Snowy Hedge Rose

I have decided the best thing to do is to give into the snow and just enjoy it.

And it is SO Christmassy!

I have both my girls home. We have logs in and food in (and the odd bottle of wine) so I am one happy Mum.

As I drive (very slowly) on snow packed roads to Kate's new shop, Rustic Rose, to collect some flowers for a flower workshop I am running for some friends, my daughter Alex is out and about with a camera. These are some of her shots.

Further north in the town of Marlborough, another florist friend, Kate, is getting ready for Christmas.

Kate used to have a small shop in the potting shed of a local nursery, but earlier this year she took the plunge and moved into a shop near the centre of Marlborough.

I love Kate's idea of filling the base of a large vase with cones, cinnamon and oranges.

Kate's shop, Hedge Rose, looks beautiful, and oh so gorgeously festive.

Kate has been sourcing a lot of her foliage from Cornwall, including these plump swags, perfect for mantelpieces. The shop is scented with a delicious combination of pine, fresh flowers and the soaps and toiletries Kate stocks.

It is a snowy, frosty day here too, so we are both wrapped up against the cold. But the icy temperatures and sharp weather cannot put a dent in Kate's Christmas spirit or the obvious pride she takes in her new shop.

In between chatting to customers Kate and I makes some plans for the new year, when I hope to be back to conduct a talk called Paint Pots & Petals - which is all about how to use flowers to help decorate your home.

But that is for another year. For now I just enjoy Kate's shop and make a note of a few festive tips that I know I will be borrowing from her.

That, and pausing to enjoy the coffee and cake.

....some things never change!

www.hedgeroseflorist.co.uk