Who could have guessed that usually austere January would hold one of the busiest weeks we have experienced in the last year? Not us! But in December 2011 this is exactly what we realised was in store.

The week beginning the 9^th January was packed with events of all different types, in venues ranging from The Natural History Museum to London Zoo, to Old Billingsgate.

We were truly in busy mode. The event to be held in what used to be London’s largest fishmarket, Old Billingsgate, was a corporate event with 150 dining tables alone, not including the bars or the drinks tables… Every surface in our studio was being used to store an amaryllis arrangement of some kind!

We did a few sums (as we obviously weren’t busy enough) and came up with the following mind boggling totals.

In one weekend we arranged 3100 white amaryllis, 2000 stems of dendrobium orchids and 3000 red roses. We placed table centrepieces onto 400 tables and lit 1300 candles.

Let’s hope that this is a good omen for 2012 – busy, lively and full of flowers!

Summer is undeniably here, so I wanted to take this opportunity for a quick retrospective on one of the loveliest and most stylish spring seasons I can remember.

After a bitterly cold winter, spring came warm and early this year, and with it came all of our favourites. They may have been early, but they were the most fragrant and vibrant for years. 2011 must surely go down in history as that in which London was covered in a blanket of blossom, so sumptuous and colourful that people were stopping in the street to take pictures.

Designs that this spring has inspired us to create will definitely be favourites of mine for a long time to come.

In February we had a stand at The Designer Wedding Show and let spring tell its own story by placing hand tied posies of paperwhite, hyacinth and tulips, alongside plants of lily of the valley and cat grass simple glass vases. French tulips grew up in their own private garden within tall glass vases and huge magnolia branches in glass took centre stage, completely unadorned, but all the lovelier for it. People were drawn to the stand by the fragrance and commented over and over on the beauty and impact of simple white spring flowers together.

In April we were lucky enough to be asked to design the flowers for Create’s Annual Venues Dinner. The event was in The National History Museum’s Darwin Centre, a venue with soaring ceilings and a glass wall running the length of the room, overlooking the gardens.

The look we created aimed to capture the essence of spring. We wanted to showcase a slice of nature and surround guests with it. The table was filled with narcissus and cat grass plants in glass vases to expose their bulbs and roots and tall glass vases filled with blossom were placed at every 10 feet along the table, connected overhead by a blossom espelier. The look was wild, but under control at the same time, like a manicured woodland. 

So, while we are very much looking forward to summer 2011, our memories of Spring 2011 will be vibrant, fragrant and long lasting..

Mary Jane

As the Royal wedding approaches, the identity of the florist who will be providing flowers for the big day is still a secret, amazingly.

At Mary Jane Vaughan Designs we are as gripped as the rest of the nation and there is nothing to stop us speculating as to what the future princess’ bridal flowers be and what her bouquet will look like.

We have divided opinions here at the workshop. Some think traditional, definitely something incorporating Lily of the Valley, for fragrance and delicate, feminine appeal. Some of us think (and hope) that Kate’s personality may just peek through the layers of tradition to marry elegance with a youthful twist.

Mary Jane has designed our vision of the Royal wedding bouquet which appeared in this month’s issue of Wedding Flowers (see image). It’s a full and textured posy of ivory Roses, Parrot Tulips and Phalaeonopsis Orchids which looks loose and natural whilst retaining a traditional dome shape. Trailing and fragrant Jasmine adds a touch of whimsy and the faintest hint of pink.

We hope you’re watching Kate as we think this would be perfect for you!

Named by the Independent Magazine as one of the best florists in the UK, described by the Sunday Times magazine as capable of the most outlandish of requests - Mary Jane has been arranging flowers for events and weddings for the last 20 years.

She is known for her elegant, simple and contemporary displays.