Reflecting a life with funeral flowers that fit

Linda Crew, Woodchurch Cottage Flowers, Ashford, Kent.

Funeral flowers have been a big part of my life and business for quite a few years now. It started gradually, making a wreath for a friend and then for my own dear dad and I realised just how important these flowers were to people at this time in their lives. Many people told me after both these funerals that focussing on the flowers helped them through the difficult bits. This made me realise how important the right funeral flowers are.

Before I even start to think about flowers, I like to learn more about the life and loves of the person who has died this always helps to spark ideas about how to reflect some key experiences and interests with flowers.

“Her favourite colours were blue and purple”. This bespoke funeral wreath was inspired by seasonal summer flowers which brought this colour palette into a wild and natural arrangement.

Each and every one of the floral arrangements I make are totally unique and specific to the ideas that I've explored with the family. I'm inspired by nature and by the treasures that I gather on walks around our fields with my dogs. Rather than starting with a fixed design in mind, I start with ideas for the type of arrangement the family has decided on, and then find inspiration for it in my natural finds and loveliest flowers of the season that fit the brief. It's an approach that works well both for me and my clients and I'm always touched and delighted when they write to me to let me know that ‘the flowers were right'.

‘Just wanted to thank you for the beautiful flowers you prepared for my brothers funeral. The hops, blackberries, oats, grasses and dahlias really portrayed his life in the countryside and everyone could relate to them. The girls were amazed with their flowers too, especially how you graded the sunflowers in size in relation to their ages. They were very much admired by all. Many thanks for your thoughtfulness……’

Sally

Linda shows that going plastic-free with funeral flowers does not compromise on the loveliness of the results.

I love new challenges and a memorable one was a woodland burial where I was asked to decorate not only the coffin, but also the bier that was to carry it to the graveside. This was for someone who was a real nature-lover and I really wanted to reflect that in their flowers. The job of gathering turning autumn foliage from our hedgerows, seedheads from local meadows, and putting the whole thing together, along with flowers that I'd grown was truly inspirational. The family's response to the flowers was amazement and I find it so rewarding and satisfying to provide people with something memorable that they love. It also encourages me to go forward and spread the word about sustainable funeral flowers, which is why I'm writing this blogpost!

A natural garland of turning foliage and russet flowers was one of Linda’s favourite bespoke funeral creations, made to decorate a wooden bier for an autumnal woodland burial.

Making funeral flowers that are personal and unique is at the heart of my business and I want to show people that there are more, and different choices available to the flowers that are shown to them in a funeral catalogue.