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Mother’s Day falls on 11th March this year and I was invited to an evening of flower arranging by The White Company last week with top London florists Phillipa Craddock, in celebration of the upcoming date. The White Company are one of my staple faves for understated well made pieces, I buy clothes for Ted, candles, perfume and the odd item of clothing and textiles, so I couldn’t imagine a more pleasant way to spend an evening than faffing with beautiful white blooms and foliage in the environs of their gorgeous Marylebone store. I picked up a few tips on how to make a professional looking arrangement which I will be sharing with you below. We were also given some lovely treats and I have been delighted to also choose my own edit of favourites that I think would make a fabulous Mother’s Day Present (which also means if my husband is reading, he’s off the hook for present selection this year!).

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There is a great selection of gift ideas on The White Company website for anyone looking to treat their mum. They have always been one of my favourite company’s for gifting and I have spent many a Christmas at the Sloane Square store queuing to have my choices expertly wrapped with their gorgeous trim. 

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Top of my list, is a perfume I’ve been wearing for the last four years, Blanc is a crisp and fresh scent that combines geranium, juniper and patchouli. This scent has been one of my secret addresses for scent (secret no more!). I have no qualms about wearing the same clothes or having the same Aldi light as every interiors blogger in the country, but scent is something so unique, the last thing I can imagine wanting from it would be to smell my perfume on others on the tube so for the last decade I’ve steered clear of all big brand perfumers. This scent, alongside my other staple from Carthusia, is an all time fave and I never let it run out without replenishing it. Hard to convey through word but people ask me all the time what it is, including male friends who I wouldn’t usually expect to ask. If you are looking for a Mother’s Day treat for someone in your life this is definitely my run away fave, and it’s only £35 so a very reasonably priced present too.

The White Company make fabulous small luxuries and the next two items on my list are an understated grey make-up case that is perfectly stylish and tactile and the Orange Grove candle which is so joyful to light in Spring as it’s full of greenery and hazy sunshine heralding the approach of summer. An item we were given on the night in our goody bag was a skincare set, which I read rave reviews of when it launched last winter. I have absolutely loved using each piece over the last week, they are really light but also pretty powerful and they smell absolutely gorgeous. It had some stiff competition to follow as I have been using a very expensive face cream that I was gifted which is literally the dream, but this has been great on my 37 year old combination skin and I can see myself buying more when it runs out.

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Image: Design Soda

And so to flowers, after all Mother’s Day really isn’t fulfilling its obligation if you don’t at least receive a bunch of daffodils scrunched up in your child’s paws come Sunday morning. Happily the arrangements we made were much classier than daffs (which still have their place!). As we were at The White Company the blooms we were given were all white, combined with the green foliage. White and green are one of my very favourite colour combinations in the nature, in our own garden I have tried to keep all planting within the white, green and blue spectrum with the exception of our mimosa tree. There’s something so fresh about white and green together. 

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Image: Design Soda

I really love floral arrangements that look a little casual and wild, but all of that relaxed wildness it deceptively tricky and I find them quite challenging to put together myself. It was enlightening to hear the rules that guide these arrangements and I found the following rules picked up from the experts at Phillipa Craddock super helpful.