Green Under Foot

Talk about bringing the outdoors in. How would you feel about this bit of greenery in your home?!

Winter Wedding

We had a small winter wedding yesterday - just enough time to snap a couple quick pics of the bride's bouquet. All pink and white for a self described "princess"!

We had luscious peonies in pink and white coming from warmer climes, roses in two shades of pink, spray roses in another pink tone, white roses, and white sweet peas. I love the delicate sweet pea tendrils, and I have to say between those and the peonies, this was the most fragrant bouquet I've made in while. And guess who gets to take home the leftovers?! ;-)

Free Tickets to Flora Euphoria!

I have a pair of free tickets to Flora Euphoria, the fabulous cocktail party opening night of Flora in Winter at the Worcester Art Museum. First one to call the shop and mention the blog gets them! 508-757-5300

The tickets get you into the cocktail party February 5th. It goes from 5:30 - 8:00. Come view all the fabulous flower creations!

Why bother shoveling...

...when the city does this to your sidewalk after you've finished?

We shoveled and plowed after the snow stopped...

...and this is what I find in the morning. It's New England, snow is part of our character, we deal with it. But honestly it's discouraging to be undermined by the city. Unless they come back with a jack hammer, my sidewalk will remain impassable.

Flora in Winter at the Worcester Art Museum

Just a little reminder that Flora in Winter is coming up next week at the Worcester Art Museum. With the winter we've had so far, I'm sure we could all use a little reminder of what waits for us in the spring. Ha!

For those who've never been to Flora before, it's a wonderful opportunity to explore some artworks which you maybe have only given a cursory glance to, while also appreciating a floral artist's interpretation of the work. A really special place where art and flowers collide!

This photo is of my interpretation of "Standing Bodhisattva" from Flora 2008. I'm still pleased with how this turned out, one of my favorites. I had planned to do this at least two other different ways, but at 7:30 the night before I had one of light bulb moments where - aha! - I know just what to do!

The base is formed on a large piece of bamboo which I covered with strips cut from green and brown ti leaves, suggestive of the wood grain in the statue. Gold wire rings hint at the folds of fabric, and brown mini cymbidium orchids on top for the final flourish. My favorite bit is how the bamboo base has a slight bend in it which I used to subtly echo the statue's stance. I'm probably the only one who noticed it, but it makes me really happy!

This year at Flora, in addition to doing a piece with an artwork (no hints! you'll have to wait and be surprised!), and putting flowers in the restrooms, and decorating the mantle in the Great Hall at Tower Hill, I'll also be giving a demonstration at the museum, Sat. Feb. 7, on green design. I hope to cover everything from recycling to eco-chic to the color green. Sign up! The price even includes lunch - such a deal!

Hope to see you there!

Dinner Party - College of the Holy Cross

A couple quick pictures from a small dinner party we did yesterday.

Really gorgeous blues and purples with a hint of springy green - luscious hydrangeas, blue iris, two tone purple lisianthus, lavender stock (mmm...spicy scent!), sea foam statice, and lilac anemones.

Valentine's Day Arrangements

A few of the things we're working on for Valentine's Day!

CLASSIC ROSES -

One dozen long stemmed roses arranged with gorgeous foliage and accent flowers in a tall, heavy glass cylinder vase. $100

MODERN ROSES -

One dozen roses arranged with tropical foliages, bear grass loops, and red wire swirls in a tall, heavy, glass cylinder vase. $100

ROCK CANDY -

White hydrangea and cherry red asters in a red glass cube with "rocks". $40

COTTON CANDY -

Fluffy white and pink hydrangeas white pink accent flowers, pink and silver wire swirls in a tall rectangle glass vase. $95

RASPBERRY TWIST -

Hot pink and purple blooms with bear grass and ivy twists in a glass cylinder vase. $ 65

DUTCH TREAT -

Twenty stems tulips (all red or a mix of Valentine's colors) with tropical foliage in a rectangle glass vase. $65

TUTTI FRUITI -

Tropical orchids, ginger, and accent flowers in fruit colors in a cylinder glass vase. $45

TAFFY PULL -

Mixed colors of dendrobium orchids in glass vase with tropical foliages and fuchsia wire twists. $60

RED HOT - Red hot ginger, birds of paradise, orchids, and tropical foliage in red glass rectangle vase. $95

Please order early for the best selection, as we expect some things will sell out!

Corporate Event - Hanover Theatre

Did a very spring-like business event today at the Hanover Theatre. The client chose this turquoise crush linen and asked us to do something that would go with it that was springy. You say spring to a florist and the first thing that comes to mind is - " What's in for flowering branches?!"

I landed these tall flowering quince branches which made me quite happy! Picked them up last week to make sure they would be open in time for the party. The earlier in the season, the longer it takes to force flowering branches open. It can be quite the trick getting all your flowers to open just right for a party.

We used fresh, light tones of white, cream, pale and brighter yellows, hints of pink, and of course spring green. The flowers were hydrangeas, French tulips, cymbidium orchids, daffodils and narcissus, oncidium, bells of Ireland, viburnum, garden rose, peonies, lysimachia, and of course the quince.

The Hanover Theatre is a gorgeous space which was renovated almost a year ago. There is a modern lobby (shown in the first two pics) and historic spaces upstairs and down (next two photos). It can be challenging to make the two spaces flow as they are so different, but I think color and lighting were used here to good effect, making the various spaces feel harmonious.

I heard Struck Catering had a mashed potato bar on the menu! Oh, to be a guest at a party with a mashed potato bar...mmmm....I'm sure there were many contented sighs heard at the Hanover tonight!

Fresh From the Flower Market

Light and bright and springlike this week...green cymbidium orchids with pale yellow throats...

...lavender phlox and white lysimachia.

In addition, we also have this week:

Whoops! Brought home the wrong invoices, so I will try to do this from memory. I am sure I will be forgetting something!

bells of Ireland
yellow kangaroo paws
purple kale
white dendrobium orchids
yellow garden roses
red roses
pale buttercream yellow spray roses
cream stock
white hydrangea
red ginger
oncidium orchids
yellow tulips
blue iris
forsythia
flowering quince branches
green hypericum berries
ummm....trying to remember....
lavender amenomes
blue hydrangea
purple two tone lisianthus
'Athos' poms
green spiders
what else...what else...
ummmm...
OK, my mind is going blank!

Suffice it to say, we have some pretty things!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

After witnessing two people leaving the grocery store with naked flowers last night, and having one of my own customers ask yesterday, "Can I leave the flowers in my car trunk for three hours?", I think we should have a chat about your flowers and the cold!

It's cold here in Worcester, really cold. Not sub-arctic cold, but well below freezing. (That's my thermometer above, which is between the window and the storm window! Not even outside!) Flowers and plants are mostly water, and guess what? They will freeze! In fact, if you think of flower petals as thin layers of water soaked tissue paper, you may get some idea of how quickly they can freeze and be permanently damaged.

Now I know you see big refrigerators in most flower shops, where most flower shops store most of their flowers. But these coolers are carefully regulated to the precise temperatures which promote longevity without killing the flowers. Definitely above freezing!

You'll also note, that not every flower goes into the cooler. Some flowers cannot tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees F, mostly your tropical flowers and foliages like ginger and birds of paradise.

So where ever you get your flowers, make sure they're completely wrapped before you bring them outside into freezing temperatures. As for the guy who wanted to put them in his trunk, frankly he can put his flowers any place he wants - but he shouldn't be shocked if it kills them!

Valentine's Window

Not every shop window is a winner, but we really enjoyed this one! V-e-r-y simple graphic heart of random red objects glued on a canvas.

Scrubbies, measuring spoons, comb, feather, caps, silk butterfly, Hot Wheels car...

...paint brushes, tassel, toilet bowl cleaner, photos, gum, foam stamp...

...candy hearts, Chinese money envelope, buttons, matchbox, cherry gelatin, car air freshener, Claudia's old business card!

OK, we did buy a few items, but most of them were random things squirreled away in junk drawers and bins. And hey, we did eat the Skittles, but I couldn't get any takers for the cherry gelatin so that's still in the box.

Rummage in your own junk drawers and maybe you have the makings for a found object Valentine's card for your sweetie to put with your flowers from Sprout!

Fresh From the Flower Market

Gorgeous gerbera!

Fabulously fluffy hydrangea from New Zealand. It's summer there, right?

Two tone royal purple lisianthus.

Pink ginger for a change.

In addition, we also have this week:

yellow james storeiii orchids
tulips - several colors
green dendrobium orchids
pink waxflower
the first forsythia - the earlier in the season, the longer it takes to bloom, so this should last a while
red ginger
bells of Ireland
bird of paradise
light green spider mums
white freesia Holland
stock - several colors, California
leucodendron 'Safari Sunset', California
burgundy snapdragon - New Jersey
anemone - assorted colors, California
tuberose - California
hybrid delphinium, blue - California
lysimachia
matsumoto asters
campanula 'Canterbury Bells' - pinks and purples
'Starfighter' lily
sharon fern - Israel
rainbow aster
oncidium orchids
purple dendrobium
godetia
iris - Carolina
kangaroo paw - yellow
local callas - large and gorgeous!
phlox, white
philodendron selloum
monstera
'Athos' poms
light blue, white, and baby green hydrangea
alstroemeria - several shades
'Jade' trachellium
cymbidium orchids
lavender mini callas
roses - pink, yellow
kale

Taco Bell Wedding

I know when you heard a couple in Illinois got married recently in a Taco Bell, your first thoughts were just like mine - what did the bride have for her bouquet?!

I tracked down some photos and found the one above (The Pantagraph/B Mosher) which definitely shows some kind of flowers in the lower right. Appears to be your classic rose with leather leaf fern and babies breath.

The happy couple spent about $200 for their wedding and had several dozen guests and a $15 wedding gown. What can the rest of the soon-to-be-wedded learn from this happy couple?

1. Even on a bare bones budget, flowers are still an important part of a wedding.
2. Limiting your guest list and getting creative with your venue can save you lots of money. You don't have to get "Taco Bell" creative to save some cash, there are other options. Consider a restaurant that is usually closed on Sunday or Saturday afternoons. They can be a chic alternative. A library, your alma mater, or a church hall can often be bargains as well.
3. When the average cost of a wedding is over $28,000, it makes sense to take a reality check of your bank account and decide what really matters to you. I'm betting this couple didn't get into debt pulling their wedding off. While I hope to sell you lots of gorgeous flowers for your special day, it makes no sense to cash in your 401K to make it happen. (I know at least one of my brides did exactly that.)

Things to ponder as you plan your nuptials!

The Big 5-0! Birthday Party at Worcester Art Museum

What's black, and white, and red all over? This 50th birthday party we did at the Worcester Art Museum!

I know the color scheme for the party was not planned around the new art work on "The Wall" because it was supposed to be in the museum cafe, but it sure looks as if it was planned that way! The cafe is getting a face lift, necessitating the last minute move of the party to the Renaissance Court.

The centerpieces were made in two parts in order to conceal a stand which would be holding a poster on a pole.

The cake, by Penny Eagleton, was done in a design the reversed the colors of the linens. Mmmmm, chocolate buttercream!

Each table had a poster from a different time if the guest of honor's life. What a fun and dramatic way to personalize a party! A lot of care went into making this a memorable event. So glad our flowers were a part of it. :-)