Nook Flowers: January 2021

Stumped for Words?

Fancy someone special? Stumped for words? Pen this quote in the card:

"If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you've made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand."

"When you are in love, you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."

"I love you, not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you." - Roy Croft

"If a hug represented how much I loved you, I would hold you in my arms forever." - Mandy Hampton

"In the arithmetic of love, one plus one equals everything, and two minus one equals nothing." - Mignon McLaughlin

"True love begins when nothing is looked for in return." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"To love someone deeply, gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply, gives you courage." - Lao-Tzu

"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever." - Alfred Lord Tennyson

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - Aristotle

"I believe love produces a certain flowering of the whole personality which nothing else can achieve." - Ivan Sergeevich

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of of another person is essential to you own." - Robert Heinlein

"The rose speaks silently in a language known only to the heart." - anonymous

Thursday

Lunar in Bloom 2021

'Hua kai fu gui' translates to when flowers bloom, prosperity comes. Here's a selection of our floral designs and gifts which take into account cultural significance and symbolism.

Grow some herbs – we’re rooting for you!

Aloe! Never had luck with growing herbs? Don’t let that kale your vibe. If this pandemic has thought us anything it’s this – plants are the way to go and sourdough starters are overrated!

Here are some tips to help you along the way.

ROSEMARY

Rosemary likes soil with good drainage. It also enjoys full sunlight. Water frequently but nobody likes wet feet so allow it to drain well before next watering. Best kept under a roof where it gets light but won’t get drenched under our topical thunderstorms. Over watering rosemary can lead to root rot and then sudden death. Letting the soil get too dry can also kill the plant quickly. The balance between too much water and too little is definitely something that must be patiently mastered. Rosemary is a light feeder so it requires little fertiliser. Use only organic fertilisers (slow-release fertilisers or manure pellets) as the herb is meant for consumption.

For gin lovers, rosemary is an excellent G&T garnish. The herb is a most often distilled with subtlety, so a fresh sprig will really help to bring out the flavour in a herbal gin, but also works perfectly as a garnish to balance particularly orangey gins too. Our recommendation: Gin Mare

BASIL

Basil enjoys the sun but pick a spot that gets morning sun (6 hours at least) as opposed to afternoon scorchers. Make sure your pot has plenty of drainage and that you use high-quality potting soil. Basil doesn't like to be too wet, so you want to keep your soil moist, not soggy. Water as needed (moderately at least once a day), aim for the soil and not the leaves. Harvest the sweet basil by snipping off leaves at the top of the plant. Make the plant bushier and more prolific by trimming it weekly. Choose organic fertilisers and compost to nourish the plant.

Gin lovers (you are our tribe!) here's a smashing link to the aptly named The Basil Smash

MINT

Mint is a great start starter plant if you’re new to growing herbs. Make sure your pot has plenty of drainage and that you use high-quality potting soil. Choose organic fertilisers and compost to nourish the plant. Once it is doing well, frequent cuttings keep the plant full and the leaves strong in flavour.

Once again - gin aficionados - could we possibly interest you in a refreshing cucumber and mint gin cocktail. For this we'd reach for the clean flavours of a Hendricks gin.

THYME

Perfect for our sunny climes as thyme it loves a hot sunny location and always remember to repot into well-draining soil. Give it a thorough watering but wait in between to ensure soil is dry before rewatering again – for beginners you can check this by sticking your finger about an inch into the soil; this will give you a good gauge. The more you trim your thyme, the more it grows. Leave behind at least five inches of growth, so that the plant can still flourish. Regular pruning not only encourages more growth, but also promotes a more rounded shape. Choose organic fertilisers and compost to nourish the plant.

So, gin blossoms if you have thyme on your hands, grab a citrus and make yourself an Orange and Thyme sundowner. The fruity freshness is perfect for our typical humid topical evening. Our recommendation for this is Botanist from the Scottish Isles.

Wrap up - 12 days of Christmas Comes to a Close

It's the 12th day of Christmas and traditionally the tree and trimmings come down today.

With the restrictions of the RMCO, we know many of you missed the chance to walk in and enjoy the seasonal sights at our blooming Nook, so here are some snapshots of the season viewed through the lens of the very talented Joy Chong.

It truly smelled like Christmas in here!