the garden is normally well put to bed. January will arrive and the studio will need to be audited for vessels, calls with couples will re-commence and the circle of life in this little flower business with start once more.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do you have peonies?

The flower you really can’t set your clock by! These beauties won’t be set to a routine. I can watch them in bud and think they will defiantly flower the following week and then they just sit there in bud happy as anything. The early ones though are the single varieties, they tend to come early June but the doubles can be as late as the end of June. Rest assured if they are out they will be in your arrangement!

Can I meet you in the garden?

Whilst the Duchy is a public space all my gardens are private homes. The Duchy holds only a very small stock of my entire crop. Whilst meeting you all would be lovely, this simply is not possible for me to achieve whilst growing all the flowers and creating the arrangements. I don’t wish to have hoards of staff and lose that connection with the garden and become a manager. Therefore, it is important my main role and responsibility to you, as a client, is to grow and make you amazing floral displays that you have ordered. However, I find being available online via video call, if you wish, a far better use of both our time. I require access to all my images so I can share these with you and discuss the finer details of the arrangements you have ordered. If you would like to have an additional video call leading up to your wedding please do email and I will endeavour to set one up for you.

Do you do site visits?

Again, very like coming to the garden or meeting for a coffee, site visits in Cornwall take up a lot of time which I often find hard to offer. My business has been going for 13 years now and I’m fortunate to have visited and worked with all the top venues in Cornwall. If you have a particular concern with the site of your ceremony or reception the best thing to do is take a number of images of the relevant area and then we can arrange to speak on video call to discuss the floral options further.

What are your working hours?

My working hours vary with the season. In winter (from November - February) I am open from Monday to Thursday 08:30am until 4:00pm. From Spring (March) my working hours become almost 7 days a week. I try to carve out Sunday afternoons and Monday mornings as downtime with my family. Whilst I will try and make myself available for calls please remember I am often creating a wedding and this must take priority. In the first instance if you can email me this would be very helpful. If you do require a phone call during wedding season Tuesday from 08:30am - 4.00pm tends to be when I will endeavour to schedule one for you.

What flowers will you pick for my wedding?

The garden is often brimming full of flowers in wedding season and even I find it hard to choose which ones to pick! I often start with a hero flower that I know will be in your bridal bouquet and that then sets the tone for the other arrangements. The seasonal guide above will give you an indication as to what I am growing. Keeping an eye each week or going back on the previous years via Instagram posts has been really helpful to my previous couples. Whilst I can never promise a particular flower, remember the peony stories, I will always try to pick flowers that we have discussed in your initial consulations and that fit within your *Colour Inspiration Board (*for styled service package).

When will I receive my Mood Board?

Mood boards are created during the ‘off season’, November - February. However, I will try to get them to you sooner if wedding schedules allow.

Can I keep my flowers after the wedding?

Of course! These are your flowers and you are more than welcome to take them home with you. If you do decide to do this I suggest you bring with you some buckets and various jam jars so you can decant them out of my vessels and into yours. Please ensure you have taken the flowers you want prior to me arriving to break down your wedding the following day.

What time will you arrive on the wedding day?

Depending on the start time of your wedding and how much installation work there is to do, this will dictate the time I need to start. As a general rule I like to start early in the morning, before too many people arrive on site. If you are having a larger event there may be a requirement to set up some of your wedding arrangements the day before. You will receive guideline timings for my arrival closer to your wedding day.

Can I still add to my wedding order?

Whilst I am always happy to try and accommodate additional items added to your wedding order it would be very helpful to have a full and final order at the time of your final payment - this is six weeks prior to your wedding date. The exact payment date can be found at the end of your Booking Contract.

Do you have help?

Yes and no! Yes, in that Geoff is a total super star with growing some of my later stock alongside my gardens for volume and my dear mum who you will often see on your wedding day as she loves to come and help me set up - she also keeps me well fuelled with food! If your wedding requires a lot of installation work I do use freelancers. Emily and Mari have been working alongside me in the busy season for over 6 years. Both girls run their own successful floral businesses and we all support one another in this industry. But…..no, I am a one woman band!

Finally

A big thank you for choosing me and my flowers for your wedding. I hope you are super excited for your big day and I look forward to creating your arrangements for you both.

Best wishes.
Becca x

Images: a collection of my own photography and John Hersey Studio (all images are my own garden and flowers),