THEN: In June 2018, Irish Country Living met Brigid Riley, who had returned from the US - where her work as a floral designer took her everywhere from five-star celebrity bashes to the White House - to set up Fernwood Flowers in Oldcastle, Co Meath.
NOW: Pre-COVID, Brigid was looking forward to her busiest year yet with weddings.
“It was fully booked, I didn’t have any availability left,” she says, “and literally overnight, the rug was just pulled out from under us.”
While some couples who were due to travel from abroad to get married cancelled, about half of her couples rescheduled for 2021, while the other half have decided to go ahead with scaled-back celebrations within the restrictions. And, fortunately for Brigid, while the guest list might be cut back, the flowers are not.
Pre-COVID, Brigid was looking forward to her busiest year yet with weddings. \ Barry Cronin
“They don’t need any less flowers at the end of the day,” says Brigid, who particularly enjoys working on smaller weddings in more intimate venues which have the “wow” factor and lend to more “statement pieces”.
“They’re asking for deeper, more dramatic flowers,” says Brigid, adding that pink and burgundy is proving to be a popular trend colour-wise. “I’m also seeing a lot more wedding dresses that aren’t white or ivory.”
Web shop
Apart from weddings, Brigid also launched a web shop during lockdown, which allowed her to sell bouquets for delivery nationwide.
“That was really popular during lockdown when people were missing their mums and grannies,” says Brigid, who will also be offering dried bouquets from the autumn onwards.
As a member of the Flower Farmers of Ireland, Brigid tries to grow as much as she can herself rather than relying on imports, but due to uncertainty around COVID, was late starting her own seeds this spring.
Despite the bad weather this summer, the cosmos have been "workhorses" of the cutting garden. \ Brigid Riley
“I didn’t know whether to grow a whole load of flowers because I didn’t know if I would be able to sell them,” says Brigid, but after deciding to go ahead a month later than usual, the poor weather in the summer conspired against her.
“I don’t think the sun came out here in July at all,” she says, explaining that where she would usually have her own flowers up to November, this year it’s looking more likely that she will only have them until the end of September.
As a member of the Flower Farmers of Ireland, Brigid tries to grow as much as she can herself rather than relying on imports. \ Barry Cronin
“It made a six-month season only four months, which is really sad because I get so sad when my flowers end,” says Brigid.
That said, there are still some blooms that have proved to be “troopers” throughout the season.
“The dahlias are still shining strong at the moment,” she says, “and the cosmos.
“They have really been the workhorses this summer.”
Read more
Blossoming with the Flower Farmers of Ireland
Maura Sheehy's top tips on cutting and conditioning wildflowers
THEN: In June 2018, Irish Country Living met Brigid Riley, who had returned from the US - where her work as a floral designer took her everywhere from five-star celebrity bashes to the White House - to set up Fernwood Flowers in Oldcastle, Co Meath.
NOW: Pre-COVID, Brigid was looking forward to her busiest year yet with weddings.
“It was fully booked, I didn’t have any availability left,” she says, “and literally overnight, the rug was just pulled out from under us.”
While some couples who were due to travel from abroad to get married cancelled, about half of her couples rescheduled for 2021, while the other half have decided to go ahead with scaled-back celebrations within the restrictions. And, fortunately for Brigid, while the guest list might be cut back, the flowers are not.
Pre-COVID, Brigid was looking forward to her busiest year yet with weddings. \ Barry Cronin
“They don’t need any less flowers at the end of the day,” says Brigid, who particularly enjoys working on smaller weddings in more intimate venues which have the “wow” factor and lend to more “statement pieces”.
“They’re asking for deeper, more dramatic flowers,” says Brigid, adding that pink and burgundy is proving to be a popular trend colour-wise. “I’m also seeing a lot more wedding dresses that aren’t white or ivory.”
Web shop
Apart from weddings, Brigid also launched a web shop during lockdown, which allowed her to sell bouquets for delivery nationwide.
“That was really popular during lockdown when people were missing their mums and grannies,” says Brigid, who will also be offering dried bouquets from the autumn onwards.
As a member of the Flower Farmers of Ireland, Brigid tries to grow as much as she can herself rather than relying on imports, but due to uncertainty around COVID, was late starting her own seeds this spring.
Despite the bad weather this summer, the cosmos have been "workhorses" of the cutting garden. \ Brigid Riley
“I didn’t know whether to grow a whole load of flowers because I didn’t know if I would be able to sell them,” says Brigid, but after deciding to go ahead a month later than usual, the poor weather in the summer conspired against her.
“I don’t think the sun came out here in July at all,” she says, explaining that where she would usually have her own flowers up to November, this year it’s looking more likely that she will only have them until the end of September.
As a member of the Flower Farmers of Ireland, Brigid tries to grow as much as she can herself rather than relying on imports. \ Barry Cronin
“It made a six-month season only four months, which is really sad because I get so sad when my flowers end,” says Brigid.
That said, there are still some blooms that have proved to be “troopers” throughout the season.
“The dahlias are still shining strong at the moment,” she says, “and the cosmos.
“They have really been the workhorses this summer.”
Read more
Blossoming with the Flower Farmers of Ireland
Maura Sheehy's top tips on cutting and conditioning wildflowers
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