Flowers Aplenty - Visiting JW Blooms Flower Field, Somerset

One of the things that I love about Instagram is the way that it connects you with things, be it people, places or just inspiration in general. I can’t quite remember how exactly it came about that I started following Jan from JW Blooms or she started following me but it was something along the lines of one of us commented on a post about flowers, then I had a look at Jan’s profile and discovered that she owned a flower field/cut flower nursery in Somerset. 

As ‘visit as many flowery places as possible’ has been on my to-do list for the past couple of years I’m always eager to find new floral delights to explore. I book marked JW Blooms flower field and made a mental note to look up where it was at some point. And then months went by and I completely forgot about it, as often happens in life. Then when one of Jan’s pictures popped up in my field depicting idyllic scenes of pretty blooms is re-sparked my interest. A quick google later and I discovered that the flower field was actually halfway between my Mum and my Sister’s place so now there really was no excuse not to visit. It took a few trips down to see family before the timing and weather conditions all fell in to place but one mid-August day a friend and I went to investigate just what JW Blooms had to offer.

As you drive in through the entrance way and up the driveway to the flower field it feels a little like you’ve gone through a portal into a different land. There’s this sense a serenity and calm right from the moment you arrive. 

 

The site itself is quite small and we managed to walk around, albeit slowing in about forty minutes. Don’t be fooled though, there’s a lot of blooming goodness jammed in there - traditional British flowers, cottage gardens goodies and wildflowers aplenty. We were actually a little late in the season and seeing things just past there prime but there was still plenty to behold along the avenues of flower beds. 

It’s important to note that this is a working flower field and there is evidence of that scattered all about - wheel barrows and buckets, plant pots and hose pipes. But rather than detract from the beauty of the place, it gives it an extra sprinkle of ‘old worldy’ charm. In fact, one of the reasons I love visiting places like these so much is due to that feeling of being transported back in time to when things seemed simpler, even if for just an hour or two.

Now, I need to inject a little note here about the cafe. Honestly, when we first pulled up we were so distracted by the cakes on display that we almost make our way to have a refreshment break before we even began but we dug into those reserves of self control and waited until after we’d wandered around. The cakes are supplied by Dainty Bakes and should you be lucky enough to sample one you’re in for a treat! The cakes using edible flowers from the field were a very nice touch. 

I’m really glad that I finally managed to get around to visiting Jan’s flower field. It’s a charming little place which feels a bit like a well kept secret that I was privileged to experience. I reckon next years garden plans may involve sacrificing one of the raised beds to plant full of cut flowers instead of veggies and I’m sure it will be absolutely worth it!


If you’re thinking of visiting JW Blooms:

Location: Cox's Lane, Hillcommon, Somerset, TA4 1DU

Links and socials: www.jwblooms.co.uk, or Jan is at @jw_blooms on Instagram, go give her a follow

Opening times: The flower field is open to the public from March to October. The cafe is open on Sundays in the summer from 10am-4pm.

Cost: It’s free to visit but it’s worth bringing some pennies for cake and flowers ;-)

A bit more info: Bouquets (and other plants) are available to buy daily and can be made to order for weddings etc. They also run courses throughout the year on things like planning a cutting garden and making a bouquet.

In the area: Hestercombe Gardens is about 20 mins away and definitely worth a visit, it’s one of my favourite places! Both the Quantock Hills (AONB) and Blackdown hills are nearby with plenty of walking routes to enjoy. And if you’re a National Trust Member Barrington Court and Killerton House aren’t too far away either.

 

A Field of Flowers - The Real Flower Petal Confetti Company

The heat and I aren’t really friends. With my Casper-like complexion and body that has trouble regulating it’s temperature, at times it makes hot temperatures a bit of a struggle. So when the forecast for this particular day with 32oC it very almost put me off of this trip that I’d been planning for months. However, I am really, really glad that it didn’t!

I had first stumbled upon a photo of the Real Flower Petal Confetti Company (phew that’s a mouthful!) on Instagram towards the end of last year and let me say that once you click on their hashtag you find yourself lost in a world of pretty floral pictures filled with delicate flowers. I think that I’d only been scrolling for about 20 seconds before I decided I had to visit! 

The confetti field is only open for a couple of weeks each year during the summer so I had been patiently waiting for that time to come. Somehow when it did arrive it was a particularly busy time so we ended up planning our trip for the very last day that it was open. As I was already feeling somewhat apprehensive about being out in the heat, we’d decided to go in the early morning when it was cooler. By chance I’d spotted a post on their website warning visitors about long queues and delays so even though it didn’t open until 10am we arrived at 9.20am. Boy am I glad that we did as there was already quite a lengthy queue. I must admit that I was starting to struggle standing there in the baking hot sun for 40 minutes but ten o’clock rolled around, the gates were opened and in we went! 

 
We’d been able to catch glimpses of the flowers from where we had parked and queued but once we were inside…well…it was one stunningly, beautiful site! Row after row after row of pretty delphiniums and cornflowers in every shade of pink and purple imaginable all bundled up together in a sea of spectacularness! The field was already swarming with people so notions of getting a person-free shot were definitely out of the window. That didn’t matter though because the collective joy and excitement of everyone as they explored the field and looked about them with awe created a wonderful atmosphere.

As we shuffled along the pathways I couldn’t help but enjoy the quintessentially English nature of the scene in front of me. Swaths of people dressed in summer dresses and shorts with a fantastic array of sunhats and parasols to help protect our unacquainted bodies from the beating down sun. 

 
We made our way through the pastel rainbow enjoying how every few rows the colours changed and snapping a fair few photos as we went. At the far end of the field was a viewing platform which we climbed up upon to take in the entirety of the scene - such a brilliant addition to the place.

After much admiring and adulation we made our way to the marquees for a much needed respite from the sun and a little refreshment. It was surprising cool under the white tarpaulin which was hugely welcome. We sat there nattering away and partaking in a spot of people-watching. There were so many mini photoshoots going on. Girls in pretty dresses with ribbons in their hair twirling about were looking ridiculously idyllic in a setting like this. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many people with DSLRs snapping away. 

By this point the field was becoming very crowded and that coupled with the heat was starting to make things uncomfortable so we had another quick walk through and then made our way back to the car.

I’m so glad that I didn’t let the heat stop me from going on this trip because it really was a magical place and hell of a sight to behold. If you’re a flower lover like me then a real flower confetti place like this is an absolute must to see. As with so many of the places that I go, this one has landed firmly at the top of my “must visit” list again for next year! However my plan is to go back on a weekday, early in the morning and on a cooler day! 

If you’re thinking of making a visit to the Real Flower Petal Confetti Company here’s some information that you may find useful and a few tips to bear in mind:

Location: Wick, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 3NZ

Entry cost: £2.50

Links: www.confettidirect.co.uk, instagram.com/realflowerpetalconfetti #realflowerpetalconfetti #confettifields

DO check when it’s open and it’s worth double-checking this just before your visit in case things change. Because of the heatwave and dry temperatures they were no longer selling any confetti for people to buy on site.

If you can, DON’T go on the last day that it’s open as it very quickly gets to the point where really it’s too busy to enjoy.

DO go early in the day to try and beat some of the crowds. As we were leaving, the queue of cars had backed up for miles through the little village of Wick.

If the forecast is hot, DO bring a hat, suncream, umbrella, water etc as apart from the couple of small marquees there is no shelter.

DO wear footwear that you don’t mind getting grubby - it was super dusty underfoot and my white sandals were rather brown and in need of washing afterwards!

DO check out the their hashtags and handles on social media (see below). Have a look before you go to give you a flavour of what you’re in store for and then again after. It’s so fun seeing different perspectives of the same place and trying to spot yourself in other people’s pics. Plus I’ve never seen SO many photos tagged from a place from just one day - there were hundreds!