At Floral Creations all of the florists, and our entire team, are passionate about flowers. In fact we find inspiration for our designs in many different places, and there is a common source of inspiration that we keep returning to; our borough and the surrounding area. We want to share some history and our inspirations with you, and let you know why we are the florists for any occasion.
The London Borough of Ealing is in West London and encompasses 7 major towns. It is the fourth most populous London borough, with a population of around 350,000, the eleventh largest in size, and is located in both inner and outer London. It has a reputation as the ‘Queen of the Suburbs’ as a result of its leafy, tree lined streets and numerous parks. The phrase was coined as long ago as 1902 by Charles Jones, the borough surveyor, and it is easy to see the area’s love of nature, with a tree being the centrepiece of Ealing’s coat of arms. Despite the age of the phrase, modern day Ealing was formed in 1965, and comprises 2 garden suburbs, Brentham Garden Suburb and Bedford Park. 330 hectares of Ealing form a large part of the Metropolitan Green Belt.
Historically, Ealing is part of Middlesex and in the 12th century it was recorded as a village in the great forest to the west of London and had a church and priest. It is fair to say that it has come a long way since then. Ealing developed into a market gardening community, the remnants of which can still be seen today, with a number of parks and open spaces filled with colourful flowers and beautiful gardens. It is also important to remember Ealing Studios were located here and gave the world many splendid comedies showcasing the talents of actors such as Sir Alec Guiness and Peter Sellars.
Let’s not forget the shaping influence of nature on the area, and which still forms an integral part of life here. This can be seen by the variety of parks, gardens and even allotments to be found in Ealing. These provide inspiration for both professional and amateur florists, acting as a showcase for some stunning local, and exotic, flowers. Perhaps chief amongst the local parks and nature reserves is Walpole Park, which is a 28 acre Grade II municipal park that has been open to the public since 1901, and was initially on the grounds of Pitzhanger Manor, the early 19th century home of Sir John Soane. It was Charles Jones who designed the paths, tree-lined avenues, and flower beds. He also negotiated the sale of the park with Spencer Walpole, who gave the park its name.
Gutteridge Wood is a local nature reserve home to ancient oak and hazel trees and awash with flowers, such as bluebells, in spring as well as being a haven for local flora and fauna such as wildflowers and birds all year round. It is not uncommon to see budding florists gazing in awe at the areas natural beauty. Ickenham Marsh is only a short distance away but is a great example of the diversity of the area. The site, which is located along the riverside, is dominated by wetland plants. It is a lowland marsh well known for the presence of flowers, plants and herbs, and the birds attracted by these varied species.
With such variety and beauty on our doorstep it is no wonder that the artisanal florists at Floral Creations are confident that we have the flower or bouquet for any situation. We pride ourselves on our designs and strive to reflect our inspirations in our creations.