Corporate Flowers

You can’t have a million-dollar dream with a with a minimum wage work ethic- Stephen C. Hogan

            Thank-you for dropping by again today, it’s good to have you with us. I love the quote above. So often today there is a feeling that the bare minimum can be done with a huge outcome. If you’re a true leader, you will know from your own experience that the raw truth is very different. Wendy at The Flower Basket never expects her staff to do anything that she wouldn’t do herself first.

It is in the small acts of kindness and thanks that speak volumes and builds loyalty for staff and clients. So at first glance flowers might not seem that important in the grand scheme of day to day business, but it could change some ones attitude for a day, month, year or even the rest of their working life.

At The Flower Basket you can set up a business account, this way if you would like regular floral arrangements or bouquets sent to an employee or client we can do this for you without you having to think about it! Likewise if you have forgotten an occasion you can call up and we can deliver the same day*. 

Below is a basic list of what we can provide. If you have any other ideas we are happy to help you bring them to life.

• Remember employees Birthdays
• Alternative Reward
• Brighten your Reception area or Office
• Send a Thank-you or loyalty gift to a client

*Same day delivery depends on the availability of staff and the delivery radius.

Ye Old Plough House

I have found the one to whom my soul loves- Song Of Solomon 3 vs 4

            Hello and welcome back. This weekend we had the privilege of setting up a wedding in in one of the most stunning venues- Ye Old Plough House in Bulphan. The staff were very welcoming and the bridal party were busy getting ready when we arrived. The sun was shining and it was a perfect day for a wedding. The tables had all been laid and set so it was perfect for us to go in and put the finishing touches in place.

            The Bride had asked for a top table arrangement, cocktail glasses and arrangements for the centre pieces on the tables. Hand tide for herself and the bridesmaids and classic button holes for the men. The colour theme as you can see is pink, purple and white using roses, germini, lisianthus and gyp.

            We have wedding packages available, at The Flower Basket we understand how vital it is to be a reliable company and ensure a high standard is maintained. We can guarantee that attention to detail is given every step of the way. So then it is one less thing for you to worry about. Get in touch with us today and see what we can do for you!

Supermarket vs Authentic

When you buy something made by a person, there is something special there, and you do feel it. The consciousness with witch a thing is made is often more important than the thing itself- J. Donald Walters

            Hello, how are you doing today? It’s starting to get colder and my woolly jumpers and boots are coming out! Today I wanted to look at supermarket verses an authentic florist. Where to get flowers from? Supermarket or a florist? Pay less or more? For some the answer might seem more obvious and there are arguments both for and against for both sides. So let’s have a look.

Supermarket pros-

• Cheap
• Quick to pick up
• Already wrapped
• Much larger stock

Supermarket cons-

• Flowers don’t last as long
• No learned knowledge how to look after your flowers
• Care is not given to each stem

Authentic Florist pros-

• Knowledge of flowers and how to care for them
• Hand-picked flowers for each bouquet to ensure top quality
• Water and flowers are checked and changed frequently
• You have a choice of exactly what colours and flowers you want
• Wider variety of hand tied, aqua packs, single flowers
• Bigger orders for weddings, funerals or a specific occasion
• Can pre-order
• Can ask for delivery mainland or abroad
• Supporting local business’s

Authentic Florist cons-

• More expensive
• Might have to wait in store while item is made
• Smaller stock in shop due to space and cost

Are you still so sure?! I think it all depends on why you are buying flowers. I must admit that if you just want a little something for yourself to go in the home, then a small bunch from the local supermarket can’t hurt. BUT I do think if you are buying some flowers as a gift then it is well worth paying the extra, to know that the flowers have been cared for and will last longer. So the next time you are buying flowers just stop and weigh up the options! I challenge you to buy from your local supermarket and your local florist and have a look at the difference in quality. Call today, have a look on our website or come down to the shop. We would love to see you and create something unique for you.

Until next time!

September Seasonal Flowers

By all these lovely tokens September days are here, with summers best of weather and autumns best cheer- H.H. Jackson

            September is the start of a new season, autumn and harvest is just around the corner. The children go back to school, most of the summer holidays have been had, distant friends and family have been visited until the next holiday comes around. If you come to The Flower Basket you can expect to see some of the flowers on the following list. Not all of the flowers that are in season in September are listed as there is not enough room or time to cover them all!

Allium (Flowering Onion) – Several types, some have large globe shaped flower, others much smaller bullet shaped flowers.

Bouvardia – Clusters of small tubular flowers, use with special flower food. Not all colours are available throughout the year

Callistephus – Dense headed flowers with contrasting coloured centres

Delphinium – Tall flower spikes. Also, Larkspur which is a type of delphinium.

Echinops (Globe thistle) – Prickly blue globe shaped flowers

Forsythia – The shrub commonly grown in our gardens for their springtime flowers

Gladiolus – Fairly traditional flower used in large arrangements. Miniature varieties are becoming increasingly popular

Heliconia – Tropical flower with large very dramatic flowerheads. Several different types available

Leucadendron (Safari Sunset) – It is the leaves rather than the flowers which make this popular

Moluccella (Bells of Ireland) – Tall stems with a mass of bell shaped flowers.

Ornithogalum (Chincherinchee) – Fantastically long lasting flower, usually white and less commonly available in yellow.

Phalaenopsis orchid (Moth Orchid) – Large showy flowers, popular as a pot plant as well as a cut flower especially for weddings

Rudbeckia – Daisy like flower, usually sold without any petals, just the pincushion like centre

Skimmia – Popular shrub, sold as a cut flower when in bud

Trachelium – Masses of tiny flowers create a large flat flowerhead.

Vanda – Usually 6 – 8 blooms per flower stem, The petals often have a marbled appearance.

Why not come down to The Flower Basket and see what we can make you, either as a gift or something to brighten up your home on the occasional grey day.

Park Inn Wedding Fayre

And so the adventure begins….. Anonymous

Planning a wedding is an adventure! We love knowing all your ideas and intricate details you want on your very special day. At The Flower Basket we understand how important the whole day is, from the little details to the major decisions. On the 10^th October, we ventured out of the shop to the wonderful wedding venue- Park Inn over in Thurrock. The staff were very welcoming and it was a great chance for us to meet other business’s, photographers, make up artists, bakers and wedding dress makers and entertainers.

We wanted a chance to show off our new wedding packages and what we can do for you-

Essential

            Bridal hand tied bouquet

            1 Bridesmaid hand tied bouquet

            1 Grooms Button Hole

            1 Best Man Button Hole                                                                                          

            2 Corsages

Starting at £150.00

Free quotations on any variations                                                   

Essential  +

            Bridal hand tied bouquet

            2 Bridesmaid hand tied bouquet

            4 Button Holes

            1 Ceremony or Reception arrangement

            2 Thank-you Bouquets                                                                                            

            2 Corsages

Starting at £350.00

Free quotations on any variations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Luxury

            Bridal hand tied bouquet

            2 Bridesmaid hand tied bouquet

            1 Flower Girl Posey

            6 Button Holes

            2 Corsages    

            1 Ceremony or Reception Arrangement

            10 Table Arrangements                                                                                           

            2 Thank-you Bouquets        

Starting at £590.00

Free quotations on any variations 

De Luxe

            Bridal hand tied bouquet

            2 Bridesmaid hand tied bouquet

            1 Flower Girl Posy

            6 Button Holes

            2 Corsages

            1 Top table Arrangement

            10 Table Arrangements

            1 Cake Arrangement

            2 Pedal stall

            1 Ceremony or reception arrangement                                                                

            2 Thank-you bouquets

Starting at £895.00

Free quotations on any variations

We have designed these packages to give you a starting point and an idea of prices to help you budget. They are available just as they are, or for a free no obligation quote we can tailor adjust it to suit whatever your dreams are. We can keep the prices reasonable as we still use fresh flowers, but we use what is currently in season. Just tell us your colour theme and we will let you know what we can do for you. We can also offer making up sample bouqets to give you a real idea before the big day of what you will have. Call us today to avoid disappointment!

Quality Control

The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour- Vince Lombardi

            Good to see you once again. I hope you are comfortable and have got yourself a cup of tea and some cake. After reading about what we do, I wanted to carry the theme on and explain further about where our flowers come from and what delicate care they receive from being cut to being taken home by you.

Source of flowers

            At The Flower Basket we have a very homely shop, when you walk through the door there is an instant smell of freshness and an aroma that makes you feel like you could be running through a field of wild flowers. The shop is quite small and so we don’t have a huge cold room, instead we prefer to buy the flowers as fresh as possible ‘hot off the press’ as it were. We buy our flowers from all over the world directly from Holland.

Arrival at the shop

            Wendy is often up at the crack of dawn if not before to set out to collect the flowers and brings them back to the shop. The boxes of flowers are unwrapped and laid out on the benches. Each steam is picked up, cleaned, and cared for and the end’s are re-cut. Then placed into fresh water with some flower food.

Maintenance

            If flowers are well looked after in the shop they are guaranteed to have an even longer life expectancy after you take them home or give them away as a gift. Whilst in the shop we make sure that it stays nice and cool with air conditioning, so that in the summer months the flowers don’t wilt straight away. Every day the flowers are checked to make sure they are still in tip top condition. Every other day the buckets and containers are washed out and the water is replaced. Once again, the flowers are also checked stem by stem and re-cut.

Life is in the length

            It does what is says on the tin. The longer the stem of the flower, the longer it should last. Once the flowers are taken home, a care card is sent with it to make sure you get the most out of your fresh flowers. We recommend the following-

• FLOWERS AND ROSES Remove foliage which will be below the water level. Cut o 1-2cm o the stems. Place in a clean container with clean water and add the flower food (as directed on packet). Keep the water level low (the more water the more the stem will rot). Change the water regularly (2-3 days) clean the container and stems then re-cut the ends. Lilies and Helianthus (Sunflowers) require more water than other flowers.
• TIED ARRANGEMENT As the flowers above. However, if delivered in water, pierce film over sink and allow to drain before undoing the ribbon. Do not untie your flowers. Then as above.
• FLOWER ARRANGEMENT Where flowers are arranged in floral foam, add water daily.
• GENERAL Avoid putting flowers in direct sunlight, draughts or hot locations. Always use flower preservative provided.
• CAUTION Some flowers and foliage may be toxic or cause skin irritations. Keep out of reach of children. Always wash your hands after handling plants. Lily stamens are known to stain permanently- avoid contact with all surfaces (you may prefer to remove stamens)

Customer satisfaction

            Some people may question that what we do to maintain and look after our flowers and say that it’s a bit too much. At The Flower Basket we want to make sure that everyone is happy and that the quality of the flowers is hard to match!  

What We Do

What ever the occasion, let us make it a sensation! The Flower Basket

                     Welcome back, it’s good to have you with us again today. To follow on from meeting the team, I thought it would be a good idea to share a bit with you about what we do. Well, you might say that’s simple… you throw some flowers together and wrap some paper around them. Well, not quite. When I was younger and my Mum worked from home, I would watch her create everything from bizarre funeral tributes to simple (or what I thought at the time looked simple) bouquets for any occasion. What made it more fascinating was that all of this creativity came flowing out of out rather old garden shed!

            As our motto goes, What ever the occasion, let us make it a sensation! From weddings, anniversary’s, funerals, birthdays, congratulations to get well, we have got you covered! That’s without mentioning what we can also do for your business, a regular fresh bouquet in your reception, tokens of gratitude to your most loyal customers or remembering your employees birthdays. The list could go on.

Weddings

            Well why didn’t you say?! We love a wedding, tell us everything. We want to know how you met, who you are, what your favourite place to eat is and what makes you laugh. Tell us your ideas and every detail you want on your big day. At The Flower Basket we will work with you every step of the way to ensure you end up with more than you could have ever imagined. We have wedding packages available but if they are not quite what you want we can tailor it to meet your wildest dreams. Contact us today and start this exciting journey with us.

Funerals

            At The Flower Basket, we appreciate what a difficult time this is for family and friends. No-one wants to consider saying goodbye to someone they cherish. We can guarantee that if you come to us we will display compassion, respect and care. We will work with you to create a beautiful tribute that will do your loved one proud. We are known for our unique funeral tributes, some of the more different ones include a Bertie Basset, Del Boy’s Trotter van and a dart board. If you have something in mind that you would like to create that isn’t on our website, please don’t hesitate to ask, we love a challenge and want to help you give something distinctive to say goodbye that will spark some fond memories. 

Corporate

            A first impression is everything, from looking at how someone is dressed to how tidy the office is or what the greeting is like when you first walk in somewhere. The Flower Basket can offer something to suit your budget. We can supply reception flowers to brighten up your office being either an arrangement or a bouquet or sending out flowers to your most valued clients. Come and talk to us if you have an idea in mind of what you want and we would love to work with you to offer creative ideas to give you something that sets you apart. The finish is in the details.

Day to Day

            Ooops! I forgot to buy a birthday present for Auntie Jean. Don’t panic we can help.  Order before 3pm Monday to Saturday and Midday on Wednesday and we can offer you the same day delivery. Few that’s Auntie Jean sorted. We have a wide variety of fresh flowers available, along with plants and balloons. You can always add a box of chocolates, a pick (wooden picks come with a cute note on it that can be added into bouquet), or a card to make it feel more thoughtful.
            We can take your details and store them, so if you want to pre-order flowers throughout the year to remember anniversary’s, birthdays or any other special occasions, we can worry about that for you. Know anyone abroad? It doesn’t matter what language you speak, flowers still show you care and remember. We also offer international deliveries to anywhere around the world! Just call us and let us know what you want.

Open

Hearts

Happy New Year from Wendy Kelly and staff, looking

forward to what 2017 has in store, watch this space!

Designed to suit your requirements 

Only 5 days to Christmas, still time to order.

Hearts

#Remembering the reason for this season.

#Mum

#Nan

Designs to to suit your needs

20 days to Christmas 🎄 still time to place your orders

#Baskets, various shades, colours & sizes. Choose which suits you.

Only 22 days to #Christmas 🎄

Don't leave placing your orders 💐

#Coffin Spray, #lilies #roses #lisianthus #ruscus

#Letters #Mum #Nan, yellow, white, purple, roses, lisianthus, soft ruscus

#Pink Oasis Spray #lilies, #roses, #germini, #chrysanthmum, #pastel, #teardrop

#First #Sunday #advent

29 days to Christmas 🎄 don't leave ordering too late.

#Oasis Sprays, SINGLE ended, DOUBLE ended, POSIES

#Hobbies such as #Knitting can

be a good theme to design 

a #tribute 

#32 days to #Christmas 🎄 

# Modern #Cushions & #Pillows

35 Days to #Christmas. Not to late to #Order

Pale pink #heart, #roses, lisianthus, special #Nan

"#Children in #Need"

#Ring #wreaths or #posy #pads both #beautiful #designs.

#Casket spray choose #colours which are right for the #occasion.

Whatever the #occasion let us make it a #sensation

Only 45 days to Christmas, put your order in early!

#Various ways of #creating a #rainbow

#Loose #wreaths, #bespoke #designs, hydrangeas, lisianthus, hypericum, dianthus, chrysanthemum, limonium, delphinium, #beautiful #colours.

Same colour #tributes and flowers, keeping #flowers #neutral for whole #funeral

#Casket #Spray agapanthus, calla lilies, roses& lisianthus.

#Cushions & #pillows, #different #edges, #colours and #sprays.

Only 54 days to Christmas, never too early to order

#Balloons for all #occasions 

#Crosses, #massed or #loose #designs

Only 58 days to Christmas 🎄 

never too early to place your orders!

#Pumpkin #arrangements for #Southends #Holiday #Inn

#Bowls & #Domino's

Whatever their #hobby, #profession, however #bizarre you might think it is

ask and we can #design it for you, coming up with the best #tribute possible

#Different #styles to #suit your #needs

#Choose your #colours

#Diamanté adding an #extra #touch to this #beautiful #spray, roses, Germini, chrysanthemums, hypericum.

#Pastel #shade #ring #wreaths, #beautiful, #delicate #designs, roses, delphiniums, green bell, single chrysanthemums, lisianthus, eucalyptus, hydrangea.

#Various #sizes, and choice of #edging, #natural or #ribboned.

#Posies, #Oasis sprays, #letters, #baskets,

#ring #wreaths and #coffin #sprays, various #colours

#Spite fire

#Remote #control

Both #Fresh #flowers 🌺 

More #designs for #names, #titles, #words, #team names to #personalise a #tribute.

Another busy day Networking. Really rewarding

Same #theme, completely #different #designs.

#Minions

#Tinker Bell

#Fresh #flowers 🌺 

#Personalise a #bible, #prayer #book, choosing, #colour, #ribbon 🎀, book #marker and choice of #flowers

Even the #local #Bees 🐝 like to #visit.

#Basket #arrangements #various #designs, #colours, #sizes.

#Seasonal #flowers or #choose your #favourites.

Lisianthus, roses, Germini, limonium, scabious.

#Early busy day #networking today, been really #interesting, meeting some #helpful #people. 😀👍

#Hearts #various #colours and #sizes, choose your #favourite flowers & #personalise the #tribute.

#Melts in your #mouth, not in your #hand #Maltesers 😀

#Choose a #design which #suits your needs to #personalise a #tribute 

#Natural #designs, just as if they have been picked from the #wild.

Some #designs less is more, very #personal 

#Special #bespoke #designs for special #people, some can be kept and care for in the years to come.

#Truly a #pleasure to fulfill theses requests.

Although we are busy we always have #time to listen to #customers and their #bespoke or #traditional #designs. 😀

Demand has grown, so the #flower stand had to too. #Displaying the wide range of flowers in stock. #Lilies, lisianthus, gerbera, various roses, green bloom, gypsophila, dianthus, helianthus, bouvardia, to name just a few. If you require a #specific #flower do contact me then I can #order it in if it's available.

What a #wonderful opportunity to use #flowers brought by my client from #Australia.

                                #Autumn #posy, with a #harvest theme.                                                                            #Colourful #casket #spray                        

Our baby blackbirds have left the nest.  I just managed to capture a snap of this one who was the last to leave. 

Our blackbird has had a second brood. I have counted 5 beaks in the nest.  She is on the nest here but hidden by the ivy.

We offer free consultations for wedding flowers.  

A good idea, when planning your wedding flowers, is to keep as many pictures as you can of the things you like.  Keep a scrap book or start pinterest page of all the items you see.  Bring these with you for the consultation and it gives us a true picture of your ideas and preferences.

We can then make your flowers how you want them to be and add your touches of colours, flowers choice and other decor to make your flowers unique to you.

We often advise customers on caring for their flowers when purchasing in the shop. It is surprising how many people just "bung them in water" on arrival home.  Here are some steps to take to prolong the life of a bouquet.

Remove any leaves that would be below the water level.

Re-cut the end of the stems before placing them in water.  The reason for this is that when the ends dry up, they are unable to take water up the stem.

Use the flower food provided.

Keep the flowers in the coolest part of your home away from direct sunlight and draughts.

Re-cut them stems every few days and change the water, this will keep the ends fresh and therefore prolong their life.

If you receive an arrangement in floral foam, top the container up with water to keep it moist at all times.

Tied arrangements can be left tied, cut the stems to the desired length before placing in your vase.

Lilies have stamens in that has pollen that stains.  You can remove these as soon as the flower begins to open, they pull away from the flower quite easily and are less messy when newly opening.

This is our temporary resident, she doesn't pay any rent but has made her own bed! 

The zoom was used to avoid disturbing her so apologies for the poor quality picture. 

Thank you to all our customers who bought for their mums, nans and some dads.  We have just about recovered and hope you all had a lovely weekend. 

Our Mothers Day collection is now available to order.  We will be delivering on Sunday 15th March if the flowers are ordered by Friday 13th.  If you are planning a day out for Mothers Day, get your flowers delivered a day or two early to ensure they have the enjoyment of the flowers all weekend and no waiting around.

Order your Valentines flowers in time for delivery on Saturday 14th February.  

ENGLISH ALSTROEMERIA

We are happy to have found a supplier of English alstroemeria.  Ben of Crosslands Flower Nursery contacted us regarding his Alstroemeria and we gave it a try.  The flowers are beautiful, great quality and reasonably priced.  With most flowers being imported now, it is really nice to be able to support English growers in our shop. Thanks @AlstroemeriaBen