My Favourite Flower - The Blue Carrot
It has been a while, but there is one column, that I particularly miss having on the blog; My Favourite Flower, so I thought it was about time I got it started again. I am thrilled to have Susanne Hatwood of The Blue Carrot, as my guest, as I have long been an admirer of her beautiful floral creations. Susanne originally set up The Blue Carrot as a market garden, selling home grown vegetables from the gate of her home in Cornwall (the name was a joke as she couldn't grow carrots), but gradually flowers took over the garden and her life and she is now a fully fledged flower addict.
Below is what Susanne has to say about her favourite flower:
Answering the question, what is your favourite flower, is an almost impossible task for a flower nerd like me. Apart from my current obsession with everything leafy in mustardy, murky and slightly odd colours, there is another addiction going on: I find it almost impossible to say no to a single rose.
Their happy, open faces are just way too hard to resist. I find my eyes drawn to them. Just one or two of them mixed in a bouquet can totally change the mood. Their humble charm is disarming. It all started with a few plants of 'Sally Holmes' this is truly an astonishing rose. Don't be fooled by its fragile looks, it is a real workhorse, standing strong way longer than all of the blowsy double roses.
Then came the China Rose, Mrs Oakley Fisher and Jacqueline de Pre and this year's new additions to my garden are Goldfinch, Lady of the Lake and Dusky Maiden. But I am certain, there will be a few more by the end of the season, I am just not sure where to cram them in yet!
Flowers in my house are mainly left behind demo bouquets from one-on-one classes. I love watching them age and studying their decay (I'm a fan of ageing flowers, they look so poetic) but to be honest during the busy summer months it is mostly sweet peas and cosmos on our kitchen table, as they need picking daily.
I am a fan of twiggy bits in a vase too. In our newly renovated sitting room, I have made an empty space on top of a record shelf and this will be graced by different tall, twiggy, leggy bits throughout the season (that's the plan, we will see how it works out!)
All photos by Susanne Hatwood
Thank you so much for sharing your favourite flower with me Susanne, I think you have definitely convinced me of the beauty of the single rose with your stunning photos.
You can find Susanne here:
Website: The Blue Carrot
Instagram: @the_blue_carrot
Have a good week.
Emma x