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Introducing our 2023 Mother's Day Collection
Neill Strain Floral Couture is introducing a new range of exquisite designs especially for the U.K. Mother's Day, on Sunday, March 19th, and Arab Mother's Day, celebrated on March 21st. In a pink and pale peach colour palette, utterly feminine, the designs include hand-tied bouquets in varying sizes, a hand-made basket filled with flowers of breathtaking beauty, a signature Petite Couture arrangement with the floral ‘Belgravia’ fragranced candle and another hand-made basket design assembled with extraordinary new Mini-Phalaenopsis Orchids that promises to amaze all Orchid enthusiasts.
I am particularly thrilled with our Mother’s Day Collection this year because we have sourced some really exciting new and rare flowers from our network of champion growers. Thanks to the close relationship we have with our growers, we often receive samples of new flowers to test and trial. Sometimes, due to their limited availability, we have to reserve the entire production for a Collection and hence are able to offer new, exclusive flowers, to our clients - which they love!
Our 2023 Mother’s Day Collection comprises a stunning blend of pink garden style Roses, fluffy Dianthus, Clematis, a rare white and purple Lilac flower and Viburnum Opulus, the latter two quintessentially spring flowers, topped with “butterfly Orchids,” the ‘Shanghai’ Phalaenopsis from our fabulous grower Ichtus, which add a further aspect of spring to the designs. The new and rare flowers include a striking Scabiosa, a colour-changing Spray Rose and unusual Ranunculus from Italy, as well as the astounding ‘Bellissimo’ Mini-Phalaenopsis Orchid which has more than 100 flowers on one plant.
The ‘Blackberry Scoop’ Scabiosa, named after its blackberry colour and ice-cream scoop shape, is quite new to the cut-flower world and available in only very limited quantities. Formerly only found in the garden, Scabiosa are now being grown for bouquets. These new 'Scoop' Scabiosas have been created by our breeder, Kolster, in Holland, renowned for their exceptional work with Hydrangeas. Whereas new varieties of some flowers, like Tulips, cannot be man-made, Scabiosas can be cross-pollinated and manipulated to obtain exciting new colours, longer, stronger stems and even more beautiful blooms. Thanks to Peter Kolster’s expertise, these new Scabiosas are exceptional and we are convinced they will become very popular in the future, if production increases.
Neill Strain visiting the Dutch breeder, Kolster
Also very exclusive is the Spray Rose ‘Lovely Yoyo’ from De Opstal. There are only 3 growers of Spray Roses in Holland and De Opstal is reputed for producing the most unusual varieties in limited quantities. The new 'Peach Yoyo’ is not only unusual for the shape of the heads, but because of its ability to dramatically change colour as it opens. Metamorphosing from green, to pale pink to a lovely peach, this Rose was being abandoned by growers who feared that florists would not be able to work with the changing colour palette. But we love it and are encouraging De Opstal to continue with this absolute beauty!
De Opstal harvesting their incredible Spray Roses
In the basket and Petite Couture arrangements, we have added the rare ‘Pon Pon Malva’ Ranunculi, for their delicate, unusual-shaped heads and intense colour. This flower also changes colour after picking, passing from grassy green to deep pink. Grown only in small quantities in Italy and Southern France from January to March, it is a seasonal rarity that is difficult to source but a gem to be treasured. The Petite Couture design comes as a gift set with our 'Belgravia' fragranced candle which has wonderful sweet fruity fragrances with Rose and Magnolia heart notes and woody-musk undertones, probably the most feminine scent in our range.
Introduced only a year ago, the new Mini-Phalaenopsis Orchid plant from Optiflor is an absolute beauty. We were spellbound by the singularity of this plant. Whereas Orchids usually have 2 stems, this has 5, and each stem has over 20 flowers on it. Due to its rarity and femininity, I have added this as a planter to our Mother’s Day Collection. Hence, two ‘Bellisimo’ Mini Phalaenopsis plants, bearing more than 200 flower heads in a distinctive pale pink, are crafted into a hand-made basket and decorated with fantasy wires as a magnificent Orchid planter for Mother’s Day.
All these designs are now available for ordering online and can be delivered anywhere in London between Saturday, March 18th and Tuesday, March 21st exclusively.
I am confident that our clients, who really appreciate the extent of our efforts to source the most extraordinary flowers in the world, as well as to create innovative designs, will not be disappointed with our new 2023 Mother's Day Collection. We look forward to hearing your feedback!
Florally yours,
Neill x
