BLOOM YORK 2018

Call it cliché or being a hopeless romantic, but I love receiving flowers.

Sure, they’ll quickly die and I’m terrible at taking care of them. But for the brief amount of time that I have them, flowers instantly bring a smile to my face. While I’m not really an outdoorsy gal, you can imagine my excitement at the idea of a flower festival in York!

Bloom York 2018 was the city’s first horticulture festival and celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Ancient Society of York Florists. This society is the oldest florist society in the world and York wanted to celebrate them with four floral and fabulous days!

There were events throughout York, which ranged from workshops, teas, and tours. Some of the exhibits will be staying up through the summer, but most of them were constructed just for the festival. I decided to walk around on Bloom York’s final day, July 8.

WHAT I WORE TO ENJOY BLOOM YORK:

• Seasalt Cornwall’s Flower Show Dress in Autumn Foliage Pebble — It was a complete coincidence that Seasalt’s newest collection was all about the horticulture in Cornwall. This dress was the perfect choice because it’s extremely comfortable and lightweight. (And it even has pockets!)

• TOMS Taupe Suede Women’s Desert Wedges — I’ve had these for a while now, so they’re a comfortable and more casual choice. I love the color and think they’re an excellent addition to anyone’s shoe collection!
  

SAINT HELEN’S SQUARE

These wonderful foliage boxes were added to St. Helen’s Square during Bloom York. They gave the square, which is usually very busy, a bit more color.

I was personally a big fan of the heather they had planted here because I attempted to grow my own heather in my flat back in Chicago. Alas, I somehow managed to murder my poor heather plant.

The Ivy’s display did not disappoint. Even though I’m about 99.9% sure that the flowers were fake, they made quite the impression. The gorgeous pops of color were the perfect destination for photos during Bloom York.

Since I was exploring Bloom York alone on Sunday, I asked the hostess to take my photo, which she willingly did while saying, “You aren’t the first and won’t be the last to ask me that today.”

THE SHAMBLES MARKET

The Shambles Market is usually home to numerous different vendors. It’s the perfect stop to find food, clothes, accessories, art, and many other things! During Bloom York, it became the Shambles Flower Market. It was a mixture of local growers, florists, nurseries, and horticultural charities.

MOMENTS OF SENSE AND STYLE

After posting on my Instagram story that I was going to be attending Bloom York, I received a message from one of my friends about this special brand that would be making an appearance at the Shambles Market on Sunday.

She sent me a lovely podcast which Syreeta had been on and told the story of Moments of Sense and Style. The brand’s products follow the story of this amazing couple.

I highly suggest you give the podcast a listen and read about their story on the Moments of Sense and Style website so that you too can be a part of the story!

Syreeta and Rob were able to make the most out of a HUGE change, and created this brand to share their story with the world. Their world was turned completely upside-down when Rob suffered a brain hemorrhage and a stroke.

Yet out of this scary moment, Syreeta and Rob were able to create something wonderful. Their story is incredibly inspiring and a true test of love and determination.

Through Moments of Sense and Style, the pair sell pieces of their journey through notebooks, scents, and art. Their collection centers around three very important places to them: Hong Kong, Sydney, and Lincoln.

I am so happy that I have a bit of their story at home with me now. I purchased the ‘Sydney in Springtime‘ Room Mist and absolutely adore it. Spraying it has become part of my routine in relaxation. And I always think of Syreeta and Rob whenever I spray it.

To Syreeta, it was so lovely to meet you after hearing your story. You’re an inspiration and genuinely a ray of sunshine. Meeting you was so amazing and I wish you and Rob so much love, happiness, and success in the future.

SUMMER IN THE PARK IN DEAN’S PARK

Dean’s Park is one of my favourite places in York. It’s a nice place to sit and people watch. You can also get a perfect view of the Minster, which is a nice plus. But it is also the location of a summer bar.

It was unfortunately not open in the early morning when I dropped by, but I look forward to going back. I can’t wait to spend these warm summer evenings with good company and some Pimm’s!

SAINT SAMPSON’S SQUARE EXHIBITION SQUARE

This was actually the first part of Bloom York that I experienced. Exhibition Square is right where King’s Manor is, where I take seminars, go to the library, go to rehearsal, and spend time in the graduate workroom with my MA cohort.

So I was pleasantly surprised to see a little oasis had sprung up around the fountain outside of the York Art Gallery.

The Fountain Garden was inspired by Alhambra Gardens in Spain! It was lovely to have a slice of Spain in a location so near and dear to my heart.

YORK THEATRE ROYAL

Throughout both July and August, the York Theatre Royal will be performing “The Secret Garden“. Throughout the show’s run, there will also be a Secret Studio Garden (which begins in August and can be booked along with your ticket for the show).

The theatre’s courtyard cafe has added plenty of greenery to make it a secret garden in its own right. I will definitely need to drop back and catch a performance and a cup of tea in the courtyard.

The York Theatre Royal also acted as a hub for many of the events, including one put on by the lovely ladies of Buttercrumble.

ETHEREAL LONDON POP UP SHOW AT THE PRINCIPAL YORK

If there’s something that I desperately need in my closet, it’s a versatile, floral dress.

Ever since I was, like, 16, I wanted a long dress so I could feel like a princess. (Really shooting for obviously achievable goals here, friends.) But my mom said no because she was worried that I’d buy some fancy dress and wear it to get coffee in. And, well, she isn’t wrong.

So, you could imagine my absolute joy about hearing about a pop up shop at the Principal York!

Ethereal London is a brand that is all about feminine understated elegance, which is totally a message that I can get behind.

I strolled into the room and was immediately taken by the gorgeous colors and detailing on each dress. And the variety of options that were being offered. With my glass of fizz in one hand, I went to further investigate. I immediately found what my current wardrobe had been lacking: a silk dress for any occasion.

Now, you might be thinking, ‘Gabbi, you don’t need a silk dress.’ And I would tell you that actually you’re wrong.

Because after trying on only one of these magical dresses, I wanted them all. Silk is such a luxurious, but still breathable material. The patterns of Ethereal London dresses are also so easy to dress up and down that I immediately was planning how I would style each one for days in cafes or trips abroad or other fashion/blogger events.

But what really caught my attention was the number of choices that Ethereal London provides. What Annie and Barry really understood was that we all have very specific needs and specifications for our wardrobes.

When I asked about her inspiration for the line, Annie answered me with a smile that she was creating a line that was elegant and also gave the answer to the inevitable issue of ‘if only’. And if you’ve ever been shopping, you totally know what she means. You pick up a dress and think, ‘Oh, this would be perfect, if only there was a longer skirt or a shorter sleeve.’ But Annie and Barry, thankfully, already thought of that, which is why each dress comes in different skirt and sleeve lengths.

I tried on and immediately fell in love with the Ophelia Light Maxi dress! It’s an excellent choice for any of your spring occasions, or even if you just want to feel totally glamorous for the day.

THE ANCIENT SOCIETY OF YORK FLORISTS SUMMER FLOWER SHOW

My last stop along the way was to see the winners of the Ancient Society of York Florists Summer Flower Show!

As someone that is terrible at taking care of plants, I was immediately impressed. And also quite unsure how flowers are judged. But I put those thoughts behind me and just enjoyed the gorgeous flowers!

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All in all, I had a magnificent time exploring the city during Bloom York 2018. I met so many lovely people along the way, which only further cements my assertion that York is the kindest and loveliest city in the world.

I hope that reading some of these stories and seeing some of these photos has brought a smile to your face because I was smiling all day (even with the heat)!