Isn't It Romantic

Hello, all! It's the end of April and as my garden burgeons with every passing day, I get more excited for late spring and early summer.

My weddings of the past few weeks were an abundance of blossom and freshness - exactly what spring  gardens are all about. The one pictured here was the image of a lush English garden in bloom; fragrant peonies, heavenly David Austin Patience and Juliet roses, and budding Quince.  The arrangements I designed in silver pedestals and silver urns invoked the wonderful, romantic bounty that is an English garden in full bloom. I also added English Ivy to the bridal bouquet for an added garden-y touch.

The flower varieties and the colors suited the old world grandeur of the Ballroom at the Hotel DuPont perfectly as well as the peaches and cream silk dupioni of the bridesmaids' dresses - one half expected Rogers and Hart to appear at the bandstand and lead the orchestra with a few bars of "Isn't It Romantic" - the colors, the candlelight, the setting just made it exceptional.

As I wrote last year, peach is definitely back in style and it's so wonderful to work in this color again. Peach comes in so many shades, ranging from yellowy to pinkish and one's ability to pair it with with just about everything - complementary colors (blues, purples) or similar colors (pinks, oranges) - means that the options are limitless. 

Flowers pictured include: Duchess de Nemours peonies, versilia roses, David Austin Patience and Juliet roses, medeo sweetheart roses, white ranunculus, lime green hydrangea, white hydrangea, peach stock, white hypericum, bells of Ireland, quince, Israeli Ruscus, English ivy, Israeli ruscus, and pittosporum.

Bridal bouquet

Mother's nosegay

Bridemaids' Bouquets - three styles for six maids - round, teardrop, and cascade

Boutonnieres of  peony buds and white hypericum

Placecard table

Cake top pre-cake

Pew flowers and bows

Sprightly Spring

Hello! Happy Spring! The trees are leafing out all over and the daffodils are just about finished. It's a marvelous time of the year for all flowers - both outside and the ones I gather to arrange. The markets just seem to be teeming with variety right now.

A week ago today I provided the flowers for a client's Easter lunch. I selected vibrant corals, lime greens, yellows, creams, and a touch of purple all arranged in mossed containers and lined down her long dining room table amid silver candelabras and birds. For the children's table, I added three mossed bunnies with bows for a bit of whimsy - something, I think, appreciated by both young and old!

Flowers pictured include: white hydrangea, green hydrangea, larkspur, cymbidium orchids, bells of Ireland, ranunculus, concador lilies, amazon roses, versilia roses, viburnum, trick dianthus, boronia, quince, Israeli ruscus, and bear grass.

Playing with Color: Purple and Orange

The end of 2011 was very busy for me and I'm just getting to write about my work - thank you for your patience!

Here's a look at a wedding where I was really able to play with color. We all remember the color wheel from art class and the lesson in complementary colors - the concept that the colors opposite from each other on the wheel, when placed together, make each color appear brighter and more vibrant.

For this wedding, I didn't follow the color wheel exactly, but sort of riffed on it - the deep purples were countered with the burnished oranges, the cool lavenders answered the warm yellowish greens, and all the flowers were designed either atop clear, cool, controlled glass or around warm, gnarled, wild branches. Candlelight completed the looks with either tall pillar candles or hanging votives.

The bridesmaid's bouquets were especially fun to work on as my bride wanted a look very popular in the U.K.: single grasses looped in and out of the bouquet to create a sort of 'caged' look. It's very effective and I think rather playful. I like how they complement the unique shapes of the orchids and the calla lilies, giving movement to flowers that can look very rigid.

Always take a chance and play with color - you won't be disappointed!

Flowers pictured include: cymbidium orchids, mango calla lilies, schwartzwalder calla lilies, cool water roses, stephanotis, vendela roses, gardenias, blackout lilies, orange unique roses, purple stock, antique hydrangea, curly willow, israeli ruscus and seeded eucalyptus.

Be Mine

Just eeking it in under the wire...

A few shots of some blooming quince and David Austin roses on a February evening.

Happy Valentine's Day!