I called into the supermarket to buy a banana on my way to the studio this morning and came out with a banana and a bunch of Sweet Williams in my bag.
I hadn't even been aware that I needed flowers, and there was nothing floral on my mind at all (I was in banana mode), but almost against my will I found myself drawn to the flowery bit of the supermarket. I circumnavigated it once, taking in the colours of tulips, roses and the big mixed bouquets. I bent to sniff a bunch of stocks and that was when I caught sight of the sweet williams. I didn't hesitate for a second, this bunch was up and out of the bucket in the blink of an eye, dripping water all over my trousers and blinding me with that gorgeous, glorious vibrant colour..........
.........oh the heat!!! Those red hot pinks and fiery magentas are so loud and beautiful, I love them!!!!!!! I really like that these lovely flowers are seasonal and grown in English soil at this time of the year making them a very affordable luxury (£1.80 for this little lot).
I take great pleasure in dealing with my frequent fresh flower hauls, taking my time and really enjoying the whole experience. I love carrying them from the shop and bringing them home or to my studio. I enjoy selecting a jug if I'm at home (I always use this stripy one for flowers on my studio table), and I enjoy unwrapping them and releasing the stems from their packaging. I snip and arrange the individual stems, placing each one into the jug with care. I really, really enjoy this process very much.
I remember reading a book by Tricia Guild once, a book all about enjoying flowers in the home {this is the book on Amazon
Once my sweet williams were all arranged on my table this morning, I sat down with my coffee and feasted my eyes.
Often we only glance at an arrangement of flowers as we walk into a room, give them mere seconds of our fleeting attention as we pass by. Every once in a while it's such a wonderful thing to sit close and pay attention for a minute or two. You know, really look at each petal, drink in the intense colours and study the tiny little details.
Such a simple, beautiful way to start the day, I can highly recommend it.
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Lucy would you please sure where you got those adorable heart pins from?! Xx
Posted by: Crystal | March 17, 2016 at 04:46 PM
All that pleasure and prettiness for £1:80. Bargain happiness :-)
Posted by: Rachell | June 16, 2015 at 12:27 PM
Hi Lucy, Oh what a joy to be able to get onto the internet and catch up on your blog entries for June!
We had to take our canal boat 19 miles up river at the end of May to a boatyard for the hull to be reblacked. We stayed on the boat whilst it was done but unfortunately I couldn't get any internet access whilst there for the week. To make it worse the strong winds brought down 2 trees into the river and we had to stay for a further week waiting for them to be removed! Soon as I could I got onto my laptop and your blog was the first thing I opened. Such a joy all your lovely pictures and narrative sharing all the things you love and all the things that I love, which seem to be the same! We had to cancel our booked holiday last week in Norfolk in our touring caravan, which is a very similar model/size as your own. Will rebook soon though. At the end of August we've a holiday cottage booked in N.Yorkshire and I'm looking forward to revisiting lots of the places you and yours enjoyed recently. I loved the patchwork cushion and adore flowers, especially Sweet Williams as these are the flowers my late Mum often bought for me and my sisters so they bring back such happy if poignant memories. Sorry this is such along comment but I'm so excited to be back!!
Posted by: Denise Marshall | June 13, 2015 at 12:11 PM
Margaret Olley (dec) an Australian artist who painted lots of flowers and still lifes' . She wasn't much of a housekeeper, she figured that if you had a vase full of flowers, it didn't matter what the house looks like, I agree. Jaki, Redcliffe Ausrralia
Posted by: Jaki Matthews | June 13, 2015 at 08:54 AM
Thank you for those beautifull flowers. It's fine for me to learn their English name, in France, we call them "Oeillets de poète".
Posted by: Filozailes | June 12, 2015 at 01:29 PM
I feel the same way about flowers in my home. My year is marked out in seasonal blooms on the table - daffodils in early spring, followed by lilac, sweet williams in early summer, as well as roses from the garden, then annuals like nasturtiums, sweet peas, cornflowers and calendulas, on into autumn with dahlias and chrysanthemums, and berries in winter. Home doesn't feel complete without something in a jug on the table. Your sweet williams are truly gorgeous - a lovely burst of colour :)
Cathy x
Posted by: Cathy | June 12, 2015 at 07:20 AM
2 weeks ago we lost our baby at 24 weeks and was given a huge bunch of sweet Willians, they are still going strong and make me smile with their beautiful colours!!
Posted by: Alison Izzard | June 10, 2015 at 10:53 PM
Sweet Williams are such beautiful flowers. It's so true that we don't look at a vase of flowers carefully enough to really appreciate them. I'm going to try to pay more attention from now on.
Posted by: Helen | June 10, 2015 at 08:17 PM
I did just the same thing last week. Love Sweet Williams. They really do make a difference to a room. Thank you for such a bright and cheerful post! Sarah xx
Posted by: Hula Loop | June 10, 2015 at 05:09 PM
Gorgeous flowers, it's so uplitfing to have fresh flowers around, I can spend quite a lot of time just gazing at them. Hx
Posted by: Helen | June 10, 2015 at 04:36 PM
Like the saying goes... always take time to smell the flowers. xxx
Posted by: Laura | June 10, 2015 at 03:20 PM
Those are lovely, Lucy. I don't usually have flowers inside, but I love enjoying them in our back garden. My little girl likes to pick flowers and put them in jars of water for me. Since she is four years old "flowers" ofter include clover, dandelions, and tree branches or even bunches of grass!
Posted by: Kim W | June 10, 2015 at 03:19 PM
I haven't ever seen Sweet Williams in our markets but that doesn't mean they aren't there. Now I'll start searching for them. I learned an interesting tip at a flower arranging class I once took. They told us to use very warm water in the vase so that the flowers are able to drink up lots of water and to change the water daily using the same nearly hot water. They told us the flowers would last longer. Seems to work.
Thanks for the lovely post.
Posted by: Jill | June 10, 2015 at 02:15 PM
I've got a real soft spot for Sweet Williams because my mum used to grow them in our garden when I was a child, 'happy memories'. Such vibrant and wonderful colours x
Posted by: Cherie Chudyk | June 10, 2015 at 02:11 PM
They are so pretty!!! But I see a BEAUTIFUL blanket when I look at the colors!!! What do you think ?
Posted by: Carol Penoyer | June 10, 2015 at 02:09 PM
I too have Sweet Williams in a vase in my kitchen. They are some of my absolute favourite flowers with a real smile factor.
Posted by: Steph Bell | June 10, 2015 at 01:51 PM
Oh I agree wholeheartedly!!! Sweet Williams take me back to my grandmothers garden whenever I see them. That is a beautiful bunch you have there! I think I'll go out and cut some roses now that you've inspired me. ; )
Some more eye candy;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/craftygal/18052336083/in/dateposted-public/
Posted by: Angela-Southern USA | June 10, 2015 at 01:50 PM
Oh, gorgeous, these have to be one of my all time favourites. x
Posted by: Sharon Izzard | June 10, 2015 at 12:56 PM
Oh wow!! They are beautiful. I try my best everyday to live in the moment. For the past two months I have started to bring fresh flowers home so I can enjoy them on my computer desk. It really has changed my mood and over all outlook. My son bought me a huge bouquet of every flower at the florist. They are so stunning and I have enjoyed them immensely! My favorites in the bunch the huge zinnias and lavender roses! I luvvvvvvv fresh flowers! I am off to the races spitting out a ton of solid grannies... boy are they fun to make!! :D xxxxxxx
Posted by: Robin Summers | June 10, 2015 at 12:32 PM
I adore fresh flowers at home and I often buy some to add colour and beauty to my place.
Tina :)
Posted by: TINA | June 10, 2015 at 12:14 PM
Great flowers, so vibrant with lots of blooms, and such good value. Love the patriotic paper they were wrapped in.
Posted by: Teresa at knitbakecultivate | June 10, 2015 at 10:54 AM
my dad use to grow sweet Williams on his allotment aa well as other flowers and he would always bring my mum home a bunch, I love flowers that are scented to me a flower isn't a flower unless it smells wonderful,
Posted by: ann clements | June 10, 2015 at 10:52 AM
Everything starts with a banana!
Yes, flowers definitely force you to 'live in the moment'. Be.You. Tee. Full.
Posted by: Claire | June 10, 2015 at 10:29 AM
I so wish I could have flowers in my house - but my cats always eat them! These are gorgeous! xx
Posted by: Elsie Pop | June 10, 2015 at 10:19 AM
Aha! That's what they're called! I sprinkled a whole load of 'wild' flower seeds in a bed in the garden last year, and had some lovely flowers, but this year, I have absolutely loads of Sweet Williams in the same plot - at first I thought they were weeds, but thought I'd leave them in to see (I have quite a jungly garden - not easy to see what are weeds and what aren't!) - and SO pleased I did! They are gorgeous!
Posted by: Sarah | June 10, 2015 at 09:58 AM