The Seedling
Flowers have always been a part of my life. I used to spend my Saturdays and school holidays working among the petals and colours of the family flower shop in Cheshire, which started my love affair with all things floral. Helping my mum and sister to flower weddings had me falling head over heels with the way spaces could be transformed, and led me down a career path that focused on 3D design in the world of stage and screen. After 6 years working in TV Art departments, the need to connect with the outside world was too strong to ignore, so I took a Masters in Landscape Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art. This taught me to think bigger and more sculpturally in terms of space, and sowed the seed for Brompton Buds and the large scale, wild and textural installations that I so love to create now.
The Sprout
Brompton Buds would not be where it is without my husband, Dan. Ever since we first got together we’ve been champions of each other's biggest dreams and maddest ideas. When in the pub one night, I shared how much I longed to go back to flowers, and Dan immediately came back with his dream to run an organic farm, the spark of something started. Little did we know then that 2 years later we would be moving to the South West where we had no family or friends to make our dream become a reality! We first laid eyes on Westcott Farm during a weekend escape from London one cold January in 2015. The sun didn’t seem to shine until we turned up for our viewing and there it was beaming down on the farm. By June our bags were packed and we left our London life well and truly behind us making the green hills of Somerset our new home.
The Blossom
Upon our move to Westcott farm, whilst Dan was busy building his herds of English longhorn cattle, Exmoor horn sheep and large black pigs, I got started on transforming the 18th century barn into my flower studio for Brompton Buds. Later the following year I turned a neighbouring studio into my office, which became Brompton Buds HQ. It is here that I host my consultations and it’s one of my favourite spaces. Comfy sofas, a cosy log burner and an abundance of home made cake! A complete contrast to my flower barn next door where I create my flowers, which is a perfect temperature for flowers but rather on the cold side for meetings! The beams and high ceilings of the barn makes the perfect place to work on my romantic, wild and natural floral designs ahead of your big day. The South West is the perfect playground for us as a family, we love exploring the hills and coastlines with our daughter Mia, our son Maxwell and our dogs Wilma and Herbert. My love of the local landscapes and shorelines is echoed in my work – organic, romantic and wild. I also love being involved in coastal weddings with the sea as a backdrop! It’s been a whirlwind few years since that idea over drinks in the pub, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.