Narcissus: The December Beauty

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Toby Roberts

This symbol of anything tranquil and sweet, consists of yellow and white flowers, also known as daffodils.

They are extremely popular in the Mediterranean, because they grow almost everywhere and carry with them a rather interesting mythological history. God Narcissus, obsessed with how attractive he was, was led to a pool by Nemesis where he couldn’t take his eyes off his own reflection and drowned. That is why daffodils are symbols of beauty and loving yourself – although not (anymore) in a conceited way.

These beautiful flowers, once they have finished flowering, will start growing (better in the shade of deciduous trees). Once these trees leaf out, their foliage will have significantly grown. Daffodils will not long survive under evergreen trees and shrubs.

Their flowering season lasts anywhere from six weeks to six months, depending on where you live and the cultivars you grow. After blooming, let the daffodil plant rebuild its bulb for the next year. The leaves stay green while this is happening. When the leaves begin to yellow, then you can cut the leaves off but not before.

Narcissi are mainly cultivated in Holland and UK and they originate from Western Europe.

TBR Christmas; Interior & Dining

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Christakis Spyrou

Tick Tock boys and girls! Christmas is officially 6 weeks away.

Don’t be a late planner; the perfect Christmas dinner needs serious planning. TBR Floral Design is all about creating the best visuals, which doesn’t happen easily but is always do-able. There are so many things you need to consider when you’re planning your Christmas dinner. Interior Aesthetics being the number one rule; from room decor to the kind of fork you’ll be using, everything needs to be perfectly selected and displayed. If you’re a person who likes to create a wow-factor and want to keep the title of the best host among your group of friends, then we might have the perfect tips for you.

The Room.

What kind of interior do you like? Have you a got a rustic taste or maybe a late Victorian? Ultra-luxurious or neoclassic? It doesn’t matter. The only thing you need to worry about, is the colours that dominate each room.

If you have a primarily white themed house, then create a Christmas display with white, silver-grey and sky-blue decorations. We love short white and crystal-clear vases (preferably square-shaped), in which you can place small white baubles topped with hydrangeas and hyacinths. Somewhere in the vase place one or two sky blue baubles for contrast. Place them perfectly aligned on a fireplace mantel with tinsel or other smaller ornaments. Let your creativity flow and really think about the countless decorations you can make with just a few vases, tinsel, baubles, white flowers and some spray. For a more dramatic effect, place a few branches inside very tall vases (that you’ll be placing next to a fireplace or on top of the dinner table) and spray them with glittery-silver paint. White and black branches make a great combination.

If your rooms are colourful, then opt for Christmas ornaments that match the room’s dominating colours. Always contrast them with black, white, green and cerulean – we find that these colours never fail to inspire.

The Dinner Table

You might be the kind of person who hates the traditional white/red/green christmas table decorations, so we’re gonna give you a few different options.

The traditional:

Buy a red table cloth (preferably plain – no Santa or reindeers on it – Tucky is not a TBR attribute). Place green and white placemats for each guest and leave room in the middle line of the table for the flower decoration and the turkey. It’s always best to keep the food on a buffet instead of putting everything on top of the table. The table displays should never feel crammed.

Break the contrast with some black plates (or just red) and make sure your tea-towels are of similar colour.

The flower arrangement (if you’re going for the traditional), it’s what creates the jaw-dropping effect. Combine mistletoe with white roses and of course white and red candles.

The luxurious TBR design

White white white.

White table cloth with silver place-mats (we love these ones from Maisons du Monde and Amara). On top of your silver plates place your tea-towels wrapped in silver holders or a name tag). Your middle flower arrangement should consist of tall vases with long white flowers, baubles, silver-sprayed plants and lots of white candles. Frosted Glass for candles give the display a warmer feeling.

FEELING INSPIRED? Take a look at some of our previous installations.

Stay tuned because we’re announcing our first winner on Wednesday!!! Have you entered yet? You still have 3 days. Simply click on THIS picture and then Like it.

Thank you,

TBR Team.

“Creep” it real, with these Halloween Arrangements!

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Christakis Spyrou

Three Simple Ideas to create a Halloween themed floral arrangement

Save the candy for the kids and prepare to amaze your friends (especially the ones who are obsessed with this holiday) by giving them a Halloween themed bouquet.

We all love this holiday, mainly because we get to fill our houses (both inside and outside) with pumpkins and scary decorations. But these simple creations can be a fun gift to your friends for a halloween dinner party.

We’ve narrowed it down to these ingredients that you can mix and match. If combined properly, you’ll have a “spook-tacular” Halloween creation.

What do I need?

Orange roses, purple carnations and cushion poms, blue (or purple) asters.

You’ll also need a purple wrapping paper as well as orange, black or red ribbons.

For the base, use black or purple vases and any amount of pumpkins you’d like.

Some Glitter Spray (you can get on ebay or even superdrug).

Purple and orange flowers are ideal for any autumn-themed decoration and these combinations look great in any Halloween arrangement. You can use orange roses and lilies as well as purple cushion poms, then add dark-coloured leaves on top for a more dramatic effect. Best displayed inside a purple or see-through black vase.

The Pumpkin King

Carve a pumpkin and on the top place orange roses, blue asters and purple carnations. Add some athos (pom cushions) to make the rest of the colours stand out.

The Addams Vase

Place inside a black or purple vase the following: blue asters, black roses (you can add a red one somewhere as well), and long thin branches (of similar colour) for a dramatic effect.
We suggest you do at least three of these vases, each one with a different touch. You can add spray glitter paint to one of them and add an orange rose (instead of red) into another. Contrasting the black and blue arrangements with an orange or red rose is definitely an eye catcher!

Black Bouquet Blue..

This is a fun idea for a gift, for someone who loves flowers. Take your roses and Carnations (and maybe add black roses), tie them together with a string. Then place them in the wrapping paper as tightly as you can in the bottom, and a bit wider on the top (similar to a vampire’s costume in fairytales). Then spray the glitter paint gently holding it on top of the arrangement (min 30 cm) so that only the top gets sprayed. We suggest silver, purple and red colours.

And don’t forget you can enter our Christmas Contest by liking and sharing our post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Make your garden come alive in winter with these suggestions

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Christakis Spyrou

Winter has arrived; coats are out, scarves are being sold in stores and as the weather gets colder, more and more people like to plan ahead.

For most people, this is the time to start chopping wood and storing it safely so that their fireplaces are equipped enough. But if you are a keen gardener then this is the best time to start building your “winter wonderland” in your back yard.

Winter should not be a time where we prepare our garden only for Christmas. Instead, we must take into consideration that once the Christmas holiday is over, we still have a good two months of cold weather before Spring arrives.

The hardest part is to find time – especially around Christmas time – to maintain our gardens. Holiday obligations tend to take a lot of our time, but it really only requires 4-5 hours a week to maintain a beautiful landscaped garden.

If a garden is monitored and taken care of properly, you’ll see most of it thrive throughout January, which is the coldest month of the year (and planting seems almost impossible). Therefore, as mentioned in previous blogs, January is the time to organise your shed and prepare for spring.

The following flowers have an exquisite aroma and colours so vibrant that can bring a bit of warmth in the winter.

Winter Jasmine

What a stunning plant this is and definitely one of our favourites. The fragrance it produces is simply euphoric. It can thrive through the nasty British weather and reach a pretty good height.

Heather

Heather is fantastic for winter but must be planted between September and October. It comes in different variations such as pink, purple and white. DECOR TIP: Place a pot of Heather on your balconies or entrance door to create a beautiful ‘warm’ feeling.

Viburnum

Look no further if you want to add powerful fragrance and beauty in your garden between autumn and spring! This plant is so easy to grow and doesn’t really take much caring. All you need to do is decide where to plant it and watch it grow in days. BUYING TIP: The pink budded flower is the most common version of this flower and it’s called “Eve-Price”.

Hellebore

This white and red flower is best used in rich soil that has a lot of moisture. The key thing with Hellebore is to place them somewhere where there’s not much wind. They thrive if planted between trees and bushes.

Extra Tips:

As requested, these are our suggestions for winter balcony flowers!

Winter Balcony Flowers
Erica Carnea (Winter Heather).
Ornamental Cabbage
False Holly
Swiss Chard
Coral Bells

And don’t forget you can enter our Christmas Contest by liking our post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Make your Balconies stand out with these selections

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Christakis Spyrou

Balcony flowers are essential to make your apartment stand out and give it character. Even if you have a small balcony in the city centre, by using the space carefully it can bring good energy into your personal space and brighten up your day. Your balconies – especially in the city – can be the best places to reconnect with nature, when hectic lifestyles make us forget about mother Earth.

Whether you want to make your balcony unique, or just enjoy stepping outside for a cup of coffee before work, your flower arrangement should feel relaxing and motivational. TBR suggests the following flowers that don’t need much maintenance and can be an incredible sight.

Dianthus

This “divine flower” (literally) is recognised by a number of its species, most commonly by carnations (dianthus caryophyllus), and Sweet William (dianthus barbatus). They can be a great addition to your balconies as they can handle the cold weather of Britain. They can thrive for most of the year even if the sun is out for a few hours. Dianthus plants, in order to grow (up to 18”) and keep their vibrant colours, they require little watering, but great air circulation.

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

This perennial plant is perfect for a summer balcony. If you have a slightly bigger-than-usual balcony that can accommodate you and your friends for an afternoon beverage, then a gaillardia can be a memorable plant to place outside. It has petals like a daisy and resembles a small sunflower as well. You can find this in brown or red predominantly and needs little watering.

Asters

Available in blue, pink, red and white, this is the flower that belongs to an artist’s balcony. It motivates painters to pick up a brush, and even the busy financier to spend his Sunday evening walking in the park. They can handle cold weather and very moist summers and can reach as high as 8 inches tall.

Yarrow

This flower is a magician of tolerance. Throughout the year no matter the weather, it can thrive and keep its vibrant yellow, pink, red or white colours. Our suggestion is to add it near contrasting coloured flowers (such as a blue aster), or have an arrangement of its different variations. They bring the best out of nearby colours, i.e. they make outdoor darkwood furniture stand out, and a mosaic floor even more noticeable. A yarrow is a great choice for your outdoor living.

TIP:

The medi-look

A term we like to use for outdoor living arrangements that are filled with colourful flowers (red, violet, blue and white) in large hanging clay pots. The Mediterranean look had always been desired. You can see that as far as Scottsdale, Arizona when newbuilt houses bare the Mediterranean style.

Mediterranean balconies are simply the most beautiful in Europe, as they make your balconies look like a freshly done painting. Simply, browse for vibrant warm colours, add them in clay pots (or mosaic), hang them on your outdoor walls and enjoy the British Summer with a glass of Pimms and a book.

Our best suggestion for the medi-look?Of course, Jasmines. This white creation will make your neighbours envious of the exotic fragrance and elegant appearance.

Simple (Floral) Feng Shui tips for your home.

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Christakis Spyrou

When it comes to decorating your house with plants, all you need to do is figure out what you like the most and would like to see them around your house?

Decorating your house with plants is not only a way to bring your house to life, but also a way to connect with your personal space. Plants can create a beautiful and peaceful energy for your home and bring calmness into your life.

As you walk inside…

The front door is the perfect place for you to create an amazing first impression. In addition, it can make you feel relaxed as soon as you get out of the car and make your way inside after a day at work. We suggest that you put symmetrical plants on either side of your front door.

The Living Room…

We’ve mentioned once before about the most important places in a room, where if done properly, it creates a wonderful atmosphere for you and your family/friends. In a living room, nothing is more important than a well-presented fireplace. Depending on its colour, it’s always best to add contrasting plants to make it more ‘homey’. A fireplace should be kept simple and not ‘overcrowded’ with stuff. We suggest short bonsai trees or plants inside (dark) glass vases of different shapes.

The Kitchen…

My favourite place in a house is the kitchen. As houses these days tend to have an open plan kitchen and living room, it is more common to spend time with your guests in the kitchen, where wine and snacks are more accessible and it even feels like an extension of your living room. However, a kitchen – regardless if open plan or not – should still have some features that distinguish it from the rest of the living room. If you’re lucky enough to have big windows by your kitchen sink, then don’t think twice and immediately place plants on the windowsill. There’s not right or wrong when it comes to choosing plants for your kitchen, as long as you match the interior colours with your plants. Hydrangeas in small cube glass vases are one of our favourite choices. These can go anywhere from your breakfast/dinner table to your shelves and windowsills. Even if you have dark colour tiles in your kitchen, a white or a combination of white and pink flowers can create a masculine or feminine atmosphere respectively.

The bedroom…

This is the perfect place to put healing flowers. Our plant of choice for bedrooms are lavenders mainly for its incredible healing powers and for making your sleep even better. For more information on Lavender, read back on one of our previous posts.

Walls, walls, walls…

When a piece of art doesn’t really feel right on a specific wall, then you’d be surprised how a hanging plant can compliment your interior without much effort. All you need to do is find the perfect hanging pot (the smaller the better), and create a visually engaging sequence. Tip: try hanging that artwork again and see how much better it looks with plants around it.

Keep updated with TBR on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more updates.

Flowers for him (3 simple tips)

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Christakis Spyrou

Flowers are for everyone. Last week, we’ve shared tips on how to pick the perfect flower arrangement for your favourite girls. Today, it’s all about men.

Whether you’re wishing your father happy birthday, attending your son’s graduation or enjoying your anniversary with your other half, TBR has put together a few tips for creating a subtle-coloured bouquet for him.

For Birthday Occasions:

Any fresh plant can be a great way to wish a man happy birthday. Plants can be added in their personal spaces; be it, office, living room, bedroom. Peace lilies are a great gift as they require little observation (especially if the celebrant has a busy lifestyle). For younger people, strong colours are essential. Masculine flowers such as orchids can bring joy on someone’s special day. Extra Tip: Men have been secretly obsessed with Bonsai Trees ever since they saw Mr. Miyagi cultivating one in Karate Kid. Just saying..

Congratulatory Flowers

Apart from the typical wine basket that comes in almost every congratulatory occasion, why not add a selection of vibrant coloured flowers? Exotic flowers bouquets are great gifts for men. Refrain from choosing pastel-coloured flowers as they tend to be considered more feminine.

Anniversaries
Women are usually the only receivers of anniversary flowers but men will also appreciate a floral gift. Long-term affection can be represented in a wonderful arrangement of white and blue orchids, as well as a set of white roses, germinis and chrysanthemums. To make the set more youthful, add purple freesia and statices, combined with salal and pittosporums.

Tweet us a picture of your arrangement and tell us all about your special day! @TBRfloraldesign

Flowers for her

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Christakis Spyrou

Diamonds might be a girl’s best friend, but nothing shows more affection than a carefully selected flower arrangement for her. Here at TBR Studio, we care for each and every individual and we suggest the best ideas to tailor your needs. Take our advice on these simple romantic suggestions to put a smile on your favourite girls’ faces.

Irises are simply stunning. Either combined with other (ethereal) coloured flowers or as single gifts, they will definitely make a girl’s day. Iris is a representation of wisdom, courage and admiration.

Sunflowers are a great way to show affection to a more mature woman. Whether that is your spouse or your mother, it can brighten up her personal space, as well as her heart. This flower is used to show adoration and loyalty.

Lilacs are a great gift for younger women, as they tend to represent youthfulness and innocence. They are great as congratulatory gifts and they add elegance in your home house.
Carnations are great gifts and they are easy to grow. Our suggestion is to secretly plant them outside the entrance door and wait for them to bloom in order for your other half to be surprised and feel touched. Carnations are a representation of love and fascination.

Tulips are the perfect anniversary gift. In a bouquet, add different colour tulips and tie them in a big pink ribbon. It is a great gift for women of any age and is a representation of long-lasting affection.

When and what to plant; 12 months of tips.

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Christakis Spyrou

Whether you have a busy lifestyle or a very relaxed one, planting flower seeds is an act of caring. You really ought to have a passion for creation in order to spend a few minutes of your time to create a picturesque corner in your garden or indoors.

But what and when should you be planting?

Each month of the year is a wonderful opportunity to bring to life your favourite types of flowers. TBR Studio has put together this list for you.

January: Being the coldest month of the year, planting can seem almost impossible as the weather will almost definitely ruin the seeds. So, why not spend this time organising your garden; cleaning out your shed, buy the seeds and prepare the pots?

February: Towards the end of February – when the weather allows the occasional sunshine – start planting your daffodils, fuscias and primroses. At the same time, protect your plants from the snow and the frost to avoid any damage. Roses are the best seeds to plant in February.

March: you will start observing the first few bulbs emerging from the ground as spring rises. You can notice a plethora of daffodils and roses towards the end of March (if you have planted them at the end of the February).

April: As the weather improves, you should really think about taking care of your lawn, to avoid any insects that might damage your plants. This is the best month to plant gladioli.

May: Keep mowing your lawn and make sure this is the time to plant wallflowers and foxgloves. Your greenhouse should be ventilated in order to protect your flowers from heat and humidity.

June & July: You should by now have a colourful garden. This is a great time to move some of your flowers inside, for decoration. Avoid spraying delicate flowers because insecticide will ruin them. This is a great time to trim lilac and forsythias to embrace regrowth. Some of your tasks for July entail watering your flowers more frequently than before. Mow your lawn once a week and ensure that your flowers are trimmed for better results.

August: this is the month where you can sit back and enjoy the view. Your flowers definitely need plenty of water. In August you can plant colchicums in order to see them bloom in the Autumn.

September & October: after a blissful and colourful summer, you can now remove thatch from your lawn by raking it thoroughly with a springbok. Start planting anemones, bluebells and tulips and make sure your pots are fertilized before planting.

November: being the rainiest month of the year requires you to start tidying your garden by removing fallen leaves and burning them in order to avoid any diseases in the summer. Take your fuschias inside and make room for new plants.

December: We usually neglect our gardens at this time of year, as the holiday preparations take over. But imagine how well presented a garden can look for those amazing Christmas parties if you take a few hours of your time to create an awe-inspiring atmosphere.

For more guidance and tips, drop TBR Studio an email (toby@tbrfloraldesign.co.uk)

How to make your flowers last longer?

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Christakis Spyrou

Flowers are nature’s children who need to be understood and loved.

The truth is, we often buy flowers and plants for decorative reasons, but taking good care of your flowers (like you take care of your children), is not only nurturing and healing, but it can also be a great way to bring good energy and atmosphere into your home.

To love your flowers means not to forget about their watering and to make them last as long as they can. TBR has put together a few simple guidelines for you to use, in order to make the best out of their beauty and aroma.

♣ Flowers can wither early because they are cut. To make them look fresh, a good vase is essential. Vases need to be washed thoroughly – especially if you have used them before for other flowers – because a good wash will take out any left bacteria from previous installments.

♣ Use organic soap when washing your flowers and avoid any chemicals that might blend in with new water later.

♣ When you’re washing your vases, use warm water as bacteria die in high temperatures. Make sure your vases are not wet when you’re putting new water. The water should be around 43.5 degrees Celsius and always leave to sit in a cool place for two hours first.

♣ When you buy flowers, they tend to come with their ‘lunchbox’. These are essential proteins for the flowers to feed from. Don’t throw it away.

♣ Try not to drown your flowers in a lot of water and make sure they’re away from heat. They need sun for photosynthesis, but as long as they are kept cool at the same time.

♣ Change the water every two days to reduce bacteria formation.

♣ Trim flowers at a 45 degree angle.

♣ People can use hairspray to preserve the flowers, but we find this environmentally harmful and disrespectful to the plant. As an alternative, we suggest non-toxic sprays such as the Alba Botanica Hair Spray or the Alterna Caviar.

An essential tip is to avoid placing flowers next to fruit as they will produce ethylene which ruins any plants that are nearby.

TBR Floral Design Blog

Category Archives: tips