Baby Blue

The celebration was the Christening of a baby boy who also happens to have big beautiful blue eyes.

Table centrepieces (chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, mini carnations, commercial mums and lisianthus)

Cube vase arrangement with commercial mums, lisianthus and mini calla lilies

Large vase arrangement with commercial mums, dyed chrysanthemums, mini carnations, alstroemeria, lisianthus and various greens

TKSF Corporate Event

I was excited to have been given the opportunity to create the fresh flower needs for The Keg Spirit Foundation (TKSF) Invitational, held on June 2nd at Angus Glen Golf Course. The Keg Spirit Foundation was established to commemorate The Keg Steakhouse + Bar’s 30th anniversary in 2001. Since its inception, over $7 million has been donated to charities that focus on mentorship and development of young people. This annual event is just one way that funds are raised for the foundation.

The direction for the flowers was; something bright and colourful that would tolerate being outdoors on some of the golf holes as well as double as the table centrepieces during dinner. Tropical flowers were chosen for their hardiness and impact.

Table centrepiece: two varieties of heliconia, with red ginger and tropical greens

Decorative arrangement with heliconia, ginger, tropical greens and dendrobium orchids

This extra-large arrangement was specifically designed to complement the logo of "Casamigos Tequila" being launched at this event to Keg management and suppliers. Bismarkia palm, bells of Ireland, stock, anthuriums, cymbidium orchids, dendrobium orchids, susara protea, cremons, heliconia, blushing bride protea and thistle, along with tropical greens

Small arrangement to complement the larger one above; heliconia, ginger, dendrobium orchid, cremon, blushing bride protea, thistle and monstera leaf

Below are a few tournament photos (provided by the Executive Director of TKSF).

 

Special Birthday's

The month of May contained various floral projects including a few one-of-a-kind birthday arrangements.

For an orchid lover....white dendrobium orchids, lush roses and red hypericum berries

Spring blooms for someone who was celebrating a milestone birthday. Tulips, fragrant hyacinths and delicate lisianthus, with a bed of pom chrysanthemums

Large basket of blooms for someone whose favourite flowers are daisies and sunflowers. Mini sunflowers, gerbera daisies, carnations, green spider/Fuji mums and forsythia branches

 

Hand-tied Bouquets

Flower bouquets are by far the most popular type of flower arrangement in most flower shops. Bouquets are available in various sizes and can be kept to just flowers and greens or you can get one custom made with a variety of embellishments. Here are a few examples:

Chicken wire and midollino sticks are used to create an armature base. A mixture of hydrangeas, calla lilies, roses and alstroemeria flowers. Greens include, rolled aspidistra leaves wrapped with metalic wire and lily grass. Flat metallic wire was used to further accessorize.

This armature bouquet utilizes fresh curly willow branches for its base. Designed with iris, chrysanthemum, asiac lilies, alstroemeria, silver dollar eucalyptus and asparagus plumosa fern.

European hand-tied bouquet with twenty beautiful roses and hypericum berries.  Finished with a rolled aspidistra collar.

Radiant Orchid 2014 Colour of the Year

As you may have already read, pantone has announced "Radiant Orchid' purple as the colour of the year for 2014. Pantone describes: "Radiant Orchid blooms with confidence and magical warmth that intrigues the eye and sparks the imagination. It is an expressive, creative and embracing purple—one that draws you in with its beguiling charm. A captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid emanates great joy, love and health."

There is a currently a good selection of purple flowers available, but with its popularity increasing there will be even more choices coming to market. One of the recent additions that I have seen are Florigene Carnations available in various purple shades.  I had an order for some arrangements this month with the color purple being the main focus.
 

Low and long table centrepiece. Florigene carnations in light and dark purple, green fuji mum, yellow commercial mum and yellow carnations

This one sided arrangement contains campanula (bell flower family), liatris, green fuji mum, yellow carnations and purple lisianthus

Large focal arrangement bursting with pussy willow branches, campanula, liatris, green fuji mum, yellow commercial mum, Florigene purple carnations, yellow carnations, lisianthus and yellow mini gerbera

Tropical Lovers

During the month of March I had a few birthday arrangements where the flowers of choice were tropicals.  I chose to make these large arrangements with Ginger, Anthuriums and Leucadendron Safari.

Heliconia

The heliconia family consists of over 100 species. Many species of Heliconia are found in rainforests or tropical wet forests. Featured below is Heliconia Wagneriana, commonly also referred to as 'lobster-claws'. These stunning heliconias have been grouped with tropical leaves and a strelitzia (bird-of-paradise). Always a WOW reaction when delivered to customer.

 

Tropical Breeze

In the middle of this long and cold winter, I find myself longing for a tropical climate.  The closest that I could come to the tropics this week, was to go into the greenhouse and pick some birds of paradise which are currently blooming.  Although the temperature is still cold outside, these tropical flowers bring an extra ray of sunshine into my kitchen.

These flowers are so dramatic on their own, that only a few monstera leaves were added.

Ikebana (Japanese art of flower arranging) arrangement.  Bird of paradise, sorbonne lilies and  monstera leaf.

Pink Infusion

There is nothing like some bright flowers to warm up a winter day. A perfect birthday arrangement.

Gerbera, roses, green chrysanthemums, galpinii leucadendron, green hypericum berry with monstera and milky way aspidestra leaves.