Tuesday 3 June 2014

Viva Espagna! - Temps de Flores Flower Festival in Girona

Hello all

It's lovely to be back on the blog, as many of you will know Team Campbell's is growing and I've been quietly steering us into the busiest wedding season yet!  I thought I'd pop in though to just tell you all about my fantastic trip a couple of weeks ago when I got to stay with my lovely friend Anne-Marie of Posy Rosy who not only blogs the most gorgeous wedding mood boards and inspiration, but also designs the most amazing heirloom bouquets you've ever seen!  She's been trying to temp me to the Temps (sorry!) for a good couple of years now and unbelievably the festival co-incided this year with a wedding free weekend.  Nothing for it but to book myself a cheapy flight and pack some flats!

The Temps de Flores was launched over 50 years ago as a small flower exhibition and competition, since then it has grown to attract visitors all over the world and features the most incredible installations some of which are wonderfully abstract.  It's a real testament to colour, creativity and, of course, beautiful flowers which are all expected to last over a week in the warm sunshine! No mean feat I can tell you!

Here's just a taster of what two days of what Anne-Marie and I encountered walking around the stunning ancient buildings,  galleries, museums, churches, courtyards and public spaces .....


Love a bit of arty graffiti!


 Everyone gets involved - children, churches, community groups, the uni - everyone ..



I just adored how they used the eremurus (foxtail lily) to mimic the golden obelisks in this amazing church





Anne-Marie and I messing with cameras!



I got a bit obsessed with this amazing colour and the combo of succulents (my fave) with geometry!



I just loved this installation by local school children which featured foliage only



Never a fan of fake flowers - I totally fell in love with these paper roses which were in every branch of this Spanish Bank. They must have taken forever to make there were just gozillions of them ...






This installation was upstairs in a beautiful corridor with the most amazing marble floor. The artwork is by a local group who work with adults with learning difficulties and just blew me away



This little lady was just outside a rather lovely boutique - I couldn't resist snapping her while Anne-Marie and I sat with a well earned refreshment at a fab cafe!






This installation was so pretty. In a really atmospheric courtyard off - I loved the way the lightning fell onto the flowers below ..










We wandered into this pretty courtyard to be greeted by a Spanish guitarist strumming away. We took time to just listen and rest a while ...






The cathedral steps are always really special and the highlight of the Temps and this year was no exception. The installation is a tribute to the amazing lady whose brainchild the Temps de Flores was and the figures depict all those she touched with a tree of life in the centre representing her. Lovely isn't it?







Ah, the last Noo, noo - I simply had to take a shot of this for both my girls who were massive fans of the book!


My favourite installation of the Temps - I just loved the colours and the setting, really, really beautiful






Seriously the biggest hand tied bouquet I've ever seen!






I adore these amazing shapes




This installation was enormous and formed the theme for the Theatre of Girona which featured lots of masks, chairs and red materials









These water bottle 'flowers' were just a joy and looked amazing with the rain drops - recycling at its most creative!
















Yep. That's right. Moss washing!



So simple, but so pretty. Why wouldn't you use the sun to create your installation and use the ancient stone surroundings as a backdrop?



Another fave - this was huge and depicts a piece of Catalan poetry in the University forecourt. The red flowers are large gerbera, which gives you some idea of scale!


So, they created a perspex stain glass installation across one of the footbridges which was so much fun to play with. I shot through it, I shot the reflection in the river and I shot the reflection on the bridge itself. Such fun!  Btw, those floral 'islands' were HUGE well over 6ft across!








Well, if the Roca brothers open a Gelateria in town, it would be rude not to partake! I went for Madagascan vanilla .... mmm!


Literally everyone decorates with flowers in some way shape or form. Here's a really simple but incredibly pretty container of broom outside a shop.

That's it! I had the most amazing experience and loved every minute. Heartfelt thanks go out to Anne-Marie who was the best hostess anyone could ever wish for.

Hope you've enjoyed this post and if you've ever thought of taking a trip to Girona to see the Temps de Flores - I'd highly recommend it, I've come back brimming with inspiration and the need to create!

Tracey x







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