This week features a pottery vase from the Van Briggle company, an American art pottery maker since the late 1890s. Although the company was making pieces into the 21st century, my piece was probably made in the 40s. Any week now our temperatures will be cold enough that the floral material in the garden […]
There are a surprising number of pink and purple flowers in the autumnal garden and I’ve taken a selection of these and grouped them into a tablescape arrangement. I have had this collection of small vases in greens and ambers that I typically use individually. They make a nice grouped arrangement. A close up of […]
The sun is weakening when it is not hidden behind the clouds which form regularly. The temperature is dropping. Rain splatters the plants pushing them into the dirt. I still have plenty to pick in the garden: roses, dahlias, hydrangeas, fushias, a smattering of other things. This week I wanted to highlight an antique glass […]
Using a remaindered vase I echoed the mosaic colors (yellow, pink and a little blue) with late summer flowers from the garden. Flowers include: Dahlias, faded hydrangea heads, Japanese anemones, clematis. Our average first frost doesn’t typically come until November, but October days can be damp, dank and cold, shutting down flower development. So we’ll […]
Working with very autumnal material. V.1. with only Chinese Lanterns V.2. With the addition of some garden dahlias And in position on the mantel
As probably is fitting for a floral designer, I have an abundance of vases. At least 40 of some kind at last count. And that doesn’t count the other things I use as containers/vessels. I thought it would be fun to challenge myself to use every one of my vessels/vases through the year. Voila, the […]
It’s hot here in the Pacific NW as it is elsewhere in the US. It’s the time of summer, outdoor weddings when the risk of rain is low and nature is green and verdant. While we love outdoor weddings, they have a certain danger point for floral designers – the heat and lack of humidity […]
A group I volunteer with had their spring fundraiser today and a friend and I were in charge of the arrangements, color scheme, etc. The space has a bright red wall which could have been a limiting factor. The other issue was sightlines. And of course cost! I chose a color scheme of black/white and […]
Did you know that Japanese flower arrangement, Ikebana, has its roots in Chinese flower arrangement? Before I began preparing for a demonstration at the Lan Su Chinese Garden, I didn’t either, although I have had some training in Ikebana. Apparently, when Buddhism crossed into Japan, flower arranging techniques associated with temple offerings crossed over […]
It’s been a long slow winter in most of the country and the Pacific Northwest is no exception. What keeps many of us going is the hope of spring! And for a floral designer, eking out beauty from the simplest of materials. I’m scheduled to do a demonstration at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in […]
Rooms in Bloom 