On June 3, 2015 - I was picking flowers for my wedding at Blooming Green in Kent.
I knew I didn't want your usual "manicured" bouquet - I wanted something more rustic, slightly wild looking - and very colourful, that wouldn't cost me a small fortune.
I'd done plenty of research, and decided that creating all the wedding flowers myself was my best option. I checked out Covent Garden flower market, and spoke to a few local florists, but still, I thought there must be somewhere where you can pick your own?!
Well - after a Google search - I came up with Blooming Green in Kent, they organically grow seasonal flowers in the middle of a fruit farm, and for just over £50 you can book a slot and go and pick-your-own. Perfect!
The bucket was large, and provided us with enough flowers for my bouquet, two flower girl bouquets, six small table displays, two vases - and my flower crown! Ideas on how flowers can be composed you can check here.
Myself, my brother Paul, my Mum and my friend Kass, headed off in my bro's Fairway for Loddington Farm, near Maidstone in Kent. We pulled in and we were instantly greeted by Jen and Bek - their farm is beautiful, there are rows and rows of colourful flowers. After a nosey around, and some drinks and biscuits, we were given clippers and our bucket, and we were free to cut whatever flowers, herbs and foliage took our fancy. We had a two hour time slot, but I think all of us would have been happy to stay there all day!
This is Paul's car!
We picked some lamb's ears; fennel; beautiful sweet william; foxgloves; lupins; marigolds; bleeding hearts; irises in purple, yellow and white; allium in a different variety to what I had seen before (liliaceae I believe); some stunning yellow aquilegia; sweet peas and a whole bunch of other wild looking flowers.
The ladies were on hand, and busy cutting flowers too, and were happy to chat and answer any questions. Blooming Green also provide flower arranging courses, as well as putting together flowers for weddings and events, and from July they will be having special pick-your-own days, where you can pay £10 for a container.
We certainly had a great morning on Loddington Farm, it truly is a hidden gem, and we enjoyed our ride home with the cab full of sweet smelling flowers. Mum stored the buckets at her house, and let all the flowers have a good drink overnight. The flowers were then put together the night before the wedding.
Photographs copyright of Anarchy Photography.