Spring in an American Garden

I am always so flattered when people see my portfolio and choose their wedding flowers based off of designs that I'm proud of and worked really hard on.  Chelsie was referred to me by a couple of other clients and as we talked, she said that she had enjoyed my 'English Garden" wedding and wanted something similar...but with brighter colors. Her color scheme was a pretty country green, so she wanted to add some springy colors like bright happy yellow, purple, pink, and white, with just a hint of a red tulip as her signature flower. That sounded like a wonderful American garden to me! Bright happy tulips, iris, and daffodils. (Don't they look happy?)

She wanted some natural looking planted pots, so I had some fun in the garden section at my Home Depot picking up pots and plates with ivy plants to re-pot. I used a small vase in each pot and then surrounded it with dirt and ivy roots. The fresh flowers were then added to the vase section and filled it all out beautifully. Arranging it that way also allowed every piece to be taken home and enjoyed for months to come because the wilting flowers could be replaced with fresh flowers, stones, succulents, or any sort of arrangement that the new owner had a feeling towards. The ivy would continue to grow if watered regularly, and the flowers were easy to trade out.

The twist for me was that she wanted topiary! How fun! Difficult to accomplish well, and I stewed long and hard over how to make them work. I finally had a light bulb moment and kept the same posts and plates idea as the smaller arrangements, but bought a bag of quick-dry cement and had quite a day mixing up batches, securing posts in the middle, ensuring that they were perfectly level, but still saving room for the vases and roots of the ivy. Once the day arrived, securing flowers and ivy to the wet foam spheres atop the topiary took quite a bit of work...working in 4-D to make sure every surface is covered and attractive...is difficult but I think it was well worth it. And don't get me started on delivery! I wish I'd gotten a picture of my 5 year old daughter holding two of the posts to either side of her car seat to keep them from tipping over for me.

Thanks again, Chelsie! What lovely fun and it's always entertaining to be asked to do something new!

Ever wonder what I do when no one is looking?

As a florist...a WEDDING florist no less...most of my daily work is actually figuring out what brides want. I coordinate designs according to their wishes...even drawing out ideas sometimes to make sure that we are all on the same page and so that the flowers I deliver on the big day are exactly what every bride has asked for. (Or more than what she asked for if I can help it.)

Once in a while though, for gifts, personal events, and for trade shows, I get to play and create entirely out of my own brain. I've even been lucky enough to have clients give me a couple of small instructions and then let me have free reign and a great time doing what I wanted to do as a surprise to them.

If you're prepared to enter my brain for a moment, here are some fun examples of projects I have done when no one is instructing me!



For more flower fun visit my Florilista website!