The Hopetoun Hot Shot

A phrase which pops up regularly (usually accompanied by a pained expression) when I tell people my occupation is ”ooh, all those early mornings…” so whilst ‘decking out’ the Tattie Rose Headquarters I decided that a french day bed would be a practical meets beautiful alternative to a sofa.. this day bed led me to Victoria’s Antiquities and Tori. On the neighbouring estate lies Tori’s antique emporium, nestled below the woods next to a derilict castle it is a scene from a fairy tale. I drove up the track and was greeted by a girl wearing a huge smile, overalls, wellies and brandishing a paintbrush. After deciding on a fair price for the beautiful day bed she asked in a broad yorkshire accent…”do you drink wine?” and we have been friends since. Tori finds, restores and brings life back to furniture and antiques which have been overlooked by people who perhaps slightly lack imagination or time… my eyes lit up as she showed me around her barns and workshop which were full of divine unusual objects, lovingly bought back to life and ready to move into new homes. We soon found that our lives shared common threads, both having lived in India and in setting up business’ on our own and that our two enterprises would compliment each other beautifully and so decided to learn, support and act as back up to eachother’s trades, as so the Tattie Rose Team gained another very important string to it’s bow and Tori’s infectious enthusiasm continues to top up the creative fuel tank.

Our first adventure together took us up North to Crieff to meet a gorgeous bride to discuss flowers for an early Autumn wedding. We made a quick de-tour to pick up a monster of a wood-burner for the TR workshop and arrived at the beautiful old church brimming with ideas and excitement. A few hours and several cups of tea later the plans were finalised… Huge flutes filled with honeysuckle and overflowing with hybrid delphiniums, oak, beech and rambling english roses, thick arches over the doors filled with scented stocks and roses and beautiful innocent scabious. We headed back to the capital full of excitement and thrilled to be doing beautiful flowers for a wonderful bride in a magical place- fear not- although it is a few months away we will be sure to post photos as it is going to be a CRACKER!

“I am easily satisfied with the very best.” Winston Churchill