Renovations and how to create a vintage floral arrangement

Renovation requires epic amounts of patience! The little man and I are moving back and forwards from Grandparents and at each stage when we hope to return, something in the new house decides to pack up and refuse to work. This week it's the boiler. Poor hubby is enduring the inclement June, wrapped in woolly duck egg windowpane rugs and brisk cold baths at home. We are very lucky to be enjoying the home comforts of spoiling Grandparents and beautiful gardens. Whilst our nascent plot is ravaged by slugs and hubby's stalwart midnight gardening forages are keeping it going, it has been lovely to sit back and marvel at the fruits of more experienced gardeners and more mature gardens. I am really inspired to tackle our plot and the lawn which, I am reliably informed, has reached gargantuan proportions. In a humble way to thank my parents whose hospitality we are currently trespassing on, I have been arranging their abundant flora, which happily for me has a strong vintage feel. Heavenly scented tea roses, heavy lavender heads and frothy peonies. With this in mind here are some Duck Egg ideas on arranging vintage posies perfect for weddings and thank you's (I hope!).

After a beautiful summer wedding of a great friend of mine last year, I was struck by the vibrant and simple beauty of their homegrown flowers. It is now becoming an exciting and blossoming trend for smaller business to grow their own flowers for events and in particular support British blooms as well. Meadow flowers are flourishing and decorating spectacular bunting festooned marquess and also encouraging our own fauna too. Particularly poignant as our butterfly and bee populations dwindling.

My favourite arrangement has to have roses in. They remind me of my own wonderful grandparents who would tend to their roses in summer afternoons and bring armfuls into the house and I still remember the scent of roses as we all traipsed up to bathtime. Roses and their heavy and yet delicate petals are full of nostalgia. Choose tea roses for maximum visual effect and scent and for a traditional posy simply incorporate lavender. Lay the stalks diagonally in your hand and build the posy in a circular motion. Remove thorns where the posy is held, if you wish. Finish the arrangement and make it suitable for transporting by tying the posy with vintage stripy ribbon - we like Susie Watson's thick ribbon for tying and to also protect from any thorns.  

For displaying a posy in a vintage style, choose a china bowl. I like blue and white ones, or find a pretty floral one in a car boot sale. You will always use it! Perfect for a table display. Think about what colour scheme you are going to go for. Cut a piece of oasis to fit the bowl (florist's foam) soak. 

The 'greenery' or foliage you wish to use will go around the base in a circular fashion. Have a play with using different foliage and look for different subtle shades. I love sage for its silvery appeal and mint, using herbs for foliage adds a depth of scent and the variety of their leaves adds interesting texture.

For a vintage look there should be a slight height in the central arrangement, but not too high or it risks becoming formal. Then build in your flowers. Think about shapes and sizes. It will have maximum impact if you place smaller flowers alongside larger blooms. For this time of year sweet peas and elderflower heads can look very striking, cornflowers and roses, peonies and sweet peas too.

Or if you only have a minute nothing is more effective than a beautiful lilac head in a vintage cut glass bottle.

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