Velvet Brown - Home Accessories

Sunflowers are one of the top ten best selling cut flowers in the UK and are plentiful in September.  With their bright yellow petals and rich velvety brown centre, Sunflowers are adored by children and adults.

 The latin name for the Sunflower is ‘Helianthus’, derived from the Greek word ‘helios’ meaning sun, and ‘anthos’ meaning flower and they belong to the Aster flower family.  Cut Sunflowers come in many varieties and sizes, including a rich maroon and brown variety (’Prado Red’) and several ‘double’ varieties such as ‘Teddy Bear’ with multi-layers of petals.

When buying cut Sunflowers always look for sturdy stems with upright flower heads.  When you get the flowers home, cut at least 2 or 3 cm off the base of the stem, preferably at an angle, and arrange the flowers is fresh, tepid water with flower food.  Sunflowers are thirsty flowers and it’s worth changing the vase water and re-cutting the stems every other day to prolong the life of the flowers.  If the petals start to fall off the sunflowers, pull off all the remaining petals to leave an interesting ‘flower’ centre, which looks good in Autumn arrangements.

I like to think I’m easy to please.  I don’t particularly like expensive foreign holidays, I don’t wear designer clothes nor carry designer handbags and I don’t crave the latest Ipod. (Truth is I don’t actually own an Ipod and I don’t think I’d use it a great deal if i did.)

For me it’s the simple things in life that give the most pleasure. Last Sunday we had one of the most perfect late summer days I think it is possible to have.  The morning was a little bit misty but was soon burnt off by warm sunshine. The sky was clear blue throughout the day and then it was all finished off by a gorgeous chilly evening .

Having got up late and breakfasted outside on the patio we went for a lovely country ramble from the door.  We had no specific plans of where we were heading but just followed our noses.  I think they must have sniffed out the blackberries.   I don’t think I’ve seen such a fruit laden hedgerow! The area we were in is not heavily walked, so the bush was hardly touched but these few dry days have done wonders for ripening some of the hedgerow fruits.  We could have picked all day but ran out of bags to carry them home in.  (It was only fluke we had some bags in our pockets!) We picked for ages whilst Lottie (our Jack Russell) checked out all the rabbit burrows in the hedge. We didn’t see a soul all the time we were out.

As well as lots of juicy blackberries I picked lots of ivy and rosehips and made a beautiful autumn wreath when I got home. I’ve hung it on my gate to welcome visitors. 

There is something very satisfying about hedgerow finds. Having got home and pottered around in the garden all afternoon (the weather has not only been good for blackberries - the weeds have loved it too!) we lit a lovely log fire and I cooked a big roast dinner with runner beans and fennel from the garden followed by a delicious blackberry and apple crumble served with generous dollops of Creme Fraiche. It all got washed down with a glass or 2 or red wine .

For me - a perfect day. Told you I was easy to please.