Vibrant Colors for Teresa and Ben's Fall Wedding

 

It's so exciting to have that first meeting with my bride. I can't wait to hear about her fiancé and how they met, to see pictures of her wedding gown and the bridesmaids' dresses, and talk and talk about wedding flowers.

 I met Teresa last April- she and Ben were planning an October wedding- late October when autumn leaves are vibrant. Teresa wanted the colors for her wedding flowers to be vibrant too!  Saturated hues of orange, plum and burgundy to play against the bridesmaids' dresses of rich plum. And for her bouquet- a flirty ostrich feather collar to match the ostrich feather embellishments on her gorgeous gown and birdcage veil.

   And of course she looked absolutely stunning!

Table centerpieces were collections of vintage vases and bottles and jars that Teresa had gathered and decorated with burlap and lace. Each filled with a posy of flowers and herbs. 

Ben wanted something different for the boutonnieres for the men in the wedding party. So we went with purple gomphrena and horsetail reeds, and for his bout- an ostrich feather to match Teresa's gown.

It was a joyful celebration.

And now it's time for happily ever after. Praying God's blessing for you newlyweds!!!
PS
Be sure to check out more great pictures of this wonderful wedding at Windy Peak Photography

Sunny Yellows for Springtime Weddings

Yellow flowers are always cheery no matter what the season.

  From  soft creamy hues to deep rich golden shades, yellow  is a color that commands attention.
 Some favorite yellow flowers for springtime weddings are trumpet daffodils (narcissi), tulips and ranunculus. Below are some pictures of bouquets from last spring's garden beds.

Daffodils (Narcissi) just shout spring! They are absolutely gorgeous gathered as a bouquet of a single variety or mixed with other forms as this bouquet below of large yellow trumpet daffodils, dainty paperwhites and orange-cupped Barrett Browning.
Narcissi also look great combined with other flowers such as spirea, pussy willow and roses.

 Daffodils and other forms of narcissi are bulbs that are planted in the fall for springtime blooms. Some varieties will start blooming as early as mid January or February, other forms will bloom in March and April.Care should be taken when placing them together with other flowers in bouquets- be sure to cut the stems of narcissi, and let them condition separately in a container of water for eight-ten hours before mixing with other flowers.
Tulips come in several forms such as the classic single type or double (more petals), fringed, parrot (scalloped petals) and peony (an even fuller petal type). A favorite at Springwell Gardens is the double form called Monte Carlo.

 It's featured in the bouquet below with single white tulips and blue muscari (grape hyacinth)

and another bouquet white snap dragons and white ranunculus.

Ranunculus are flowers just chocked full of delicate petals. The yellow ranunculus and tulips flash against the different shades of pink and the chartreuse leaves of spirea in the design below.

New bouquets of yellow springtime flowers will be coming soon!

Tuberose- A Seductive Fragrance for Summer Bouquets

Looking for fragrance in your summer bridal bouquet?... Check out Tuberose.

These glistening white tubular flowers are a favorite for southern gardens. And no wonder... one or two stems can fill a room with the most wonderful fragrance.!
Not only do they smell great, they are also a lovely to look at. Tuberose have a sweet cottage garden appeal that is perfect for informal bouquets such as this one of soft coral dahlias and garden roses

and another one designed with zinnias, feather celosia, blue salvia and Love-In-A-Puff. 

Last year was the first year for growing them at Springwell Gardens, and I have to say I was charmed! So they will definitely be back this summer as well, both in the garden, and in a few bridal bouquets too!

Something Blue for Springtime Wedding Flowers

Looking for blue flowers for your springtime wedding? Check out these sweet lovelies- Spanish Bluebells (hyacinthoides) and Grape Hyacinths (muscari). Both are fall planted bulbs (or corms) that bloom in the South from mid March through mid April.

 They pair wonderfully with other spring bloomers such as leucojum and ranunculus, and look great in bouquets and centerpiece designs. Spanish Bluebells and Grape Hyacinths also come in whites and pinks, but shades of blue are the most common color. The Grape Hyacinths also have a pleasing delicate fragrance.

An added bonus is that you can purchase your own bulbs in the fall after your wedding, and grow these as a yearly reminder of  your special day. Once they are planted they will continue to come back each spring and multiply year after year....

Gomphrena for Summer Weddings

The seed catalogs are coming, and garden plans for summer flower beds at Springwell Gardens are under way. One flower that  always finds a niche in the gardens is gomphrena.

  I usually grow the Audray Pink and Audray Red Purple, and sometimes the Bicolor Rose. 

 Their clover-like blooms are such charmers in bouquets and centerpiece designs.

The flowers start up in early summer and when things heat up in July, the plants really begin to crank out the blooms.

  And they don't stop until frost!

The designs in the pictures above also feature zinnias, dahlias and lisianthus.
A good source for seeds for the Audray series is Harris Seeds and the Bicolor Rose can be found online at Johnny's Select Seeds. Note: these flowers are GREAT for drying for Christmas and winter designs too!

Garden Gatherings for Christmas Wreaths

Christmas wreaths are a favorite of mine. Each year I enjoy making several for family and friends. I used to wire all the greenery myself, but it has been such a time saver to purchase a fresh green Noble fir base and embellish with nature and garden gatherings and even a little produce from the store.

If a plant is going into one of our garden beds or border, it has to do more than look nice- it has to offer something that can be used. Over the years we have added a variety evergreen shrubs that are wonderful for cutting Christmas greenery from. They include:

Chamaecyparis pisifer "Golden Mops"

Chamaecyparis obtusa "Crippsii"

and Osmanthus heterophyllus "Goshiki"

Good sources for berries include nandina and holly bushes. And then there are the great finds along paths, sidewalks and among trees such as...

brown pods from wisteria vines, wooden-like pods from trumpet vines, peeling bark from Crepe Myrtles, 

sweet gum balls, dried flowers such as golden yarrow (from the garden) and Lady apples from the store

Add a bow... or not

 And enjoy!!!

Most of this material can be inserted into the wreath using a hot glue gun. Some, such as the apples, must first be mounted on a stake, then attached with hot glue. Multiple stems of gum balls are wrapped together with wire so that the unit can be glued in as one piece.
Questions- just email me!

Amnesia Roses for Melissa and Matt's Late Autumn Wedding

 The soft dusky lavender shade of Amnesia Roses pairs beautifully with the creamy pink beige of Sahara Roses. Together they conjure up a wonderful romantic, vintage feel. 

This color palette worked well for Melissa and Matt's wedding last weekend.

The dreamy colors are a lovely transition from autumn golds and oranges.

And roses look wonderful in all seasons!

Praying God's blessing for you two as you begin your married lives together!