What's in the name "Poinsettia"?

The name derives from the fact that Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, introduced the first specimens to North America in 1828.

Where is  the Poinsettia originally from?

Christmas Wreath Making Tutorial

Do you know someone that would love to create their own Christmas Wreath?

Or maybe you would like to learn a new skill with a friend or family member either in person or over a video call? Our Christmas Wreath Making Kit is perfect for this festive season!

This DIY wreath kit includes everything you need to make your very own festive door wreath and get creative!

Video Tutorial

 

 

 Step by Step Tutorial 

Step 1

Once you open your box, check all your wreath making material.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 2

Attach one end of the reel wire to your frame with a few twists.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3

Secure bundles of bunched up moss to the frame by wrapping the reel wire around them. We use moss as it gives depth to the wreath – it will also provide moisture for the foliage you’ll be adding later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 4

Continue adding bunches of moss until the whole frame is covered with an even distribution. Keep the reel wire attached to the wreath. Assemble small bundles of your mixed foliage and pine – it works best to keep larger bits of foliage and pine at the back of the bundle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 5

Lay a bundle of foliage on the wreath and secure firmly using the reel wire. Add more bundles in the same direction, overlapping with the previous one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 6

Continue adding bundles of leaves until the frame is evenly covered. Cut the reel wire, leaving enough to secure at the back by twisting it around itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 7

Attach a ribbon by doubling it around your wreath underneath the foliage, leaving it long enough to attach to your door. It’s a good idea to hold up the wreath and look at the shape before you decide where to attach the ribbon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 8

Cut long lengths of reel wire to make ‘legs’ for your decorations (to attach them to the wreath). To do this, bend the wire in half and attach with a few twists around a suitable point on your decoration (such as the stem or around the pine cone).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 9

Attach the decorations at random intervals around the wreath by separating out the ‘legs’ of the wire and securing them at the back of  the wreath with a few twists. Use the ribbon to hang your wreath on a door or suitable place Your stunning festive wreath can be also be used for decorating your wall, door or mantelpiece!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 10

Well done!! You have created and made your very own  wonderful creative Christmas wreath- sit back with some mulled wine and enjoy! Merry Christmas!

Winter is on its way and that goes to say that Christmas is near.

The gleaming autumn shades of orange, gold, red, and brown are going to soon disappear and possibly all our trees are going to be decorated with white snow.

The festive season is fast approaching and we have the perfect solution for your gifts..

Flowers, yes!

Flowers are the perfect way to show how much you appreciate your loved ones. It's something about fresh flowers and the aroma of these gorgeous bunches that takes the cake!

So for the next set of questions - what are the best flowers that you can add to your list of Christmas gift ideas and on Christmas flowers delivery in the UK, we’ve taken care of it too!

We’ve specially curated a few bouquets that you can order on the go as your Christmas gift.

Attention on the climate emergency and the sense of ethical consumerism is increasing with time. 

So while most of the readily available bouquets out there are imported, this bouquet is made up of British grown flowers as it is considered to emit around 95% less CO2 emissions than the imported ones.

Additionally, they are wrapped with biodegradable hydrating fabric & reused coffee bags of hessian so you can celebrate a guilt-free green Christmas!

Now, let’s go over a few more tips for a Eco-friendly Christmas - 

• Choose Decorations Wisely - While decorations are the paramount part of Christmas, plastic decors just go down as waste once the party is over. So this year, go with long-lasting decorations that are environmental friendly and can be used again next year. Fabric and glass ornaments are great substitutes for plastic, and recycled wood is a great way to go too. 

• Dinner The Right Way - While ending up cooking too little is the worst nightmare for any host, ending up with a lot of leftovers isn’t pretty either. Buy according to your guest list, and cook according to what seems right for the amount of people joining for the meal. If you still end up with some leftovers consider including the veggies in a recipe the next day. 

• Send E-Cards - Rather than going for the paper cards, choose e-cards or other digital channels to connect with your loved ones. If you still prefer going traditional with the handwritten card, recycle old cards or paper. 

We hope we have given you something to think about at this special time of year which can be good for you and for our planet!  Here's to a very special Christmas period- goodness knows we all deserve it! 

Happy holidays!

Late Autumn is hands down my absolute favourite season – to be in, to work with and create for!

Late autumn, the nights are drawing in and it's the perfect period for settling down in the evening with a mug of our favourite hot chocolate.

Its nature's last show of colour before winter and the cold weather sets in and it is wonderful to going for walks in the woods underneath the glowing colours of Autumn leaves.

Are you wondering which seasonal British flowers are in season during this period?

Like most growing living things, British grown flowers are affected by the seasons, the weather, and other regional natural changes. 

As a result some of the flowers listed in this late Autumn flowers seasonal guides may not be available at a certain time. 

 

Other Late Autumn seasonal British Flowers:  

Anemone, Crocus, Nerine, Cyclamen, Blackberries, Zinnia, Snapdragon, Scabiousa, Delphimium, Ammi, Verbena, Hydrangea

 

Would you like to know more about  British flowers?

Are you curious to see the difference between emissions of CO2 between British flowers and Dutch flowers?

Have a look at our BEST BLOOMS - BRITISH BLOOMS  blog post and I can promise you that after that you realise how much more CO2 has been produced by the imported flowers you will always want to source British Flowers.

 

Floral foam, usually referred to as Oasis is much loved by florists worldwide for its convenience.

Oasis is really appealing for any florist, those green blocks of sponge foam are brilliant for making arrangements from small to large designs as they are able to absorb and hold water.  This means that the floral design can be kept fresh up to 4 days without adding any extra water.

It is also simple to cut and mould,  is easy to transport and holds flowers tightly in place even for lengthy journeys in the van.

However, there are a few significant problems with the floral foam that are difficult to ignore.

It’s made from synthetic non-recyclable plastic and is created using a combination of carbon black, formaldehyde and phenol foam, which are all toxic both to humans and animals.

Each block of foam contains the same amount of plastic as 10 shopping bags.

But what is floral foam?

Invented by Vernon Lewis Smithers in 1954 it was a milestone for floristry and has become very quickly an essential tool in the floral industry for creating quick floral arrangements.

Each block holds up to 50 times its weight in water and keeps the blooms fresh up to 12 days.

 

Why is floral foam bad for the environment?

Floral foam is contributing to the growing crisis of plastic pollution. 

Thanks to its mossy texture, green hue and the fact that it's used with flowers, it can be easily  be mistaken as a natural product.

 

But in reality floral foam doesn’t fully dissolve in water or degrade in landfill or soil. Instead, it breaks down into smaller and smaller micro-plastics and can take thousand of years to completely revert into natural elements and are a real menace for the environment by contaminating our marine life and food chains.

Our Commitment:

Fortunately we live in a growing environmentally-conscious world.

We all got captivated, young and old by David Attenborough’s Blue Planet who bought our attention to the issue of plastics in the ocean and highlighting now more than ever it is important that we do our part for living in harmony with our Earth.

At The Hiden Collective we are floral foam free and instead we use either chicken wire or keizan (a metal spiky devices that sit in a vase or bowl and hold the flowers stems shown in the picture to the left).

Also we feel that it it is important that we voice our concern and that we try to raise the bar of the floral industry to a more environmental friendly place.

We are really happy to see that The Royal Horticultural Society has banned  the use of  Oasis from all its garden and horticultural shows from 2021.

 

Join now the floral foam free movement!