August - Seed Shop and New Seed Packet Launch

In between the seed mania Paris and I have been quietly living through, we have been joyfully flowering weddings and events in London and Sussex and having the best time doing it. From a colourful wedding on Brighton Sea Front, a flower-filled country house wedding, to an elegant wedding at The Dorchester. We’re having so much fun working together, creatively and companionably- after working alone for so long, I can now highly recommend finding yourself a business pal.

business pals in our element

The lift had broken when we pulled up to The Dorchester in the pouring rain. With many crates of flowers and two huge urns, we felt like we had walked into an episode of Fawlty Towers. But then, appearing from nowhere- a battalion of bellboys appeared, complete with Wes Anderson-style bell-boy hats. They whisked our crates away down into the underground tunnel around the back of the hotel, reappearing later in the wedding suite having walked through the warren of back corridors to stay hidden from the guests. Each bellboy came wafting up the stairs with a crate of flowers bouncing before them. I counted 15. It was a sight to behold. A magical moment.

Flowers from an event at the dorchester, london

Now. I’m absolutely bursting to tell you about the seed packets.

We’ve spent a lot of time this year, sitting on the studio floor, cutting out and stitching together what a dream packet would look like to us. We poured so much time and love into these packets and they are now just as we hoped.

The paper, which we spent an inordinate amount of time tracking down, when we did we were over the moon, it is FSC-certified and contains 40% post-consumer recycled waste and 20 % vegetable waste. It’s fully recyclable and compostable and moreover, it looks and feels great thick and luxurious, and has a beautiful freckle in it.

Then came the packet shape- that has changed a little too, it has a darling, petite closing flap- it’s so elegant. Next- the illustrations- I spent a good many of my evenings over the last year working on them to make sure every single one really reflected the beauty of the flowers contained within the packets. I think we got there. They look pretty lovely en masse too.

And of course, the backs- Paris has worked so hard on making the sowing instructions on the back really thoughtful and easy to use and the layout feels so airy despite being packed full of helpful information. Basically- we’ve stepped the whole collection up a notch, and once they’re in your hands, I hope you can feel our love.

We’ve spent much of the summer tending to the seed crop, harvesting and drying the seeds, and packing them up into little glassine slips that help keep the moisture from getting to them which in turn preserves the germination rates.

The majority of our seeds are grown here on the plot in West Sussex, some come from the help of lovely growers in the UK and then there is a small amount of very specialist, hard-to-get-hold-of professional growers seed- like the Italian Colibri Poppy seed. Yes- those enormous, ruffly poppies that you never see in people’s gardens but swoon over in the flower markets. We have the seed for you to grow them yourself, and you don’t have to spend the usual £100 on a packet to get your hands on them either.

I managed to skip away for a second or two this summer, one time to work on two useful writing projects that have a deadline for next week- things that hopefully will become good companions for your sowing and snipping, they’ll be ready for your eyes in spring. I’ll tell you more about them soon. And the other time to take an actual holiday. Much pasta and gelato was consumed. Time off is great. I don’t do it enough. I’m feeling refreshed and energised, and now totally get what all the holiday fuss is about.

Rex has grown and grown- he started walking last week. People keep saying I should kiss my freedom goodbye now, but I’m finding that the more he develops, the freer I feel. He loves nothing more than to be outside. He points to the flowers and says, Mama. Heart swells.

The autumn is starting to lick at summer’s heels and I’m not sad about it. I love this time of year- there is plenty to plan and to dream about. If you want to drop me a line, then let me know what you have in your plans and dreams for the next seasonal cycle. I’d love to hear.

Much love,

Milli x