A dream with a name

June 7, 2026

Less than 12 months ago, May & June existed only in my head.

It was a distant pipedream without a name.

Now, somehow, it’s real.

May & June officially launched on 1st May 2026, which means we are now one month old.

And what a wonderful month it has been.

For the first time in a long time, I feel energised. I have creativity, art and play in my life again. Of course, there have been moments where I have been plagued with self-doubt and wondering if I am cut out for this but beneath that, there has been excitement, purpose and contentment which had been missing for my life for… well, forever.

Wedding styled shoot

One of the highlights of my first month in business was taking part in my first wedding styled shoot, organised by Roseline of GR Lux Events and held at a beautiful Grade II country house, Rainhill Hall, outside of Liverpool.

The brief was timeless, elegant and minimal, centred around an ivory and green colour palette. I chose a beautiful mix of florals including calla lilies, Miss America peonies, white alliums, corncockles, foxgloves, roses, orlaya and sweet rocket – and every stem was grown right here in Britain. (Read more about the case for British flowers).

I created delicate bud vase arrangements for the dining table in the drawing room. The corncockles added dainty height, foxgloves brought a touch of whimsy and the calla lilies oozed modern elegance.

A meadow arrangement and an urn design framed the grand fireplace, while the bouquet tied everything together. It caught the light beautifully. Frothy, elegant and full of movement, it felt exactly as I had hoped it would.

Later, we moved outdoors and created a ceremony space on the lawn. Single stems lined the aisle, while meadow arrangements framed the ceremony backdrop and champagne table.

It was a wonderful experience with a team of predominantly women, all supporting each other and leading a creative career on their own terms.

What did I learn? Flowers don’t always behave as you want them to and neither does life. Sometimes all you can do is prepare as best you can and trust yourself to figure things out along the way.

Old and new flower friends

Starting a business can feel really challenging. What I didn’t anticipate was how generous people would be with their knowledge, encouragement and time. Old friends and new who answer questions, share advice and celebrate wins.

I have felt a very real sense of women supporting women. The growers, the florists, the stylists, the photographers – all building creative lives of their own and so willing to lift each other up along the way.

For me personally, this support has come from near and far. From my local grower, Kathy at Gran’s Garden all the way to Seattle Washington where my friend Faye hails from. We trained together at Tallulah Rose Flower School and enjoyed being reunited (albeit over Zoom) at the start of June.

Some friends I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet like Emily at Wild by Design – a special human who has been so generous with her knowledge and kindness, offering support freely in an industry that could so easily feel competitive instead.

I cannot help but feel like I have found ‘my people’ in this community of women. And that has been one of the most unexpected (and joyful) parts of this first month.

My first wedding booking

Another meaningful moment came when a friend asked me to create the flowers for her wedding in Scotland. Being trusted with a friend’s wedding flowers is a privilege.

M&G will marry at Thirlestane Castle and I will be creating the flowers for their wedding breakfast. Alongside the flowers themselves, I have also been working on the tablescape design, carefully selecting pieces that reflect the character of the drawing room. Antique gold chalices, a vintage bowl for their sweetheart table, candlesticks and candlelight: details that feel romantic, timeless and at home within the castle’s historic surroundings.

All of this has come together in a very short space of time. I’ve had just seven weeks to pull everything together – from the first conversation to sourcing flowers, designing the concept, and building something that feels considered and cohesive. In the world of weddings, where couples often book their florist a year or more in advance, it has been a fantastic learning experience to work at this pace.

As if that wasn’t enough, another flower friend has asked me to create her bridal bouquet. She gets married next year. How wonderful it is to be welcomed into one of the most important days of people’s lives.

Manchester Flower Festival

This month also included a solo trip to Manchester Flower Festival, which felt like the North’s answer to Chelsea in Bloom, albeit on a smaller scale. There were flowers on every corner and plenty of inspiration for urban gardening too.

The star of the show was the impressive Exchange in Bloom installation. A love letter to bees, surrounded by layers and layers of bee-friendly planting, it was designed by Adi Thomas of Verdure Floral Design.

Walking through the city that day, I couldn’t help but think about the power of nature in bringing people together and transforming spaces. How much happier would our towns and cities feel if flowers, gardens and green spaces were more integrated? It would do wonders for our pollinators too.

The last few years have been really tough. And I’ll admit that at times, the last few weeks have been challenging and exhausting too but beneath that there has been a feeling of contentment and energy.

I don’t feel like I’ve got everything figured out.

Far from it.

There is still so much to learn. Many mistakes to make.

But I feel grateful.

Grateful for every person who has supported May & June.

Grateful for the opportunities that have already come my way.

And grateful that after just one month, the distant pipedream that once only existed in my head, it now a reality.