Winter Wedding Flowers from the Garden

In winter in the South, you can still find flowers in the garden- you just have to look a little harder though. One cold weather bloomer at Springwell Gardens is Winter Daphne. It's an evergreen shrub that breaks out into a myriad of  waxy pink blooms in January. Though not very showy, these petite flower clusters are quite charming and VERY FRAGRANT!

They're so lovely tucked into bouquets with other winter bloomers such as hellebore and pansies, and with some frost protection- we can have anemones too.

 

 Winter Daphne is also great for detail work such as corsages, boutonnieres and flower halos.

The shrubs are loaded with tight pink buds and should start blooming in the next week or two- just in time for January weddings!

Rich Aubergine Perilla Adds Lovely Contrast to Summer Bouquets

Let me introduce you to Perilla frutescens. 

It's an interesting plant in the garden beds at Springwell Gardens. But what's really great  is how the leaves of this sultry, dark beauty set off a bouquet or centerpiece design with their delicate shape and subtle licorice fragrance.

 

Perilla frutescens is an annual plant that readily reseeds. In addition to its interesting dark foliage, it also produces delicate pink flower spires in September. If you let these flowers dry on the stems, the seeds will just fall to the ground and  you have plants for years to come.

I have been using it for several years now in my summer and fall floral designs. 

And look forward to adding it again in 2014!

Warm Peaches, Pinks and Yellows for Alex and Ben's December Wedding

I am just loving this color palette for Alex and Ben's  wedding flowers. It's so cheery with its warm apricots, peaches and pinks and rich golden yellow- just perfect for chasing away the cold and gloom of winter.

The flowers included apricot colored stock and peachy-coral Ilse spray roses, pink lisianthus, golden button mums and a deep cherry-pink rose called Cherry-O (which I think is an absolutely stunning color).

Silvery green foliage from the garden included Silver Drop eucalyptus, Centaurea Colchester White, and blue cypress which added a rich texture to the boutonnieres for the guys.

It's hard to believe it's already been a week since the wedding. I am so happy for this newlywed couple. I have known Ben for years, and I am looking forward to getting to know his lovely bride, Alex! Praying God's blessing for you as you begin your lives together as husband and wife!!!