Calling in at Ted Martin Flowers

With my books keeping me busy I spend much less time than I used to working at Ted Martin Flowers. And I really miss it. In fact this is one of the reasons I have started a blog, it gives me a great excuse to call in for a cup of coffee and to find out what has been going on in the shop.

The sun is shining and the trees and hedges are an almost luminous green as I drive across to the village of Tisbury. Outside the shop flowers and plants are piled up on wooden crates and as I walk through the door I am met by the warm and heady fragrance of lilies.

In the doorway there are buckets of weekend posies ready and waiting for customers. I can't decide between a posy of cerise stocks and anemones or one with a blush pink peony.

Inside on the dresser are bundles of dried lavender and fresh lavender plants potted up into terracotta pots. Ted tells me that they recently used dozens of lavender plants - as well as many other plants and flowers - for a really flower filled wedding. The bride had decided on a floral theme and each of the tables was decorated with a different variety of flower. So guests were sitting on either a lavender, sweet pea, daisy, nigella, phlox or rose table.

I think this is a lovely idea, especially as the flowers were displayed in vintage cups and saucers and glass vases around a central tier of cupcakes. A small bunch of matching flowers was then arranged on each place setting.