So, it’s time to bring out the big guns - coats, jackets, knitwear, hats and colour to add some joy when the world starts turning a little monochrome.

In this week’s dispatch - 13 smart new season buys that will see you through winter and be classic enough to pull out again this time next year…

Leave a comment

New Season Fashion

13 winter fashion staples to update and invest in now for the seasons to come. From cool trainers to wear-everywhere-jackets, chunky knits to heart-stopping boots, and easy-chic evening knitwear - all the essentials with a few stying notes…

1. The Night Time Knit

Fleur Merino Jumper

One needs a night-time-knit at all times. It’s a bit like packing a little black party dress, just in case. You never know when the opportunity arises and on the occasion you do want to drag yourself out on a winter’s evening, you need this winning winter combination of long sleeves paired with metallic sparkle! Just the ticket to elevate jeans and trainers. And stripes are essential whatever the season…

2. The Statement Shirt

Wide Placket Studded Shirt

I absolutely adore this denim tuxedo-ey shirt. Oversized, studded and a little bit cowboy. I’ll wear it like a shacket with lots of very thin merino layers underneath, a mini skirt, thick tights and my new Chelsea boots ( which are now on sale)

3. The Trainer

Chocolate pony Adidas, Red Adidas, Herringbone pink Adidas, Emerald & pink Nike.

The more colour the better; although saying that, how life enhancing are those Wales Bonner X Adidas chocolate ones?!

4. The Every Day Jean

The Mid Rise Lasso Sneak Straight-Leg Jeans

When you need an every day jean that can take you from the garden to sidelines to lunch and to dinner, this is her. Nothing fancy, just a great cut a straight leg and a great denim wash.

5. The Boot

The Incredible Boot

My winter boot collection is predominantly Penelope Chilvers. I’ve worn the same pair of navy velvet lace-up ankle boots for the past four years, but they’ve finally reached the end of their life. And I deserve the heart flutter that only a delivery of the Incredible Boot can deliver. Wear for sidelines, parties, to the slopes, everywhere this season…

6. The Sideline Coat

I have just defrosted after a couple of hours watching my smallest play rugby on a very wet sideline in Birmingham and decided I need to up my waterproof coat game. Did you see Claudia’s cropped, boxy little Barbour in this week’s Traitors? It was so good. This burgundy patchwork one with a proper hood is definitely related, if not actually it. And this one is very similar but in a different colour way. And then I love the chunky, shiny hardware on this one.

7. The Night Time Trousers

Read more

Tune in live tomorrow (Tuesday at 09.30 UK time).

Butter grew up on a farm on the East Coast of America. Her deep appreciation of beautiful surroundings and passion for gardening is a family inheritance running deep in her veins: her mother, aunt and grandfather were all keen and accomplished gardeners, and she remembers with great fondness wandering around their beautiful gardens as a child.

Once in England, Butter trained at the English Gardening School and The London College of Garden Design. Originally working for Colefax and Fowler in the world of decorative interiors, she then followed her lifelong passion into garden design and founded her own garden studio and is now an award-winning designer for gardens in London and beyond. She has a profound love for her job and her clients and takes a tremendous amount of time and care over them both. She is also a mother of four and raised her children alongside her love of gardening from her west London home.

I can’t wait to chat with Butter all about her flowery life…

‘MY FLOWERY LIFE’ VIDEO CHAT with Butter Wakefield

Date: Tuesday 20 October
Time: 9.30am (UK Time)
How: Join the link on the button below and watch on Substack via the app on your phone or with your computer browser

To Join The Chat, Click Here

You can ask questions on the chat itself or do let me know in the comments here if there’s anything you’d like me to ask Butter….

Leave a comment

And, please do feel free to share with any of your flower-and-food-loving friends who might like to join our chat too…

Share

See you tomorrow!
Willow x

For more on Butter, visit www.butterwakefield.com or follow @butterwakefield on Instagram and on Substack

PS. for this first series, I’m opening it up to everyone, not just paid subscribers. I want you all to get a taste of The Seedling and hear from my wonderful guests.

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Share

Clodagh is, of course, the Irish cook and TV personality whose 10th cookbook and new TV series launches this month. Clodagh lives on the sustainable farm, Broadspeer, with her husband Harry Herbert here in England and as well as being a brilliant chef - is a keen gardener, grower and flower enthusiast.

We talked a lot! About flowers, food, colour, comfort and joy… gardening, dream suppers and dahlias!

Clodagh’s new TV show Clodagh: Cooking at Home is now airing on itv and itvx every Saturday at 12pm, and her new cookbook, Clodagh At Home also launches.

Visit | www.clodaghmckenna.com | @clodagh_mckenna | Clodagh McKenna Chef on YouTube

Join me for my next live video in the app.

Get more from Willow Crossley in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

Get the app

Subscribe now

It was such a pleasure and joy to chat with Jo about her life long love of flowers, of her destiny to study garden design, early impressions growing up in Italy of gardens and architecture and her love of roses and romantic gardens. We could have chatted for hours!

We have lots more to come and make sure you follow Jo’s wonderful The Gardening Mind substack.

Love, Willow

x

Leave a comment

Visit | For more contact www.JoThompson-garden-design.co.uk | Follow @jothompsongarden

Join me for my next live video in the app.

Get more from Willow Crossley in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

Get the app

Inspired by the rich colours of dahlias and to keep our spirits high as we descend into the grey, I’ve rounded up my favourite colour punch fashion of the season. Nothing is better than adding colour to your everyday to lift the mood, especially as the days get shorter and the grey descends…

Thank you for those of you that joined me for my chat with the joy-spreading this week (don’t miss her brilliant new show at midday Saturdays on ITV) and I hope you’ll join me with the wonderful garden designer next week. It such a pleasure to chat about flowers and gardens in my new series, My Flowery Life.

Leave a comment

In this week’s dispatch - Dahlia Mania, my new rattan vases (priority access!), my chat with Clodagh McKenna, Colour to Covet, The Hand Cream You Need & more...

Colour Crush

As the days get shorter and the brightness fades, it’s imperative (to me) to bring colour into the everyday. Flowers, foremost, but also in what I wear and the everyday objects at home - it’s the easiest way to inject joy for me and I layer the colour through knitwear, accessories and the rituals of home. My bright yellow bin in the kitchen is a great example of keeping spirits high through the mundane.

This week I bought a bright purple jumper and have been wearing it with my emerald green Adidas bottoms with blue stripes, bright chunky beads, lilac socks and a bright purple hat. Dopamine dressing at its absolute best.

My chat with Clodagh McKenna

This week, I hosted the joyful on My Flowery Life. We had so much fun chatting all about our shared love of food, flowers and gardens! (and dahlias!).

Join us next week for the wonderful garden designer and flower enthusiast, - next Tuesday, 20 October at 09.30.

Share

Let me know what you’d like me to ask Butter about?

Leave a comment

Dahlia Mania

My 3 new obsessions and all-time faves

Read more

Tune in live tomorrow (Tuesday at 09.30 UK time).

It’s a busy month for Clodagh - her brilliant new TV show Clodagh: Cooking at Home is now airing on itv and itvx every Saturday at 12pm, and her new cookbook, Clodagh At Home also launches.

I can’t wait to chat with Clodagh all about her flowery life…

‘MY FLOWERY LIFE’ VIDEO CHAT with Clodagh McKenna

Date: Tuesday 13 October
Time: 9.30am (UK Time)
How: Join the link on the button below and watch on Substack via the app on your phone or with your computer browser

To Join Chat, Click Here

You can ask questions on the chat itself or do let me know in the comments here if there’s anything you’d like me to ask Clodagh….

Leave a comment

And, please do feel free to share with any of your flower-and-food-loving friends who might like to join our chat too…

Share

See you tomorrow!
Willow x

PS. for this first series, I’m opening it up to everyone, not just paid subscribers. I want you all to get a taste of The Seedling and hear from my wonderful guests.

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Share

Thank you for those of you that joined me with my chat with Jo Thompson this week and I hope you’ll join me with Clodagh McKenna next week. It is just so much fun chatting about flowers and gardens and how are lives intertwine, in my new series, My Flowery Life. Who else would you like me to interview?

In this week’s dispatch - my new book, my chat with garden designer, Jo Thompson, London with Loeffler Randall, the dreamiest garden huts, why I’m reconsidering suits this season & a proper new hand repair rescue...

Leave a comment

My new book!

I have been very busy for over a year now working on my new book! This is book number five (can you believe that!?) and I’m so excited to announce the details and that it’s actually available for pre-order already! But it officially launches on the 16th of February.

It’s called Flora and is all about flowering through the seasons. Divided into the four seasons, I show how to bring the joy and beauty of simple flowers and artful arrangements into the home year-round. Being a Rizzoli book, it will take pride of place on any coffee table and I’ve spent months shooting and choosing my favourite seasonal flower imagery and creating mood boards of the seasons along with writing all about my inspiration and tips for the most beautiful seasonal flowers. And the wonderful, whimsical illustrations are by the very talented Fin Fellowes.

I hope you enjoy it! We’ll have lots of exciting celebrations around the actual launch next year so stay tuned for that…

Flower Power at Bicester

We’ve taken over the nostalgic newsstand at Bicester Village until the 16th of October. Our lovely colourful seed packaging, designed by the brilliant Natalia Bagniewska is bringing colour and joy to the Oxforshire outlet. Do check it out if you’re visiting. The postcards are so lovely and make gorgeous cards for friends this season….I will be there this morning if you happen to be around and want to come and say hello!

My chat with Jo Thompson

This week, I hosted the divine on My Flowery Life. We struggled to keep to 30 mins as it was so much fun chatting all about our shared love of flowers and gardens! You can watch it our conversation here.

Join us next week for the brilliant cook, author, gardener, broadcaster, and Ireland’s favourite, - Tuesday, 13 October at 09.30.

Let me know what you’d like me to ask her about, in her foodie, flowery life?

Leave a comment

A Bonni garden escape

Can you think of anything more heavenly than escaping to your every own studio at the end of the garden? Somewhere that is built completely to spec, delivered and finished within a few weeks, a turn-key walk-in fitted and furnished ‘she shed’. Where all you have to decide is pitched or flat roof, the paint colours (from 6) and any little extras, where you choose from a menu. It’s a step up from my greenhouse in that I might even want to sleep there sometimes!

Bonni are brilliant - husband and wife teem Koo and Denny Akers have created a Bonni wonderland of outbuildings from their Oxfordshire home and they’re just getting started…

What would you use yours for? Writing? Gardening? Yoga? Guest cottage? Teen retreat? Or just somewhere to simply sit and read with some crafting by the pot belly stove? Heaven!

Lovely Loeffler Randall in London!

Last night I was invited to a very spoiling dinner to celebrate the opening of the new Loeffler Randall store here in London. We are so excited they are here!

Read more

Tune in live tomorrow (Wednesday at 09.30 UK time).

Jo is not only a garden designer, writer, and broadcaster but also an all-round plant obsessive. She has created some of the most beautiful, romantic gardens I’ve ever seen. Jo has that wonderful ability to make a garden feel both completely magical and completely achievable — which I think is a rather special talent.

‘MY FLOWERY LIFE’ VIDEO CHAT with Jo Thompson

Date: Wednesday 07 October
Time: 9.30am
How: Join the link on the button below and watch on Substack via the app on your phone or with your computer browser

To Join Chat, Click Here

You can ask questions on the chat itself or do let me know in the comments here if there’s anything you’d like me to ask Jo….

Leave a comment

And, please do feel free to share with any of your garden-loving friends who might like to join our chat too…

Share

See you tomorrow!
Willow x

PS. for this first series, I’m opening it up to everyone, not just paid subscribers. I want you all to get a taste of The Seedling and hear from my wonderful guests.

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Share

What I’m loving this month…

1. Cosy and chic cream with a removable tasselled cape. I mean…

2. Joy in book form - A Year In The Garden by Matthew Rice

3. Supernatural superstar face oil

4. Merino wool bed socks for all day colour & comfort

5. Luminous skin liquid - on it’s own or as a hydrating primer

6. The perfect denim skirt. Just add tights (now it’s October, we can!)

Willow Loves (6 more!)

1. Embroidered, frill-collared charm for autumn layering with denim

2. It’s called the facelift. Yes please!

3. Cashmere sweat pants? I’m in, all season long

4. The Barolo red high-necked silk cashmere dream

5. Heritage meets streetwear in the trainer of the season

6. Embroidery. Suede. Shearling. Would I ever take it off?

Happy October!

Love Willow x

Leave a comment

Share

I almost feel relieved we’re here, after the madness of September and the pressure we put on ourselves to get back to work, settle into new school routines and adopt own new regimes of our own for this new year of sorts.

I have loved the September sunshine but there is something calming and comforting about sliding fully into the season. The leaves are turning, the days are shortening, the dahlia’s are hanging on, just. Autumn is here.

In this edition, we chat with the wonderful printmaker Molly Mahon who is celebrating a decade in print with her eponymous brand and studio. Molly and I share a love of colour, print and bringing joy to the home. When we had our pubs in The Cotswolds, Molly designed one of the bedrooms in her heavenly prints and it was so joyful! Her new Wanderlust collection has me wanting to redecorate at home, all over again.

I also share my fashion and beauty wishlist in Willow Loves, talk about what I’m sowing for the garden now, share my go-to smoothie which is the highlight of my autumnal mornings, and more.

I hope you find something that inspires in this edition and wishing you a very happy month ahead.

With love,
Willow

*This is monthly free edition, but every week, I send out emails to my paid subscribers with flowery, fashion, food and wellness content - ideas to inspire, create and nurture. Plus live videos, chat and much more. I hope you will join us!

PS. this is a long read so might be best to read in app/web browser (just in case it cuts off in your email).

Willow Loves!

What I’m loving this month…

1. Cosy and chic cream with a removable tasselled cape. I mean…

2. Joy in book form - A Year In The Garden by Matthew Rice

3. Supernatural superstar face oil

4. Merino wool bed socks for all day colour & comfort

5. Luminous skin liquid - on it’s own or as a hydrating primer

6. The perfect denim skirt. Just add tights (now it’s October, we can!)

Willow Loves… (6 more!)

(scroll to the end for our paid subscribers)

What I’m sowing now

I’ve spoken before about how I’m starting to sow earlier this year. Partly it’s me getting organised and planning my garden for next year and partly it’s this strange weather we’re having, I'm experimenting! And partly - ok, quite a lot, to do with the fact that I now have a greenhouse and find every excuse to be in it!

The advantage of autumn sowing is that the seeds have more time to develop strong root systems which in turn means healthier, bigger, stronger and earlier flowers. Not every seed wants to be sown now, just a few hardy annuals and perennials that benefit from that cold winter burst.

I’m going to sow ammi majus, corncockle and sweet peas now in the greenhouse and then directly sow poppies, larkspur, nigella, sweet rocket, these amazing chianti shades pansies and calendula into the ground outside.

I have already had great success sowing corncockle a few weeks ago, they germinated like lightening in just a few days - I can’t tell you the JOY!

In my Sunday vid this morning I’m talking through what I’m sowing….

Also, if you don’t have a greenhouse, do not worry! I have gotten by for many, many years using seed trays in windowsills or somewhere where there is as much light as possible. Don’t forget to label what you’ve sown, that is a surprisingly easy thing to forget to do and it’s not worth leaving to chance, especially if you’re sowing lots of seeds and planning your spring garden in detail…

Watch may video below for a little more how-to if you’re new to it all…

Leave a comment

Interview - Marvellous Molly Mahon

Molly Mahon, the British printmaker and textile designer, has spent ten years bringing joyful, handcrafted print into homes in Britain and around the world.

For Molly, this decade in print has been a journey between the Sussex countryside and India - developing hand-carved blocks and hand-printed cloth, and bringing them home again to develop into beautiful collections in her rural studio.

It’s also been a very personal journey - from the realisation that ‘this was it’ at a block printing workshop, to starting her eponymous brand and studio while battling breast cancer in the early days.

We spoke to Molly about the inspiration behind her most personal collection to date - Wanderlust - the importance of preserving traditional craftsmanship, and how colour and print and the collected stories we gather in our homes inject joy into the everyday…

Read More

My Go-To Smoothie

I remember going to a yoga day about twelve years ago and being given a smoothie halfway through the morning. It didn’t look like much, more sludge than smoothie, but it was so delicious that I’ve never forgotten it.

Then, this summer, I had a similar one at the airport en route to Mallorca, and was reminded about the sensationalism of it. I’ve now started making my own each morning when I run out of time for a proper sit-down breakfast. It’s become the new highlight of my day, almost taking over from the coffee moment in the joy stakes.

One banana
2 teaspoons of crunchy peanut butter (I’m sure smooth will work too)
2/3 dates (these ones are insanely good ones)
Possibly a blueberry or two if I have them
A sprinkle of my Milled Flaxseed, Almonds, Brazil Nut, Walnuts & Q10 mix
A teaspoon of either collagen or creatine from Ancient & Brave
One cup of oat milk
Ice

Whizz it all up in the Nutribullet and enjoy!

My Flowery Life

I’m so excited about my new live video series - My Flowery Life, hosted here on Substack.

Think it of as an intimate chat where you’re all invited and where we chat about life, through the language of flowers. Each week I’ll chat with someone about their flowery life. Some of my guests may be in the flowery world, others not. But they all share a love of flowers and recall memories where flowers made them feel something. It’s a bit like Desert Island Discs but instead of music, we’re talking flowers!

We began last week with the utterly fabulous Kimberly Fleming AKA The . You can watch our conversation here. We chatted Kim’s career pivots from fashion to flowers - opening her own flower shop, then flowering on film sets including Oceans 12, managing the flowers (and moving them in a sustainable direction) at The Whitehouse under the Obamas then moving to England and starting her very own flower farm. Yes, she is fabulous.

This week, I’m chatting with the wonderful - garden designer, RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal winner and author - whose Substack ‘The Gardening Mind’ is a must. Tune in live on Wednesday at 9.30 UK time.

I have so many fabulous friends coming on for a chat in the coming weeks. If you’re tuning in from abroad and the time doesn’t work, don’t worry, we’ll send a recording afterwards.

Who would you like me to chat with about their flowery life?

Leave a comment

October What’s On

What to see, visit & plan this month…

1. Go see The 90’s: Art & Fashion, Tate Britain from 8 October

2. Try to get tickets if you can for Kristin Scott Thomas in The Cherry Orchard at Harold Pinter Theatre from 3 October

3. Visit Painting the French Riviera at The Royal Academy, on until 31 January

4. Visit the BFI London Film Festival 7-18 October

5. See Gillian Anderson if you can find tickets in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Soho Place until 19 December

6. Visit the Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art at the V&A before it closes on 8th November.

7. Join Countryside Arts Club for events on 9 and 15 October in Oxford and nearby

8. New season telly:

   Celebrity Traitors on Sky - it’s back and an all-family pleaser
   War - Sienna Miller & Dominic West on Sky

   Brothers - Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey on AppleTV
   Mobland on Paramount - The Harrigans are back…
   Youth on HBO - Sharon Hogan is brilliant in this dark comedy-drama
   The Real Rooneys on Disney+ - Wayne and Coleen Rooney are opening the doors to their Cheshire home for a new eight-part reality series
   The Gentleman Series 2 on Netflix -
   Slow Horses on ITV - It’s back with rave reviews
   The Blame on ITV - crime thriller for the dark nights
   Number 10 on Channel 4 - coming soon
   

Where else should we go this month, watch or book ahead for?

Leave a comment

PS. Willow Loves (6 more!)

My autumn to winter wish list..

Read more

For Molly, this decade in print has been a journey between the Sussex countryside and India - developing hand-carved blocks and hand-printed cloth, and bringing them home again to develop into beautiful collections in her rural studio. Each collection merges classic centuries-old techniques with a fresh, colourful aesthetic - a marriage of India and the English countryside that feels right at home.

It’s also been a very personal journey - from the realisation that ‘this was it’ at a block printing workshop, to starting her eponymous brand and studio while battling breast cancer in the early days. Now comes a full-circle moment, with her studio based where her first introduction to block printing began.

We spoke to Molly about the inspiration behind her most personal collection to date - Wanderlust - the importance of preserving traditional craftsmanship, and how colour and print and the collected stories we gather in our homes inject joy into the everyday…

Tell us about your early years. How did your upbringing shape your love of home, textiles, creating and travel?
I grew up in a very creative household. My mother, Celia Lewis, is an artist and was always making something at the kitchen table, marbling, embroidering, upholstering, painting. My grandmother was creative too, so making things was simply part of everyday life. We also spent long summer holidays in Scotland, which gave me a lifelong love of wild landscapes, nature and travelling. I think that combination of creativity, countryside and a very hands-on approach to life has stayed with me.

You launched your eponymous brand 10 years ago. Had it always been a dream?
Not at all, I had spent my twenties running an events company in London, and after having my first child I was looking for something creative to do. I tried various things, but when I discovered block printing through Angel Hughes, something just clicked. I remember lifting that first block and seeing the impression appear and thinking, this is it. I became completely obsessed. It was tactile, imperfect and incredibly satisfying.

It began very modestly around the kitchen table. I started printing paper and then cushions, and a friend asked me to decorate a shepherd’s hut. That little project led to wallpaper, then more commissions, and gradually I realised that something I had started purely for myself might actually become a business.

And in a full circle moment, the studio you now design from is the one where you took your first course? Tell us more…
It really is extraordinary. Angel’s workshop was in the Sussex countryside and I was so inspired by the space, the colour and, above all, the blocks themselves. I later moved closer to the area and spent time helping Angel, learning more and more about the craft. To now have my own studio in this same space in Sussex, surrounded by the things that have accumulated over the years, feels like coming home to where it all began.

That same year you launched your brand, you were diagnosed with breast cancer. How has that experience shaped not only you but the brand and studio you have continued to grow since then?
It was obviously a huge shock, particularly because the business was only just beginning. But I was determined that I wasn’t going to stop. If anything, it made me much more conscious of how precious time is and of wanting to spend it doing something that feels meaningful.

I think it has given the business a stronger sense of purpose. I care deeply about the people we work with, the craft itself and creating things that will last. I am also particular about how we create, using only water based inks and natural fibres for the base cloth. I want to offer a clean product within my industry.

Your rural home and the seasons in Sussex are a source of inspiration to you - how does that weave its way into your collections, including your new Wanderlust collection?
Nature is probably my most constant source of inspiration. I notice the way the light changes, leaves unfurl, seed heads dry, flowers come and go. Living in the Ashdown Forest means there is always something to draw or photograph.

Wanderlust is perhaps where the two halves of my world, Sussex and India, meet most clearly. It brings together some of my much-loved designs with new colours and patterns inspired by that constant exchange between home and travel.

Do you collect objects on your journeys? Is there a particular piece that holds a special story?
Yes, absolutely. I’m much more interested in things that have a story than things that are simply beautiful. I collect textiles, old prints, ceramics, blocks and little found objects. I love things that show the hand of the maker and that remind me of a particular place or journey.

You marry the British countryside interior beautifully with a global nod to textiles and colour. Has your interiors style changed?
I think it has become more confident. I’m less concerned with what is supposed to go together and much more interested in what makes me feel something. I love the tension between English country-house pieces, Indian textiles, old furniture and lots of colour. I want a home to feel collected rather than curated.

What is your favourite room of the home to be in?
The kitchen, without question. It’s the beating heart of our house, the place where everyone ends up, where we eat, work, talk, make things and generally live.

What three essentials does every happy and comfortable home interior need?
Colour, pattern and things with a story.
I want a home to feel personal, warm and lived in, a bit rough around the edges. Never like it has simply been assembled from a showroom.

My last supper — If you could enjoy one final meal anywhere in the world, with no limits, what would you choose?
A long, slightly unruly table at the end of my favourite loch in Scotland, in this instance it would be warm and midge free! Very cold champagne to start, followed by the simplest, most delicious grilled fish, with salty chips and a fresh green salad and a huge pudding of course! My family and closest friends around the table, everyone talking at once. Nothing too formal. Maybe a bag piper standing on top of the mountain, his melodic tune blowing over us in the wind.

How do you unwind?
Walking. Always walking. Ideally with the family or the dog, through the countryside, followed by tea, cake and a fire.

Can you choose a favourite or two from the new collection, Wanderlust and why?
Marwari is a favourite because I’ve always loved the slightly eccentric procession of horses and it has such a strong sense of Rajasthan. I also love Audrey because it feels like a new direction for us, softer, more intricate and with the addition of embroidery. Together they show the old and the new sides of the collection beautifully.

Subscribe now

Let’s Play Favourites

Flowers: Dahlias, sweet peas and poppies
Artist: Vanessa Bell, particularly her work at Charleston
Interior Designer: Kit Kemp
Scent/Fragrance: Something green and botanical, I love Diptyque’s Philosykos
Travel destinations: India, Scotland and Morocco
Place in India: Jaipur. I have a very soft spot for the Anokhi Museum there, it changed the course of my creative life
Garden: My own, it’s a simple space in the middle of the forest, but, I love the towering oaks, the peace and quiet and the joy of flowers planted by oneself!
Book: The White Umbrella by Brian Sewell, a little book that has stayed with me
TV series: The Durrells
Film: Out of Africa
Wellness ritual: Walking outside every day
Colour: Pink and blue. I think they are embedded in my soul
Beauty essentials: Fresh Scottish Loch water swims and moisturising cream by Inbalance Iona
Music or soundtrack: Anything with a bit of soul, folk, old classics, something nostalgic. Mumford & Sons or King Creosote are often on the studio playlist
Season: Autumn, although I think I say that about whichever season we happen to be in
Restaurant: Petersham Nurseries. Beautiful, thoughtful and full of soul
Meal: A long Sunday lunch with everyone around the table
Mentor: Angel Hughes. She was the person who first opened my eyes to block printing and showed me where that first door was

Shop The Story

Visit www.mollymahon.com / Follow @mollymahonblockprinting / Substack

Photography: Emma Lewis and Alun Callender

Leave a comment

Share

I could have chatted to Kim for hours. She is such a warm, wonderful person and the flowers from her farm are another level of fabulousness.

Kim is truly inspiring and she really has mastered the art of ‘can do’ and of a career and life pivot, embracing each chapter and collecting friends and fans along the way.

From working for fashion’s big names to opening her own flower shop to flowering for film sets (Oceans 12 and Bridesmaids) to revamping the flowers at the Whitehouse under the Obamas, then moving to England and starting her own flower farm. That’s a lot of ‘f’s there, so let’s just say she’s truly fabulous.

A couple of short clips to get a feel for the ground we cover!

Kim on starting her flower shop…

And on ants and peonies!

We will try to schedule our My Flowery Life chats every Tuesday or Wednesday and some of my guests will be from abroad so will find a time that suits us all… and of course, we’ll let you know in advance when they’re happening. It’s so lovely to have you all on the chat with us and asking questions.

And please tell us - who would you love to see on My Flowery Life? Let me know in the comments….

Leave a comment

With love,
Willow

Visit www.MarlstonFarmgirl.com | Follow @marlstonfarmgirl

Join me for my next live video in the app.

Get more from Willow Crossley in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

Get the app

I’m always so sad when summer comes to an end, but the one silver lining is the return of knitwear! The chunkier and more colourful the better. There are some real goodies out there this season; here are my faves so far:

1. Chunky Crew Neck Cashmere Jumper in Orange, 2. Kismet Multi Striped Cashmere Sweater 3. Liana Chunky Crew Neck Jumper in Aubergine, I haven’t taken this off for the past two weeks!
4. Rounded Cashmere Crew-Neck Jumper in Brown Melange,
5. Hudson Striped Cashmere Henley, 6. The Easy Jumper in Navy.

Leave a comment

Share The Seedling

Think it of as an intimate chat - all about life through the language of flowers.

Each week I’ll chat with someone about their flowery life. Some of my guests may be in the flowery world, others not. But they all share a love of flowers and recall memories where flowers made them feel something. It’s a bit like Desert Island Discs but instead of music, we’re talking flowers!

First up, I’m chatting with the truly wonderful, Kimberly Fleming AKA Marlston Farmgirl. Kim describes herself as an ‘American girl living in England, growing British cut flowers & seeds’. That she is, but so much more.

We interviewed Kim here for The Seedling a few years ago and found her life story so fascinating and inspiring. I mean, who moves to the other side of the world and starts a flower farm from scratch, during Covid?! I could wax lyrical about the flowers from Kim’s farm, they are always the star of any flowery show I put on!

I can’t wait to chat with Kimberly all about our shared love of flowers.

Grab yourself a coffee, and come and join us here on Substack at 9.30am on Wednesday to chat with Kimberly about her flowery life…

‘MY FLOWERY LIFE’ VIDEO CHAT with Kimberly Fleming

Date: Wednesday 30 September
Time: 9.30am
How: Join the link on the button below and watch via your phone or computer, anywhere with WiFi

Join The Chat Here

See you on Wednesday!

Can’t wait!

Willow x

PS. for this first series, I’m opening it up to everyone! I want you all to get a taste of The Seedling and hear from my wonderful guests.

No! Absolutely not.

We get sent bulb catalogues so early these days that, if we haven’t ordered them by now, we start to panic. But the truth is, we don’t even want to be planting tulips for still a few weeks yet.

The only real panic is that your favourites might sell out!

A few years ago, I ordered mine the moment the catalogues landed on the doorstep. The bulbs arrived, I put them away somewhere and promptly forgot all about them. Months later, when the time to plant them finally came around… they’d all gone mouldy. 🙈

So, as far as I’m concerned, now is the time.

I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t even begun choosing mine yet. I think I'll end up getting a bag of each of the ones in my collection with PSD, just to be on the safe side. A real fruit salad!

I’m sharing everything I am planning tulip-wise and want to hear what you’ve gone for the year - same, same or some new colour and varieties? Plus I’m talking about my shoot from this week (Christmas already?!), my new TV obsession and that jumper…

In this week’s dispatch - it’s tulip time, shooting for Christmas (eek!), my MobLand TV obsession and the jumper I cannot take off…

Leave a comment

Tulip Time (yes, there’s still time)!

This is the first year I have done autumn seed sowing. And I’ve been so focused on it I haven’t quite sorted out my tulip bulbs until now.

First, you need to plan your spring garden - are you doing bulbs in pots, in borders, full garden beds or a mix of all? What else will the tulips be adjacent to? It pays to plan so it’s a lovely surprise not a shock of any kind when they emerge in spring!

This year, I am going full colour. I went quite gentle last year, lots of pastels and gentle sherberty colours which I loved but now I’m craving a little more pizazz. I designed this collection with this in mind - I love the hotness from the orange Ballerina and Dolls Minuet and then the peachy softness from the Avignon Parrot gives such a joyful balance. So these will go in my pots by the front door.

In the borders, I’m tempted to do something I’ve never done before and just go pink! Not one pink, but a whole tonal mix — Pink and Apricot Impressions, Mystik van Eijk, Dolls Minuet, China Town and possibly a few stripy Marilyns… Thoughts?

I’m slightly worried it might all feel a bit too neat for me and that I’ll miss the clash of Ballerina in there. But maybe I’ll find the whole thing pleasingly organised?!

You can see all my faves here. They never change. I’ve grouped them into five collections colour-wise: Strawberry Minuet, Peachy Ballerina, Green Flash, Starry Striped & Blackcurrant Parfait. But you can also find all my (17) single tulip variety favourites available to purchase now for delivery mid-October.

Once you’ve chosen your picks, here are some planting pointers;

• For the best results, aim to plant in November. The cooler soil helps reduce the risk of fungal problems such as tulip fire.

• Choose a well-drained spot. Tulips really don’t like sitting in wet soil.

• Plant them roughly 2–3 times the height of the bulb, probably around 10–15cm deep and pointy end up.

• In borders, I like to plant in groups rather than individually. For a natural-looking display, plant 7–15 bulbs together rather than creating a regimented grid.

• Space bulbs around 10–15cm apart as a starting point. You can of course go closer for a more densely packed display.

• Cover them with soil and leave them alone. You generally don’t need to water unless conditions are exceptionally dry.

• I sometimes scatter holly leaves around the bulbs to deter the squirrels.

And then, wait patiently until spring and feel so proud you did it this year!

PS don’t forget to label, unless you love a surprise!

Leave a comment

This knit!

I’ve spoken about her before, but I feel I need to again. Having one or two jumpers on repeat that fit the bill of colour, comfort and that certain something are essential for autumn happiness.

This Liana Chunky Crew Neck Jumper in Aubergine, is the one. She pairs so well with all shades of denim (even the ecru I’m taking over from summer days) and particularly good with gold jewellery and a merlot-hued nail.

B-T-S Christmas Shoot (& prep)

Read more

I've had a thought that perhaps a Thursday is better than Friday for my weekly dispatches. What do you think? Perhaps provides a little moment for you to pause towards the end of the week and a chance to read before the busyness of the weekend. Let me know your thoughts and we’ve also included a little poll at the end of this post to find out what you want to read more (or less) of in our Seedling dispatches each week.

Now to the very important subject of seeds. This year, I’m starting my sowing early. I must confess - I have always done spring sowing but fresh from my late summer obsession with planning out my 2027 garden, I am raring to go!

Of course, armed with my very own seeds and tulip bulbs is making this even more exciting. Thank you for all the love (and orders!) for my new seeds & tulip bulb collections with Premier Seeds Direct. I can’t wait to see your flowers and eventually arrangements too! Please do share them with me.

So I’m sharing everything am planning and would love to hear your thoughts on what your planting plans and dreams are, too.

In this week’s dispatch - planting now for spring happinesss and cosy knitwear to bring joy to autumn mornings …

PS check out my favourites shop with all my current loves, from fashion to beauty and home loves too.

Leave a comment

Sowing The Joy!

This is the first year I have done autumn seed sowing. Until now, seeds have always been a spring job - something to get excited about when the days start getting longer and the garden wakes up.

But this year is different! My new greenhouse has brought us a huge amount of joy and peace, and I just want to be in there as much as I possibly can be. So I’m going to try sowing a few of my favourites.

The advantage of autumn sowing is that the seeds have more time to develop strong root systems which in turn means healthier, bigger, stronger and earlier flowers. Not every seed wants to be sown now, just a few hardy annuals and perennials that benefit from that cold winter burst. I’m going for ammi majus, Californian poppies, echinacea , larkspur and pansies.

If you don’t have a greenhouse, do not worry! I have gotten by for many, many years using seed trays in windowsills or somewhere where there is as much light as possible. Don’t forget to label what you’ve sown, that is a surprisingly easy thing to forget to do and it’s not worth leaving to chance, especially if you’re sowing lots of seeds and planning your spring garden in detail…

I’m very much learning as I go, but I have a feeling autumn seed sowing might become one of my favourite gardening jobs.

Seeds on the mind with our playful video to launch my seeds collection this week!

Leave a comment

Cosy Time

I’m always so sad when summer comes to an end, but the one silver lining is the return of knitwear! The chunkier and more colourful the better. There are some real goodies out there this season; here are my faves so far:

Read more

September feels in full swing and as I write, my youngest if finally back in school! It did feel like the longest ever summer holiday and I’m now really very ready for routines again.

I went to the new Wiggy Kit store on Elizabeth Street on Tuesday to celebrate their Autumn Winter collection. As always, I wanted the majority of the pieces on the runway but restrained myself and came home with just this jumper; not especially exciting but I know I will live in it. These coats also had my name on them…

This week I’m talking about the little updates - the perfect raincoat and little everyday comforts we need now the days are getting shorter.

I am also SO excited to give you, my paid subscribers, the low down on my new launch (officially launches next Tuesday) below. I feel like it’s been YEARS in the making and so I’m very excited to tell you all about it!

In this week’s dispatch - my new launch, rainy day essentials, time to get organised and what’s on telly …

Happy weekend!
Love Willow x

PS check out my favourites shop with all my current loves, from fashion to beauty and home loves too.

Leave a comment

Rainy Days

Yes, we’ve had a few this week and gosh isn’t it satisfying seeing everywhere slowly turning green again, almost in front of our eyes. It’s such a joy to relish rather than lament it for once; I know before long we’ll go back to moaning about it, but for now, I feel like a fed-up farmer wanting to do a rain dance in my garden! I do keep getting caught out though (need a new stripey umbrella!) and none of my coats are actually waterproof and my usual coats are too heavy for this trans-seasonal weather so I have my eye on these…

Weatherproof Bonded Short Raincoat, Maree Reversible Rubberised Coat, Mosebacke Original A-Line Raincoat, Hunter Cotton Parka.

Liu Shower Proof Raincoat - Navy Check, Long Patch Raincoat,
Red Stevie Waterproof Coat, Green Arlene Wax Jacket.

Operation Tidy

After two months of school holidays, the clutter and chaos at home is at an all-time high. Which is entirely expected. I don’t have the energy or inclination to spend all day tidying when the boys are home, and I’d got quite used to living in an organised mess.

Now they’re back, though, I’m craving order like never before. I want clean lines and military organisation. I don’t want the enormous Vinted selling pile to be the first thing I see every morning. I want my jumpers neatly stacked in the cupboard and to be able to find my trainers when I need them.

So this weekend I'm going to make a start. I found this pretty seagrass organiser this morning which will make the perfect little house for my makeup. And then for the fridge, these Tupperware. I’m so embarrassed to admit how excited these made me in the shop. Do you get it?!

Borosilicate Airtight Containers to bring the joy!

Introducing (drum roll…!)

Ok, so here it is, we officially launch on Tuesday (you can purchase then) but I wanted to tell you all about it beforehand…

Read more

What I’m loving this month…

1. Cashmere-infused, slouchy comfort in a go-with-everything hue

2. Our new floral Loving Cup in Bordeaux - the perfect Autumn vase?!

3. A spirit-lifting rhinestone-embellished cashmere-blend neckerchief

4. For running errands (or even gardening) hands-free in style

5. THE more-is-more trainer of the season

6. A barely there navy wool layering essential

Willow Loves (6 more!)

Read more

How is it September?! It’s not as though we feel cheated out of summer, as it certainly felt like a long, hot one this year. The dry, scorched gardens are starting to green a little, and I noticed a crisp edge to the air during the mornings this week. The seasons are changing, and so are our routines. With the shock of the alarm in the morning, an empty house during the day and time indoors in the evening, it feels like change is here. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to the extremes that the back-to-school feeling brings – summer colliding with autumn, carefree days replaced with diarised routine…

In many ways, September feels like a new year reboot. This year, I’m feeling ready, and actually quite excited – for the garden planning, for new-season knitwear and denim, for the dahlias, for kitchen suppers, and for something flower-related and very exciting I’m launching in just over a week. There’s a lot happening, and I can’t wait to dive into it all.

I hope you find something that inspires in this edition and wishing you a very happy September.

With Love,
Willow

*This is monthly free edition, but every week, I send out emails to my paid subscribers with flowery, fashion, food and wellness content - ideas to inspire, create and nurture. Plus videos, chat and much more. I hope you will join us!

PS. this is a long read so might be best to read in app/web browser (just in case it cuts off in your email).

PPS. A note on our edits - all brands are carefully chosen. For some, we may receive a small commission if you purchase an item.

Willow Loves!

What I’m loving this month…

1. Cashmere-infused, slouchy comfort in a go-with-everything hue

2. Our new floral Loving Cup in Bordeaux - the perfect Autumn vase?!

3. A spirit-lifting rhinestone-embellished cashmere-blend neckerchief

4. For running errands (or even gardening) hands-free in style

5. THE more-is-more trainer of the season

6. A barely there navy wool layering essential

Willow Loves… (6 more!)

(scroll to the end for our paid subscribers)

The Autumn Wardrobe Update

13 new season sartorial essentials to invest in or update…

Cashmere Baby T-Shirt, Very Wide Leg Trouser, Technical Bomber Jacket, Flowing Lingerie Midi-Dress, Flexi Tie Mary Janes, Elastic Sporty Ballerina Flats, Puff Sleeve Denim Shirt.

Boogie Silk Pant, Mariselle Silk Paisley Print Dress, Beaded Swing Clutch, Leather Belt In Vanilla Cream, Jabbar Ruche Trainers, The Chelsea Jacket.

For styling tips with links click here.

Read More

Hopping Mad

Have you noticed that the hedgerows are suddenly full of hops? Garlands of tiny, lime-green, dangly, acorn-shaped balls weaving themselves into the hedges? I absolutely love them and now is their moment.

They do make driving at the moment rather dangerous however, as I’m on permanent hop-spotting duty. A telegraph pole on the A40 wrapped entirely from top to bottom very nearly put me in an early grave! But luckily, you can also buy not just forage them. I bought mine from here.

The aim is to buy them now, when they are in season and then let them dry. They’re so pretty for Christmas decorating; they might even replace the traditional spruce garlands this year.

Leave a comment

My Last Supper

Our guest this month is Vivien Wong, co-founder of the sweet-snacking-super-start-up, Little Moons - ice cream mochi which is made by enrobing beautiful gelato in a sweet soft dough called mochi, traditionally from Japan. Initially supplied to high end restaurants such as Nobu and Sushi Samba, Little Moons is now available in supermarkets.

Vivien chooses her last supper of dreams in balearic bliss with her mother’s cooking and of course, some little moons for a sweet treat...

As always we ask:

What would you have for your last meal on earth? A drink, a starter, a main course and pudding? You never get full and you can be wherever you want in the world…

My last meal would definitely be a long one. I’d invite my immediate family and my closest girlfriends - the ones who feel like family. The people who’ve seen me at my worst and stayed, and, perhaps even more rarely, the ones who’ve genuinely celebrated my wins. I would also include all my dogs, past and present.

We’d be barefoot on a sandy beach in Ibiza at sunset. I’d be wearing a completely impractical pink Valentino kaftan and far too much sparkly jewellery.

We’d start with very cold Alfred Gratien champagne, a completely unnecessary 1kg tin of caviar and really good crisps cooked in olive oil.

My non-alcoholic drink would be freshly squeezed Thai orange juice. There’s something about oranges in Thailand - they’re slightly more citrusy but somehow also perfectly sweet. I’ve never found orange juice quite like it anywhere else.

For a starter, I’d have my mum’s Hokkien mee with belacan sambal and her belacan fried chicken wings. It’s the food I grew up with and probably the food that tastes most like home to me.

Main course would be another of my mum’s dishes: pork cooked in black vinegar with fragrant Thai jasmine rice, alongside roast duck from Four Seasons on Queensway and stir-fried choi sum grown in my own garden.

And pudding would be very simple: perfectly ripe sliced mango, Musang King durian from Malaysia and a pair of Raspberry Little Moons cut in half.

So essentially: Ibiza, my favourite people, my mum’s cooking, a ridiculous amount of caviar and Little Moons for pudding. I can’t think of a better way to go.

Visit littlemoons.com| Follow @thevivienwong @littlemoonsmochi

Leave a comment

Recipe - Pear and frangipane galette

By Tart London

A rustic, buttery galette filled with sweet, tender pears and a rich, almond frangipane. The finishing touch of bourbon wash adds a hint of depth and warmth, elevating this simple dessert to something special.

Sweet pastry
2 – 3 pears
Egg wash
Brown Demerara sugar, for dusting
1 tsp cinnamon

Frangipani:
70g soft butter
170g caster sugar
170g ground almond
2 tbsp flour
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Optional:
2 tbsp bourbon
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

First make the frangipani:
Add the almond flour, sugar, vanilla and butter to a bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl. Add the flour and mix until just combined.

To make the galette:
Heat oven to 180c. Roll out the pastry and place on baking parchment. Spoon on the frangipani leaving a good inch of pastry on all sides. Thinly slice the pears and spread over the frangipani.

Fold up the sides of the pastry, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with demerara sugar and cinnamon.
Place the bourbon, sugar and vanilla in a small pan and simmer for a couple of minutes, poor over the pears and dot with a few pieces of butter.
Place the tart in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes.
Serve either straight away or can be served cold.
Reheats fine if you want to cook it in advance.

Visit tart-london.com | Follow @tart_london

September Arts & Culture

What to see, visit & plan this month…

1. New season telly for when the nights draw in: look out for The Gentleman Series 2 on Netflix, The Blame on ITV, Number 10 on Channel 4, Pride and Prejudice on Netflix.

2. Sign up to Create Academy for my courses and SO many more to learn more creative skills this season (currently 20% off)….

3. Get tickets to see Gillian Anderson in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Soho Place from 21 September

4. Visit the Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art at the V&A before it closes on 8th November.

5. Go and see As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe from 9 September until 25 October

6. Book The 90’s: Art & Fashion, Tate Britain from 8 October

7. Book ahead for Kristin Scott Thomas star in The Cherry Orchard at Harold Pinter Theatre from 3 October

8. Plan ahead for Painting the French Riviera at The Royal Academy from 2 October

Where else should we go this month or book ahead for?

Leave a comment

PS. Willow Loves (6 more!)

Summer essentials, to make getting dressed easy, breezy, fun!

Read more

We have our big September edition coming out Sunday so today is a sneak peak of the autumnal updates I’m planning for my …

Read more