Recipe For The Queens Nosegays To Remain Secret

Tue, 14 Apr 2009

A floral specialist who has the honour of supplying the Queen with a posy of flowers has vowed to keep her recipe secret.

Leicester-based Rosie Mason is not only one of the UK's leading florists but is also holder of what she describes as "one of the world’s oddest job titles" – ‘The Queen's Supplier of Nosegays’ .

The 55-year-old uses a secret recipe to create a range sweet-smelling bouquets to be carried by Royals at the annual Maundy Services .

Work on the posies begins the day before the service, with the finishing touches added shortly before the ceremony starts.

Commenting on her role, Mrs Mason said: "We spend about eight hours on the day before the service making 12 nosegays ."

"The nosegays are only carried at the Maundy service so I only work on them for one day every year, but I am a florist and that keeps me pretty busy during the rest of the year."

Mrs Mason, who has been helping make Maundy nosegays since 1983 and received the Royal warrant in 2008, and her three assistants produce the bouquets using a mixture that includes daffodils, freesias and ivy .

She added: "The recipe will remain a secret. I'll pass it on to my successor but no-one else."
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