I’ve just played the slightly alternative Dutch interactive video campaign which aims to share your favourite flower with anyone who might wish to buy you a bunch one day – I think it’s called a subtle hint!

funnyhowflowersdothat – favourite flower

The video displays and narrates the most popular flowers in a rather alternative way for you to select your personal favourite and let your friends and family know and play themselves (we can but hope it leads to something!)

The aim of the campaign: “Getting a bouquet of your favourite flowers is so much more meaningful than just any random bunch”. A sentiment with which we entirely agree!

Have a go yourself, see if it works…

House plants are more useful than you might expect.

This month’s popular favourite is the cyclamen – a brightly coloured little plant with dozens of flowers that will brighten your house and your mood.

Cyclamen liven up a wintery window sill once all the Christmas decorations are put away and it’s still miserable outside, but they also help balance humidity of the dry air caused by central heating in cold weather.

 The Cyclamen has its origins in Asia, growing on dry soils shaded from the sun, so in your home, it prefers to stand out of direct sunlight and with slightly moist soil, but in a light space. Always water by placing the pot on a saucer of water rather than pouring from the top, helping to keep roots strong and avoid mouldy leaves.

The bride and groom spent months collecting jam jars before their wedding today, which kept the cost down. We filled them each with a beautiful mix of English garden flowers and finished with a raffia bow, then scattered them along the tables amongst tealights.

A lovely, informal look that’s easy to replicate – why not try this out for your next garden party or barbecue?

And if you like this selection of flowers in particular, here’s what we used:

• David Austin ‘Patience’ roses
• Dusty pink astrantia
• White nigella
• Ivory spray roses
• Eucalptus
• Green alchemilla
• Cream larkspur
• Lilac limonium

These three pretty little scent bottle vases named Anne, Charlotte and Emily (left to right) look lovely on a side table or windowsill holding small flower heads.

We think they’d make a great present for brides!