Florist File: London

Stephen's work is about drama, glamour and immaculate flowers. He has a huge customer base, ranging from housewives to famous faces—all singing Stephen's praises—and his creations are featured at Nicole Farhi, the BBC and the National Theatre in London. Arrangements could be anything from a bunch of simple white hyacinths in a fabulously original container, to vivid, exotic flowers set amid giant bamboo canes that almost reach the ceiling.

As the name suggests, this florist specializes in roses. To be specific, they are Ecuadorian roses, all different colors, sizes and varieties. Ecuador grows the world's finest roses—I found they lasted up to 10 days when a friend sent me some recently! If the distance and the air miles are a concern, calm your conscience with the knowledge that these are ethical roses farmed under strict social, labor and environmental guidelines. You can order online for a one-off or for weekly deliveries to homes and offices. A basic charmer.

Conveniently located near the New Covent Garden flower market, this florist and online delivery business comes with a good recommendation; not only is it top choice for a number of celebrities, but my friend Nawel claims that it is the best in London. I checked it out, and I agree—it's pretty fab. In operation since 1989, it's run by Jane Wadham and her husband Paul Balland, who in 2000 launched an online delivery service for the UK. They do arrangements for the most discerning customers, and are the official florist for the Chelsea Flower Show Charity Gala Preview—that requires designing and preparing floral themes for over 20 parties in one night! You can rest assured they're ready to handle whatever demands you make. In addition to bouquets and decorations, they can prepare whole floral themes for special occasions and seasonal events. Flowers are classic and pretty, think roses bound with stems, or a brightly colored mix in a simple pot. One of the few places to buy quality flowers on the Internet, with great personal service and guaranteed beauteous blooms—what a combo!

If your fingers, like mine, are less than green, then London Garden Design will be a welcome addition to your little black book. Less "garden" and more living pieces of art, their designs are inventive and eye-catching, but most of all they're also practical and long-lasting. They can work wonders with something as small as a window box in the city and as large as acres of land in the country. For more elaborate projects, they can either sell you their design or build it themselves, perhaps transforming your outdoor space into a fully functioning room that can be used all year round. If my recommendation isn't enough, check out London Garden Design's track record: founder Simon Thomas has a diploma in Garden Design and a Royal Horticultural Society certificate in Advanced Horticultural Design; the company regularly shows at Royal Horticultural Society events; in spring 2007, it was chosen to create the garden for an eco-friendly house being built in London as part of the TV program "Grand Designs." The expert team is does everything from general maintenance to party flowers. Say goodbye to insipid gravel and dreary blooms forever!

When Lady Pulbrook and Rosamund Gould started their business in 1956, they were influenced by the idea of a seasonal English country garden, and used flowers grown on country estates and private gardens, delicately arranged into bouquets. These days, many of the flowers are still sourced from the UK, but they are supplemented by exotic offerings which take the designs to a new level. Don't think that the arrangements have lost anything, they're still quintessentially English and very classy, with each and every flower being treated as important, whether it's a humble country sprig or an exotic wonder. Similarly, each commission is treated with utmost care, from traditional posies to over-the-top room displays. If you want to learn the tricks of the seasonal flower trade, enroll yourself in a course at the Lady Pulbrook School of Floristry.

Traditional and old-fashioned floral arrangements have their place, and are easy to find. Looking for different? Introducing Nikki Tibbles, the florist behind Wild at Heart. Nikki has an approach to flower arranging as fresh as the flowers themselves. Her creations are elegant and refined yet modern and crisp. Each bouquet is created with your home in mind, so whether you live in a minimalist apartment or a classical townhouse Wild at Heartt provides flowers to suit you and your home. With stores on Westbourne Grove, Ledbury Road, Pimlico Road and inside the famed Liberty Store, Wild at Heart hand delivers to all of London and offers next day delivery to the rest of the U.K. The vivid colors of the Ecuadorian Rose Knot are second to none. NB: Expensive.