The Blooms & Botany Babble
Finally! I've done it. I've bitten the bullet... grabbed the bull by the horns... pulled the weed by the root (see what I did there?) and I am now doing something I have dreamt of doing for years! I can now truly say my vision for great garden care alongside creating beautiful blooms is finally happening - yipeeeee! I am also a bit scared about it... goodbye guaranteed monthly pennies, goodbye holiday pay (and holidays) and goodbye sick pay, but it is all so worth it! I’ve always wanted to work for myself and it’s now a reality.
If you haven’t read my About Me page let me tell you a bit about myself - I’ll try to keep it interesting!
I have been gardening since I was little - if chasing a Jack Russell around the garden counts as gardening (maybe lawn care at a push?)... but I started gardening properly when I was at University with a brilliant local gardener, Anna, and I loved it. Anna taught me everything she knew and soon I was thinking this is what I want to do.
Buuuut, after finishing Uni I got sucked into the retail world which I loved at first. I worked for a brand I loved and I was quite good at it. In 2 years I was managing 2 luxury boutiques in London. BUT I couldn’t really keep up, I was commuting to London 6 days a week and it became a stressy slog. I was burnt out. I switched to managing a boutique more local to me but I realised retail management was no longer for me. Whilst at home for some much needed TLC, I was sitting at the kitchen table with my mum who looked at me and said ‘Why don’t you just do it?” and the more I spoke to my family, friends and my very supportive fella, the braver I felt and so here we are! Blooms and Botany was created. I got a part time job at Open Air (a brilliant independent shop in Cambridge selling top notch outdoor kit) to support me while I set up and now I feel ready to take on the gardening and floral world!
I completed my RHS level 2 studies last year (I do have a couple of exams left to do but mostly done!) and I’ve also completed 2 intensive floristry courses with the lovely ladies at Cambridge Flower School, so I’m pretty horticultured up (I know that’s not a word, but it is in my world).
Something else that has been on my to sort list for a verrryy long time is the Social Media and Marketing malarky. It’s time to take it seriously so I’m starting here with the blog.
If you know me, you’ll know I’ve been a bit naff at this part of the business. I’m basically a big wuss and have been putting off the Facebook/Instagram and blogging stuff for a while. It’s quite intimidating. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE and every business has multiple social media accounts these days, and not just the good old ‘this is what I’m eating for breakfast’ posts of old. The majority are polished, beautifully thought out, relevant accounts and you have to find your place amongst them whilst also being different but also yourself.
It’s not an easy thing to do really, especially if you are a hider like me. I’m much better weeding and pruning (thankfully!) than chatting/posting but I’ve realised that I need to put my brave girl pants on and start posting and writing, so I’m going to shut up and say keep an eye on my Facebook and Instagram accounts and I’ll hopefully post things that you like!
Regarding my blog life, I won’t be writing one of these weekly but I will be on here waffling away to you about things that interest me, things that hopefully interest you and anything horticultural or flowery when I can. If there is anything you want me to write about then just shout!
I’ve also just read that the perfect blog is between 1200 - 1600 words long… I’m a bit short on this one (please don’t tell the blog police) the next one will be better and more horticultural/flowery I promise.
Thank you and well done if you’ve read this far - time for a brew!
Alice
P.S - I’m no Jane Austen so I apologise for any grammar or spelling mistakes and lack of Mr Darcy/Captain Wentworths - maybe next time.