I bought from three stalls, which provided treats for myself and others. I also found a way to add a floral hint to my home without having to keep a plant alive.
As I approach 30 and ‘adult’ items like potted plants grow more appealing, I find myself in the difficult position of being both a plant lover and a plant killer. As soon as a new pot makes its way from a garden centre to my home, I have the following thought: “That’s pretty. I’m going to kill it.”
Before you brand me as some unhinged flower serial killer and lock away your lilies, I must explain. I never set out to see dried petals and withered leaves. I have a watering can and honourable intentions, though I leave behind a line of good plants taken too soon.
One stall at Mill Road Winter Fair in Cambridge on Saturday (December 6), however, reminded me that flowers don’t actually have to be alive to be pretty. Buckets were filled with gorgeous bunches of dried flowers at the Cambridge Floral Designs stall.
As well as slightly pricier bouquets of multiple flower types, there were smaller packages made up of one variety each, which were on offer for £4 per bunch or £10 for three. Excited by the prospect of adding a floral hint to my home that would last longer then 48 hours, I bought three.
The bunches I chose were fiery orange, vivid purple and frosty white. My lack of horticultural knowledge extends to flower names, so I can’t say what they are. They’re pretty and can’t be killed, and that’s good enough for me.
Having taken £15 to Mill Road Winter Fair, I had £5 left over. I spent £1 from this at the Amnesty International Bookshop’s ‘lucky dip’ stall, where I picked a book wrapped in Christmassy paper and crossed my fingers it was one I’d like.
Thankfully for my parents, who risked receiving a rubbish book for Christmas if I didn’t want it, the blurb intrigued me. I had chosen The Lost Souls’ Reunion by Suzanne Power, a book about family love as it is passed from generation to generation.
Finally, I headed over to the crowd of crafts and gift stalls outside Kelsey Kerridge sports centre, where I found a cute £3.50 Christmas card for two of my friends. They own a gorgeous old ginger cat called Zippie.
The slightly-grumpy character printed on the card by Cambridge-based Jo Clark Design worked perfectly, as Zippie has a moody face. Having treated myself and honoured little Zip, I was happy with my haul – and went home with 50p to spare.
