The Flowers Of 2025
Anemones and paperwhites, 9th February
Each Sunday, if I can afford it and have the time, I visit Columbia Rd Market to buy a bunch of flowers, seeking what is in season and avoiding repeats, mostly. Here is the story of last year told in flowers. Looking back, I am reminded how much joy they brought me. Which are your favourites?
Hyacinths, 23rd February
Tulips, 2nd March
Parrot tulips, 31st March
Solomon’s seal, 4th May
Lilies of the valley, 11th May
Delphiniums, 1st June
Peonies and jasmine, 8th June
Achillea, eryngium and asters, 21st July
Dahlias, 17th August
Spiky dahlias, 31st August
Artichokes and chrysanthemums, 21st September
Dahlias, 26th October
Ranunculus, 9th November
Small chrysanthemums, 23rd November
Paperwhites, 11th December
The framed papercut is by Marion Elliot
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Thank you once more, dear Gentle Author, for your annual colourful floral retrospect! The bouquets are as charming as the pots, vases and jugs you present them in.
Looking forward to you new reports and stories in 2026.
Happy New Year and best wishes from Berlin!
Beautiful.
Happy New year Gentle author.
Artichokes and chrysanthemums, September.
I love your jugs too.
Happy 2026. Sue
The paper whites, alone and with the anemones are so delicate and pretty but I love the lilies of the valley.
Happy New Year dear GA. It is difficult to choose a favourite as the flowers are all beautiful. I think though I would have to choose the Lily of the Valley. These tiny flowers remind me of my childhood as we had them growing under a privet hedge in our front garden. As someone who loves old pottery and ceramics I love your jugs too.
Impossible to pick a favourite, as they all have their seasonal beauty as the photos reveal so beautifully.
However, like you, I have a thing about jugs…..so good to see another enthusiast at work.
All best wishes for a peaceful and rewarding 2026 after the sadness of December. All blessings to you and yours.
Oh… too difficult to choose. But I’ll give it a shot. Think it has to be the lilies of the valley.
I choose Anemones and paperwhites.
Happy New Year GA and Schrödinger RIP
Happy NY GA,
Beautiful pics and flower choices over 12 months. A real monthly treat from our beloved Columbia Rd Flower Market.
You raise our spirits with your interesting pursuits.
BW
One of the loveliest posts, each year – my favourites are the lily of the valleys but it’s also so nice to see your ceramics. Happy new year to you.
A wonderfull display of Still Life. Thanks for all your efforts with the blog and a Happy New Year.
Dear GA, Happy New Year, and what a lovely sequence of photographs and your wonderful jugs. I was so sorry to hear of Schroedinger’s death: do you think it likely that you will acquire another cat in due course?
All good wishes for 2026, and love from Caroline
I adore the scent of hyacinths and have planted bowls with these, cheerfulness narcissus and snowdrops, all ready for spring. I have lily of the valley growing belong one side of my garden + so much scent from such tiny flowers.
Your flowers are all very beautiful, but I still feel sad for Schrödinger. He too was very beautiful and I’m sorry for your loss. I hope that New Year’s Eve was bearable.
+++ A PEACEFUL NEW YEAR 2026! +++
+++ EIN FRIEDLICHES NEUES JAHR 2026! +++
+++ UNE NOUVELLE ANNÉE 2026 PAISIBLE ! +++
It’s really quite difficult — to me, all the bouquets are beautiful. All the best for 2026!
Love & Peace
ACHIM
The lily of the valley but very reluctantly as they are all beautiful. Thank you!
Lovely flowers taking us through the seasons, but this year the unusual climate has given me several spring flowers flowering in November and even roses in December!
They are all beautiful in their carefully chosen vases or jugs/pitchers….but the ranunculus – the lilies 0f the valley and the paperwhites with anemones – won me over.
They are all beautiful but I’m going for the Parrot Tulips and the Marion Elliot print.
Thank you, and best wishes for the new year. Your beautiful arrangements reflect a life of attention to the soul-nourishing ways we can help our spirits. Thinking of Schrodinger as I watch my young cat grow and cherish her life with us.
Love the jugs! Thank You for Your Efforts and HNY! Cheers.
The very last of the year- the illuminated paperwhites!
Thank you, Gentle Author, for this. I feel as if I’ve taken a stroll through the flower market with you. I have never seen Solomon’s Seal before! And I can see that the lovely antique dishes have been used and moved around in the rack over the year. I commend you for enjoying the use of them in your daily life. Such things have a life only when they are used.
Many thanks for all the wonderful stories over the years. Someday I will travel back to London and I hope to take one of your walking tours, and to meet you. Until then, I wish you good health and contentment in 2026.
Dear Gentle Author .. my son Nik sends me many of your quotes and messages and I LOVE them all ✨ your flowers in beautiful ceramic jugs and pots are stunning and so uplifting ✨ thank you for all you do and you uplift us all body and soul with your tender messages .. and thoughts ♥️ love from Trixie in Southsea x
I have quite a collection of antique pitchers and stoneware jugs. I buy them chipped! They cost less that way and I don’t worry so much about breaking them. Peonies are my absolute favorites — I grow them in a raised bed for cutting — but I cut flowers from my garden in every season, from narcissus and lilies to zinnias and marigolds. I raise enormous coleus in large pots by my back door and cut them, too. The colorful foliage is as good as flowers.
Thank you for sharing and happy new year Gentle Author.
I like the peonies (and their jug) best… Happy New Year, Gentle Author!