MARLO MEETS: WILLOW CROSSLEY
In a week celebrating both International Woman's day and Mother's Day, we thought it would be fitting to catch up with the highly celebrated florist Willow Crossley.
Willow is a renowned floral stylist and author of four books including 'The Wild Journey: A year of nurturing yourself through nature' - her arrangements are full of colour, pattern and movement creating bouquets of seasonal beauty. We speak to Willow about all things flowers, gardening, as well as discovering her Desert Island Discs luxury.
1. Tell us a bit about what you've been up to of late - have you embarked on any fun projects?
I've just launched a new flower box business. Each month I design a new box of flowers that come direct from the growers in Holland and are delivered to your door. For now, I'm using Dutch flowers but when things warm up, I hope to use British growers.
2. Has there been a surge in demand for flower deliveries since the pandemic began?
My business is very new so I'm not entirely sure. I think people have really got into gardening and plants, yes, for sure. But until now, I've always been an event florist rather than a florist delivering flowers. So its very new to me!
3. What was your childhood dream?
To be a police man, a fashion designer or have a sweet shop.
4. What would be your ideal Mother's Day flower arrangement?
Snakes head fritillaries, stripy tulips, guelder rose, Muscari, paper whites and ranunculus. The contents of my March flower box!
5. The flower has been depicted in art across the centuries, from the Dutch Golden Age to Post-Impressionism. Do you have a Favourite flower painting?
My mother, Kate Corbett-Winder is an incredible painter. She gave me a beautiful painting of a dwarf iris a few years ago that I absolutely adore.
6. Is there a book by your bedside at the moment?
I finished American Dirt last night, It's utterly brilliant, if you haven't read it already, you must!!
7. Do you like to cook with any ingredients that you grow in the garden?
I would love to more. We always have lots of herbs but we seem to have too little time to nurture our vegetable patch. Top of my list this year is to grow more vegetables. I love the idea of being self sufficient.
8. If you were on Desert Island Discs, what would your luxury be?
Dairy Milk and my Yolke silk eye mask.
9. What is the best gift you have ever received?
My husband gave me a coffee machine for Valentine's day this year. It makes me so happy every single day.
10. Finally, what can we expect from you in the rest of 2021? Is there anything exciting in the pipeline?
I've done a wallpaper collaboration with Barnaby Gates that has just come out. I also hope to grow my flower boxes as well as being able to deliver them internationally.
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