Willow Crossley | YOLKE  

WILLOW CROSSLEY

Willow, as her name would suggest, loves the outdoors. Growing up in the Welsh countryside and with a ‘green fingered genius’ mother it was a natural step into a career as a florist. With 3 books under her belt, a schedule full of events for clients such as Jo Malone and Mulberry and three young boys to look after this woman knows how to multi-task. We spent a sunny morning at her Oxfordshire home picking up some tips to share with you.


What’s your favourite smell? 


The seaside. My husband. Diptyque’s L’ombre dans l’eau. My new candle for 'Not Another Bill'. I’ve collaborated with my brother Ned and we’ve created the most delicious fig candle in a dark green hexagon glass.


Are roses the only flowers for love? 


Definitely not! I think all flowers are for love - peonies, tulips, narcissi, foxgloves.. anything goes. It's the thought behind them that count.


And with that in mind does your husband still buy you flowers?


Yes! He just gave me some very pretty stripy tulips for Valentine's day...


Can you describe your creative process?


Rather shambolic and very long winded. 24 hours a day. I find it very hard to switch off. Saying that, the flowers I use will always depend on the season and then what colour or theme the client has in mind. I'm not very formulaic and am very often changing my mind about how it’s going to look right up to the last second.


Greatest accomplishment so far?


Work wise, probably winning the peoples vote for Chelsea in Bloom last year. Set designer, Angus Buchanan and I created a life size carnival made from flowers - for beauty brand Liz Earle. It took months and months of planning and was so much fun to create.


Anything in store for 2017 you can tell us about?


Lots of workshops, weddings and flowery projects and then my husband and I are opening a new pub called the Swan in Ascott Under Wychwood in May which is our new very exciting project. We have lots of incredible designers designing bedrooms for us.


Can you give us a quick fix to jazz up a dinner table in a hurry?


Jam jars filled with seasonal flowers dotted down the middle of the table with tall, multicoloured taper candles weaving in and out at different heights.  


And lastly can you recommend a beautiful garden to visit?


Rousham House Garden in Oxfordshire. Designed by William Kent, it has the most stunning rose garden.


Follow Willow on Instagram | @willowcrossleycreates


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