Homestead Flowers

A fresh high summer bouquet that will also dry and last for years to come! So enjoy for a week as fresh flowers and then hang upside-down somewhere to dry indoors. What could be better?! They're only around for a few more weeks, so get one while you can, available in small (£20) medium (£35) or large (£50) and come with a dinky dried flower wreath.

Another week, another helper! Big thanks to Offspring No 1 (beating his twin by just 6 minutes), I couldn't have done it without you 😍 Cheif picker, sorter and carrier, or as he called it Your Slave.
Last week was all about bouquets, get well soon flowers, party flowers and thinking of you always flowers. It's always a privilege to write the notes that accompany flowers, little glimpses that often put your own life into perspective.

It's been a while since I've done a field shot. But here it is, mid-August. Some flowers are over and going to seed, so it's lost that fresh exuberance of midsummer. But the colours have changed, the reds, oranges and yellows are strutting their stuff, and I kind of like the wild look it's sporting right now. There are still the asters, chrysanths and miscanthus grasses yet to flower and some of the new dahlias aren't up to speed, so I've got those to look forward to too. I'm thinking ahead to next year, what I'll grow, where I'll plant it, what needs moving and what needs removing. And so the cycle will continue..

Before the rains came yesterday my trusty crew thankfully picked these DIY wedding flowers with a bit of direction! If you're looking for for next year, then I sell buckets of blooms all ready for you to do your own venue decorations. If you'd like a hand with the tricky bits, then I'll happily create those for you. Details including pricing are all on my website or drop me an email on [email protected] Save this post if (like me) you're sat outside with a glass of wine right now and ticking the flowers off your list is a job for future you 😀 😉

It's been a busy few weeks but I couldn't have done it without the help of my lovely family. When you get sick and you solely run your own business, it's hard. The immediate priority is to fulfill promises already made, so thank goodness Simons been off work and my boys back from uni! There's lots I can do, and as long as I can direct to what needs cutting and how, then I can sit down and do the creating and subsequent admin. Thankfully this didn't happen in May when there's tonnes of planting and sowing, manure shovelling and pricking out to do as well. This time of year it's all about cutting and selling and making enough money to see you through the winter and reinvest back into your business. There's lots that I'm letting slide, no weeding for example, I'll deal with that when my hip is feeling better. MRI results on Wednesday so we'll see what that brings...Photos are of Joe cutting and trolley pushing and Simon deadheading. Callum as always avoiding my camera!

Dahlias incoming! Some are a little short still (a bit like me!) but they're here, and for that I'm very happy.

I've been a bit quiet on the grid of late, but it's certainly not been quiet behind the scenes! Last weekend I had the privilege of flowering a local wedding near Guildford. A bouquet for K, a smaller one for her bridesmaid, a flower crown and meadow boxes for outside the church. The family pitched in using flowers cut from the field to create jars of flowers for inside the church and at the reception. And most importantly, the sun shone! Congratulations both of you, may your love be long and flower filled!
I'm taking bookings now for 2025, so if you dream of flowering your own wedding in some way then do get in touch for a chat!

The trusty trolley looking very bountiful this morning! One order for a wedding florist, the other for another florist holding a workshop. Next weekend sees me in wedding mode, a couple of meadows to make and bouquets and buttonholes, as well as flowercrowns and flower posies. I'm already planning what I'll cut and when, and starting the usual prep of cleaning buckets, checking supplies and making sure everything is in hand! I've taken my first booking for 2025, so please do get in touch if you're looking for personal, locally grown flowers with a DIY element! No wedding is too small, so I'll happily chat even if you just want a bouquet and no other flowery frills!

Seasonal bunches are now available to buy on my website, from a bijoux bunch at £12 all the way up to £25 for those days when you just NEED a special treat!
Go Naked!! If you opt not to have paper wrapping and save on resources then I will add a few extra stems to say thank you. Will still be loosely arranged and tied with twine.
Pick up from my door GU3 3EX or local delivery anytime to And or on a friday morning Order via my website or drop me an email [email protected].

This week is a campaign run by by celebrating British flowers across the whole floral industry. It also marks the 4 year anniversary of the start of my own business!
🌼Back then I naively had no idea that there was such a 'thing' as British flowers. I stumbled across and the rest they say, is history! Whether it's buying from your local flower farmer, asking your wedding florist if they use British flowers or looking for a British sticker on the flowers you buy from M&S, it all helps!
Obviously I'd tather you didn't buy from M&S, (ha ha!)so local to me are also  

🌸Between us, we all cover the local area of Guildford, Woking, Chobham, Horsley, Epsom and the Surrey Hills, delivering flowers with a smile, weddings, event and funeral flowers.
🪻No need to add to airlines, buy local and support not only British Flowers but small local businesses too.  

It seems red is the colour of the moment, I'm being asked for it a lot from my lovely florists this season. It's a colour I tend to shy away from, so thought I'd see if I could grow to love it? Must admit I'm rather swayed when popped next to these peachy tones. What do you think?
Foxglove 'suttons apricot'
Sweet William (from a mix)
Valerian rubra
Calendula 'touch of red buff'
Cornflower (part of the a purple mix)
Stocks 'apricot'

This time of year, the ingredients in my bouquets change so quickly, next week they'll look entirely different, but equally pretty. So if you want to gift someone a bouquet or a bunch of loveliness, then do get in touch. Order via webshop or give me a buzz on the ☎️

A day on the life...I decided on Tuesday evening I'd had a rather varied day, so for any budding flower farmers out there, or anyone thinking of setting up their own business, or following their passion, read on!
6.30am Alarm goes off, open eyes check messages. Respond to 2 florists who've asked for availability this week. Get up, inhale coffee. Check flower arrangements all ready for a funeral haven't had a calamity overnight. Load them into my car, wrestle with the cat, drive 30 mins whilst eating breakfast. Unload, chat to vicar, sort flowers. Love the church and wish I could stay longer.
🌸Home. Send last weeks invoices, reconcile my accounts, shout at the co-op banking app (again). Deliver a bouquet of flowers up the road. Home. Plant 25 dahlias, pot up 50 cosmos, sow biennials, do some weeding, watering and feeding, tie up sweetpeas. Cut a 300 stem order, wrestle with a wonky hosepipe, a wonky ladder and bash into the scaffolding with my trolley several times. Update website to include new bank details. Curse 10 factor authentification and biometrics that don't support a muddy thumb.
🌸Have a phone chat with fellow flower farmer regarding British Flowers week. Answer a couple of emails from wedding couples and check orders for cutting the next day. Hubby brungs wine (hurrah!) It's 8pm at this point.
🌸Cook dinner, eat. Collapse on sofa, do social media/marketing whilst watching TV and not following the plot. Go to bed, dream of cutting orders and forgetting deliveries. Wake up (several times). Repeat. 🙈

A fun day with one of the Offspring, doing our annual visit to I'm all for natural, seasonal, no foam etc etc, but I still appreciate the skill, artistry and sheer creative floral genius that goes into these creations. The detail on some of them was just incredible, so much work! The theme was 'Floral Feasts' and here is me, alongside some FAB lollies (do they still exist or were they just a thing of my 70s childhood??) and a selection of some of the incredible displays we saw today. Thanks Mr C for accompanying your bewildered Mother around London, stopping me from getting run over and explaining the order board in Gail's. It was a blast!

A 'Thank you' bouquet. Also delivered that day was a 'Thinking of you' bouquet and an 'I Love You' bouquet. Obviously these are simplifications, the gift tags and their words convey a more complex array of emotion, a privileged snapshot into the lives of the sender and recipient. Whether it's healing, celebration, joy, thankfulness, forgiveness, or rememberance, flowers connect people in so many ways.

Well there's a sight I thought I'd never see over my polytunnel!! We were in bed reading when Offspring texted from Sheffield to say were we outside looking?! We rushed out, and couldn't quite believe it! Whilst other photos I took came out a little too colourful, I'd say this is how our eye actually saw them. They ebbed and flowed, rippled and reformed, changing from a deep magenta pink to glowing green. At one point the owls were hooting and the bats appeared, truly magical!

Tulips, Stocks, Euphorbia, Camassias, Ranunculus, Redcurrant foliage and one lone snapdragon who was too much of a diva to be left out! What are your favourite bouquet ingredients and why? Let me know in the comments and I'll let you know when you are likely to see these in bouquets and bunches this season.

I don't often have time to arrange my own flowers, but if I do, they'll likely be in a simple jam jar like this. Popped on the table or next to my bed, they give me a lot of pleasure and I really should do them more often.
It's been a funny start to the season hasn't it? the ranunculus are pretty much over, as are the tulips. All the shrubs and perennials are three weeks ahead, yet the annuals are sulking due to the cold and wet. If anyone is in any doubt about the effects of global warming, they only need to look at a Flower Farmer's Diary!
🌸 Anyway, if the current weather situation isn't putting a smile on your face, then I'd suggest going out into the garden, snipping a few blooms and cheering yourself up. 🌷Obviously, if you'd rather I created one for you, leaving your blooms intact in your garden, then take a peek on the website or order via messages. They're perfect for host/hostess gifts, too, all packed in a bag, already in water. No need for frantic hunting of vases when you hand them over either! 😆
Have a lovely evening folks, and let's hope tomorrow is a sunnier day!

Farewell or Funeral flowers are hugely personal, and they're something I really do enjoy creating. This year, I've been talking to more funeral directors, making them aware that there are alternatives, if their client's ask. I've also joined a brilliant partnership between who are working hard to promote a more sustainable approach to funeral flowers within the UK.
These flowers were very personal for me, created a few weeks back, for the anniversary of the passing of my lovely mum-in-law. I miss her hugely. Simply placed at her graveside until they have done their thing, they can then be composted in their entirety.

The Ranunculus have landed! I'll say no more.

Calling all residents in and
I am passing through your villages this friday 5th April and can deliver £20 or £10 bunches of tulips straight to your door! If you know anyone who lives in this area, who you know would be delighted to receive some flowers for the weekend, why not treat them?!
If you've not bought flowers from me before, then do check out my profile at 5* ratings on Google. All flowers grown here in Guildford on my flower field, harvested by hand, no pesticides and 100% home compostable wrapping. Minimal carbon footprint compared to imports too, so win win for you and the planet!
Please share this post to anyone you think might be interested, it would mean a lot.
Email me [email protected] Whatsapp me on 07967 179421 or drop me a message on Instagram before 9pm tonight.
Larger bunches £20 ( approx 15 stems)
Small bunches £10 ( approx 7 stems)

Anyone for tulips? Special offer this week, large bunches for £15 available to pick up here or free delivery in Wood Street Village on Friday evening or Saturday morning.
🌷 Please don't compare these to the tulips you buy in the supermarket, they are an entirely different creature! They last for ages, growing and bending in the vase, ageing so gracefully. I've a mix of colours, mainly pastels, but very few orange ones left now, sadly. All wrapped in 100% home compostable wrapping or just pop it into your recycling bin.
🌷 The last photo is a tulip I had indoors for over two weeks and it still looks beautiful, dont you think? Message me here or drop me an email [email protected]
Each large bunch contains approx 12-15 stems

Happy Easter, lovely flowery people! Here's one I popped together last night, tulips, narcissi, muscari, forsythia, epimedium flowers, snakes head fritillary and all held together with twisty willow. It seemed rather fitting to arrange this in my old chicken feeder!🐣

🌷The mechanics inside are simple, gravel at the bottom for stability, and then a 'mossage' which is basically a sausage of chicken wire with moss, rolled up and then wedged inside. Top it up with water and then use a pen to create gaps to insert the stems. Plastic free, I'll reuse both the moss and the wire in other arrangements another time, no floral foam needed!

Hoping everyone has a lovely day today, however you choose to celebrate it. We're having family over for lunch as my boys are home from uni and it was their 21st last week. But at the moment, I'm watching the AA rescue hubby's pride and joy car from the middle of Guildford. Lunch may not be as prompt as I was hoping 😆🌷

It's not too late! Still got a small capacity for seasonal flowers and tulip bunches this weekend. Pick up only from Wood Street Village. Message me here and I'll get back to you!

Thank you so much for all your orders this week, I've certainly been kept on my toes! I'm now sold out for the rest of this week, although I'm sure I could rummage a small seasonal bunch if you twist my arm 😂🌷

Seasonal delights from the field! What could be more jolly to pop on your bedside table or table top thsi weekend? Fragrant rosemary, zingy yellow narcissi and some beautiful early cherry blossom!
🌺If anyone would like flowers for Mother's Day (or your favourite Grannie, Auntie, sister or friend!) that arent going to break the bank, then they are up for sale on my website or message me via FB or Instagram. Cut off for orders Friday evening please. All delivered in a small gift bag with gift tag and wording of your choice. Deliveries will be saturday afternoon or Sunday morning between 9 and 10.30am
🌸No bouquets this year, sadly, as the weather has been against me on my taller stems. But that's seasonal flowers for you!
🌼Free delivery in Wood Street Village or small paid delivery elsewhere in Guildford or free pick up from my front door.

🌸Dreaming of a DIY wedding? Dive into our wedding buckets! From July to October, you can expect some of these beauties stealing the show! Dahlias are focal  flowers, high value, adding a good splash of colour where you need it. With their incredible symmetrical forms, they work well in urns, table decorations, bridal bouquets and button-holes alike.
🌸Alongside dahlias you'll also find a mix of secondary flowers (like cosmos, or zinnias), whimsical floaty textural elements (like seed pods and grasses) and herbs and foliage for that extra scent and freshness. Everything you need to craft gorgeous, seasonal arrangements for your wedding day.
🏠 Looking for more info? Check out our website's homepage or hop over to the shop to place your order! Available May-October

I love love love when brides share their wedding photos and I couldnt have been happier when this one popped into my inbox the other day! Dancing cosmos, peachy dahlias, scented feverfew and little nods of blue love-in-a-mist. 'Warm Pastels' was a colour scheme I was asked for a lot last year, and I'm hoping it will be just as popular this year as it really makes my heart sing! If romantic, naturally grown flowers, grown with a heart and a conscience are important to you, then please do get in touch and we can chat further. I offer DIY buckets of flowers for the budding flower arrangers in your family or I can create all the wedding party flowers for you, as well as table arrangements, milk churns and pew ends. And if you're eloping, an order of a single bouquet and button hole will always be welcome!
Beautiful shot by

DIY wedding flowers...
There seems to be a lot of posts about them on the Grid right now, so I'm going to dedicate a few posts to them. So what are they? In their simplest sense DIY wedding flowers are flowers that you buy and then use to create all your flowery needs at your wedding. Whether that's bouquets, buttonholes, or flowers for inside or outside your venue. If you have creative friends and family, who are happy to pitch in just before your big day, then its a wonderful way of adding a personal and fun touch to your wedding! I sell buckets of blooms for this very purpose, foliage and flowers cut to a colour theme, bursting with freshness, scent, movement and texture. You do all the arranging, saving you money on the floristry, so it's a great if you're keeping an eye on costs.

BUT...Arranging flowers can be mighty stressful, take it from me! While it might take x number of minutes to arrange a vase of flowers for the table, if you want 30, plus 6 bouquets, and 8 buttonholes, then multiply that up and you'll realise that if you haven't got a good team of helpers, you will need a lot of TIME the day before your wedding, which is when often you are at your busiest! So here at Homestead Flowers I offer what I call my Part Curated option. I'll use my expertise to make for you any part of the wedding flowers that you don't feel a) confident tackling or b) you know you won't have the time to do. Some couples just ask me to make the bouquet and button holes (as these are the most photographed), leaving friends and family to take buckets of flowers to decorate the venue. Or if you would like me to make ALL of your floral arrangements then that can be organised too.

If you want to know more about my DIY flower options, then email or message me and I will send you my 2024 info sheet.

About time I posted a photo of me on the grid. So here I am, hidden by a bucket of flowers! I'm Lisa and I run Homestead Flowers, growing and arranging scented seasonal flowers for intimate weddings, funerals and businesses in the Guildford area. I also supply wholesale to other talented florists in Surrey and London, and once a month, you will find me selling bunches and other flowery wares!
Once a week I work as a gardener on a private estate with 🌸Kate took this photo of me last summer, and the flowers I am holding are ones we grew there, all ready for us to arrange for inside the house. Kate taught me all I know about growing annual flowers, and I wouldn't be where I am today, without her support and encouragement. We all need mentors in our lives, and I'm lucky that mine is also my best friend! We've shared a lot of laughter (and a few tears too) in the 10 years I've been working there.
This year sees some exciting developments at Homestead Flowers, a new flower barn to get creative in and workshops on the horizon too. I'm so excited to be able to share this space and my flower field with you all in future years, I can't wait! Thank you for following! 💞