Exotic Flowers in Boston

The kids are finally back in school- yahoo!  Okay, we’ll miss the little whipper snappers from time to time but honestly, it’s time for fall to put us back on track that includes our flower arrangements!  Boston florists are already in full swing preparing for a product line dedicated to bring out the autumn feel.  Red, yellow and gold will likely be the featured palette for the next few months so why don’t we add a little something to the mix?  Bean Town’s flower lovers are asking their designers to create back to school styled pieces that reflect the very essence within texture, color and sizing.

photo credit: Flower Factor/ Aboutflowers.com 

For a minute, a few of our finest florists were stumped as to how to deliver such a request but after a little research, they have come up with some pretty cool ideas!   The best part is, if you have a garden still flourishing outside in your backyard, you might even be able to make some of these styles on your own!  They don’t cost a lot and are most likely varieties native to New England’s present climate.  Farm stands are also a great resource to find workable material so make sure you check those out, too!  Here are a few ideas to get the apple rolling!  

photo credit Flower Factor/aboutflowers.com

September is a time when the kids go back to school, the air turns cool and nights are starting to darken early again.  It’s also the time when we pick up those books that we were too busy to read over the summer, which have been piling up in our bookshelves.  For me, the first titles I’ll be perusing are those thematic after my favorite hobbies such as cooking, painting and flower arranging of course!  The literary industry is bursting at the seams with compilations teaching you the basics from filling a vase with water to designing beautiful floral pieces using the hottest cut stem varieties.  There are even books that teach you about the in’s and out’s of the floral business including product transportation, market branding and price variations (for those of you eager to dive deeper in the subject matter).  Here are a few of my favorites that I hope find their way to your library or nightstand tables!

Flowers

 

As if the cover wasn’t reason enough alone to pick it up off the shelf, this stunning picture book showcases spectacular images of both rare and traditional flowers.  Written by Carolyne Roehm, the photographer captures the seasonal changes of gardens and their magnificent characteristics of shade and texture!  The book release date was November 6, 2012 and can be found on websites such as Barnes and Nobles and Amazon.com.

Flower Arranging: The Complete Guide for Beginners

You might think you have to be an expert to be a flower arranger but that’s simple not true! Judith Blacklock takes you through a step-by-step guide to explain how to successfully manipulate design with cut flowers.  Using a multitude of different textures, sizes and color, readers will be impressed by the simplistic approach as well as the creative options available to flower lovers!

The Flower Recipe Book

This fabulously chic guide takes readers down the path of floral design in a quirky yet fun manner!  All the arrangements are shown as a cooking recipe where the floral supplies (including the actually stems) are all part of a recipe.  Written by Alethea Harampolis, the concepts are directly taken by the top designers in the country of Choo Studios.  Enjoy and get cooking with flowersClick to edit your new post...

September Designing

September is here and there are a bunch of new styles that are going to dazzle the flower lovers of Boston!  This season promises a fresh outlook on vase work and centerpieces including new shades of glass and interesting textured plants.  Cut stems are also being used within contemporary techniques, promising complicating structure and woven detail.  New York customarily supersedes the floral efforts of Boston possessing a firmer understanding of cutting edge industry fads and trends but this year Boston will shine!  Due to extensive overbroad studies in champion floral countries such as France and Holland, Bean Town’s creative efforts are predicted to trump the competition from surrounding cities.  Check these out for a preview of this autumn’s impressive floral line.

Okay, you may have seen this angular look before but this time, designers are using bold colors of yellow, orange and red to express this dynamic piece for weddings and other high-end events.  Showcased in a glass rectangle with a slim opening and six inch height, stems dramatically are bunched together and fold outwards creating a gorgeous and sophisticated presentation that is perfect for Boston’s nightlife! This image holds blossoms of calla lilies, roses and amaryllis.

Another funky creation that uses architecture to bend and mold is this cool and fresh rectangle vase that is being sold by the millions to our city’s most posh hotels.  These black calla lilies are visually impressive alone but really pack the “wow” factor when constructed similarly to this piece where their stems are carefully woven and tied to form a bridge shape.  Needing little water and maintenance, this style of arrangement also promises longevity, which Boston businesses appreciate from their florists.  

Boston is going to show the northeast its talents by reflecting what we have to offer which is a rich history, particularly in terms of Thanksgiving tradition.  This seasonal arrangement encompasses this theme perfectly using deep toned stems of protea, roses, anthurium and hypericum berries.  Wonderful for weddings as centerpieces or bouquets, Bostonians can also add this to their holiday wish list!  

Labor Day is a holiday tradition celebrating the great efforts of American workers and their contribution to society both economically and socially.  Traditionally celebrated on the first Monday of September, the day is symbolic to rest, play and enjoy the people around you.  Weather permitting, a last summer visit to the beach, a family barbecue or a pool party is commonly the events you see being used to observe Labor Day usually planned to also say good bye to the warmer days of the year.  For those of you anticipating on hosting a feast to accompany your special soiree, you’re going to want to incorporate the characteristics associated with this holiday within your food selection.  Menus should coordinate well with the feel of the get together so the cuisine should be brightly colored, veggie based and prepared predominantly in the outdoors.  These might seem to be sticky guidelines for the struggling chef but I can assure you there are a few recipes perfectly suitable for your Labor Day fete!  These are the hottest recipes for 2015’s end of the year celebration.

German Potato Salad

You’ll need a bag of small wax potatoes (either red or white your choice) and clean well to remove any dirt on the skin.  Boil the potatoes in a pot of water with salt and a tablespoon of olive oil.  Once cooked, rinse in a colander with cool water and set aside.  In a skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and add one medium sized onion finely chopped and sauté until softened.  Place the cool potatoes and onions in a large mixing bowl and then add finely diced scallions, one tablespoon of vinegar and three sprigs of dill mashed well.  Stir together until all of the ingredients have combined and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place the dish in the refrigerator until serving time and watch your guest go wild for the beautiful tasty sensation!  

All American Burger Dog

This is a great recipe I found that the kids have a great time preparing and eating!  The combination of a hotdog and hamburger (really, what’s not to love?) becomes a fun grilling treat, which is a perfect main dish accompanied with chips and potato salad.  All you have to do is make a regular hamburger patty with lean meat and form into a tube.  Wrap plastic around the beef and work with reshaping until you are confident the form has been set.  Unwrap the hamburger dogs and grill on medium heat until cooked through.  Add a slice of Swiss or cheddar cheese and continue to cook until the topping has melted.  Place the dogs in a long bun that has been seasoned with a light spread of mayonnaise.  Right before serving, give it a thick swipe of ketchup on top to finish the decadent masterpiece!  

Hot Flower Fads for September!

The summer is gone but not forgotten for Boston florists trying their best to impress their customers with a new fall line!  Designers are bustling behind their workbenches constructing cool and crisp floral products that will reflect the fresh start of a beautiful New England autumn.  In the past, popular styles incorporated bright yellows mixed with burnt reds typically found in roses and freesia but this time around, there’s a whole different approach for centerpieces and vase display.  If you like romantic fall colors integrated with a cozy “home” feel, you’re in luck because that’s just where the trend is traveling!  Color palettes, texture, size and height are being brilliantly engineered to match the essence of the season, which generally is defined by a warm and friendly feel.  After all, it won’t be long before we are all hunkered down once again for the east coast winter weather.  So here’s our last hooray for an outdoorsy and cool style just right for a September in Boston.

Sunflower Sensation

Red sunflowers are not only glamorous but they are also rich in color which means they can be combined with several different varieties of flowers including gerbera daisies, mums and particularly roses.  My taste is tints that easily blend and don’t force a hard contrast visually.  There’s nothing worse than a flat red up against a bold yellow or blue.  Variegated orange garden roses are stunning within this style as well as hypericum berries, hay and green amaranthus.  One word to the wise, stay away from “propped up” pieces that can look cheap and junky like added fake fruit or stuffed scarecrows.  A simple presentation with these flowers is all you’ll need to impress!

Dreamy Dahlias

 

Dahlias are another flower that trickles over to fall from summer and boy, are they fabulous in centerpieces!  Bright and cheery yet country themed as well, these beauties look great with just about any pairing, especially black or green calla lilies.  Ask for these in bubble bowls or fill your own antique jars and vases to create a lacy feel for a luncheon or evening dinner party.  Wedding planners also utilized dahlias in table centerpieces as well as boutonnières and bouquets.  They look perfect in pictures and surprisingly have an extensive longevity.  

People have many ways of expressing their feelings.  For some, they use words, for others their face changes expression and sometimes a mannerism can even be a strong indicator of an emotional state.  One interesting way to read someone’s feelings is by picking up on their aura.  An aura is defined by the distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to surround and be generated by a person, thing, or place.  Sometimes they are seen as light or actual color shades describing specific types of sentiment that are present at that exact time.  Now there’s a large portion of the population that don’t believe in this science and claim that it’s nothing more than empty fortunetelling.  

I strongly disagree.

Not only do I think that a person’s inner state is readable by light and color but I also believe that its possible to recognized auras based on the plants and blossoms one selects!  Florists might want to pay close attention and be prepared for the changing elements in mood a customer possesses and be prepared to accommodate by utilizing this theory.  Here are a few basics to be on the look out for if you’re a Boston designer!

Yellow Flower Auras

Yellow is a great aura to have since it usually means you’re in a good place both spiritually and mentally.  Positive energy and happiness usually surround this person who is likely to select varieties such as yellow tulips, gerberas, sunflowers, roses or freesia.  This customer will be pretty easy to please so put on your best smile and think bright and sunny.

Red Flower Auras

These guys are extremely physical and have strong senses of touch and smell.  If you witness a customer asking for red blooms of amaryllis, James Story orchids, geraniums or peonies, you’re going to need to aim to please an active and vibrant person who will be very particular about what they want.  Commonly sexy, passionate and adventurous, florists should be prepared to understand that this aura always knows what it wants and usually gets it!

Magenta Flower Auras

For those who are magenta flower lovers, their auras will tell you that they are creative and innovative dreamers.  They’ll be fun to design for, too because usually they are open to new architectural arrangements within centerpiece design.  Top varieties that you should have on hand for them are deep pink calla lilies, stargazers, phalaenopsis and sweet pea.  You’re going to have fun with this customer who promises to add a little adventure of their own within their flower purchases.  

Summer 2015 was certainly a beautiful couple of months in New England and although it went by way too fast, we still have one last opportunity to celebrate!  Labor Day weekend is September 4th through the 7th and Boston is booming with parties and barbecues to close out the season.  If you’re hosting your own event, you’re going to want to head over to your local flower shop for some beautiful décor to go along with the grilled steak tips and potato salad.  Of course, we all know that different occasions call for different styles including the flowers you display on tables and decks.  Adding the right vase or centerpiece to your party can add the perfect touch in making this a summer we’ll never forget!  These are a few of this year’s favorites that have been organized according to the particular type of event.  

Brunch

I love Labor Day brunches because the cuisine is delicious plus the decoration is light and airy.  Most of the time, light is used as the design base and often uses blossoms that are white or soft peach and pink.  The trick is to make the displays as easy breezy as possible keeping them low and dainty.  Think simple and delicate like short jars of one variety like dahlias, sunflowers, cosmos, lavender or garden roses.  You can mix and match if you like but make sure that there are no color combinations that fight each other instead of blending nicely.  Don’t be afraid to use clippings from your herb garden too like rosemary, thyme or sage.  Many of the dishes associated with brunch use these as ingredients, which make it the perfect detail to add to your floral presentation.  

Barbecue

photo credit: Lisa Greene via FlowerFactor

Okay, so you might think that flowers are the last thing guests are going to care about when scanning the buffet filled with barbecue delights but displaying a vase or two of blooms can actually enhance their mood and appetites!  Unlike the brunch, which uses a calmer mean of creativity, backyard-grilling parties can manipulate a bigger impact with texture and tone as well as taller heights and sizes.  Gerbera daisies make excellent choices along with yellow sunflowers, blue delphinium, hydrangea and anthurium.  You can have a huge urn of multicolored stems or showcase a single variety.  Colors that induce hunger are typically red, yellow and orange so if you’re looking to really put out a feast this Labor Day, try to keep these three options in mind.  Also, stay away from fragrant blooms like lilies

Gardens are made to be enjoyed, to provide food from our vegetables, to produce stems of beautiful blossoms for our homes and to satisfy our green thumbs as our beloved hobby.  For many Bostonians, the design and shape of the beds is imperative to expressing our gardening personalities along with their contents of various plantings.  It is in the nature of those true gardeners who design every last nook and cranny from their flowerpots to window boxes in order to manifest the most spectacular display for the summer season.  There will be hanging baskets, vine curled trellises and exploding foliage sprouting from every inch of soil available and just in case we find another ingenious innovation that might look splendid within our gardening efforts, we save room for that too…

Trending this year is a new way to architect plant appearances and honestly, it’s a pretty cool change from your typical straight as an arrow plantings.  By using diagrams constructed by our regions most talented horticulturalists, we are able to now manipulate the pathway of shoots, tendrils and leaf formations to create art for our gardens!  Not only will the contemporary techniques update your flower and vegetable beds but they will also inspire others to join in the fun!  Sometimes children and spouses are reluctant to participate in backyard toiling but I guarantee, these ideas will get everybody up and excited about getting their hands in the dirt!

Stunning Reading Nook

 

Constructed from

growing stems of

Myrtle structured

to form a hut.

   Recycled Shoe Rack For Lettuce

    

            Talk about your clever ways to go

                      green and saving space!

    

   Child’s Shopping Basket of Greens

 

   Inspire the little ones with this

   shopping cart reused for growing

   cabbage, basil and peppers.  Line

   the inside with moss and watch

   the basket literally fill with veggies!

    Wheel of Herbs

 

   So fun for a pretty backyard piece!

Summer Loveliness

One of the most glorious aspects of summer are the beautiful blooms that reflect the very essence of the season.  Varieties tend to be fragrant, bright and silk textured making them high in demand for Boston party planners busy scheduling New England weddings and soirees. Centerpieces for these events often set the theme so it is of the utmost importance that the right texture, color and scent be utilized correctly.  Height and width of these pieces are also detrimental in pulling off the perfect summer look and consist in a wide array including low and dense designs to high and wispy.  Depending on the client, designers can materialize millions of different creations using the plants customary to the northeast region during this steamy fragment of the year.  From the Cape to the Vineyard, tourists and natives will be impressed by the efforts of some of Bean Town’s most stylish florists.  Here are some of my summer favorites that have graced the tables of fancy and not so fancy New England partygoers!

Simple Sunflowers

Sunflowers should be your number one consideration if you’re looking to put together something for August whether it is a casual gathering for barbecue or tea or formal cocktail party or matrimonial affair.  For one thing, they come in a variety of shades including brilliant yellow and sexy red.  You can even find some that have tones of greens where you can mix and match the different types to make a stunning yet natural allure.  Glass bubble bowls are just right to set off the cheery heads that wont distract with complicated shades and styles.  Hosts will also love the added bonus of affordability.  Remember, summer is about being easy going and fuss free so let your wallets take a vacation too!

Grandma’s Garden Roses

There is a short amount of time that we can enjoy New England’s native growth so take advantage of what we have to offer during the months of July and August.  My grandmother took extreme pride in her rose gardens, which only got more and more breath taking as the years rolled on.  Ask your florist for tea roses that not only reflect a sweet and dainty appeal, they also have an aroma that is sure to be a people pleaser.  There is no shortage of color selection either where you can pick deep shades of pink and red or soft tints of cream and baby yellow.  Another bonus of garden roses is that you don’t have to intermix them with several varieties of different flowers.  They are great on their own cut either low or high in large bunches.  

Lavender Loveliness

Lavender grows like weeds around the Boston area during the summertime and we are lucky because it is a fabulous plant to use either cut or in planters.  If you are having a luncheon for example, take a few sprigs and stick them inside the napkins for a nice added touch.  Boutonnières are another great way to show off this flowering herb and look lovely when paired with ivy geranium or nasturtiums (which by the way is another summer stunner).  Lavender can also be put in a vase by itself if they are arranged in large clumps with varying species.  Explore the English, French and ivy varieties that are available to you!

Just because they’re Hollywood starlets doesn’t mean that they don’t like getting down in the dirt for some gardening fun!  I bet you assumed that just because they wear fancy dresses and attend extravagant dinner parties that they don’t let their hair down once in awhile for some healthy outdoor activity?  Well even the rich and famous need to have fun too, even if that means rolling their Christian Dior sleeves up and getting a little messy.  Many are in disbelief as to why they would choose gardening as a hobby when there are more luxurious pastimes such as croquet, polo, sailing and hang gliding.  Well, I’ll have you know that several silver screen icons depend on their backyard vegetable and fruit beds to provide them with the healthy nutrition their bodies need!  They bank serious bucks on looking their best and that begins with having an A-List diet.  Sure, they could outsource this responsibility to someone else but what better way to micro manage your food than to grow it yourself?  Gwyneth Paltrow certainly falls within this category and has made it clear that fresh produce is a necessity, which describes in detail within her cookbook start.  Here’s the buzz on some more of Hollywood’s hottest healthy foodie actors!

Gwyneth Paltrow

This actress loves her fruits and veggies but her favorite is cantaloupe!  You might remember seeing the evidence of this a few months ago during her media frenzied trip to the supermarket.

Jenny McCarthy

This athletic actress loves her squash and she swears it’s a huge role in maintaining her fit and glowing body!  Her top picks include zucchini and butternut squash for tasty soups and grilled recipes.  

Tori Spelling

Ms Spelling is all about good food and she particularly enjoys the summer selection available during the month of August.  Rhubarb seems to be her favorite this year which she uses as the major ingredient in rhubarb pie and rhubarb chutney.  

Brad Pitt

I bet you didn’t know that Pitt goes bananas for bananas!  That’s right!  This hunky actor thrives on the yellow sweetest of the fruit but unfortunately has to cut back when training for films since they contain a lot of starch.  

Channing Tatum

This cutie is in great shape for sure but lo and behold he’s not exactly a fan of veggies at all.  He does consume green smoothies packed with spinach and kale plus he loves yams.  Looks like his diet is definitely paying off!