"Snow on the Mountain" and White Rose Summer Bouquet

Snow on The Mountain (Euphoribia maginata) is blooming now in the summer beds at Springwell Gardens.
It's the green and white ruffle of leaves encircling this mixed bouquet of white roses, lisianthus and feverfew.
Snow on the Mountain is such a refreshing name for a summer plant. It's grown not so much for the flowers, but for the soft green leaves edged in white- the tiny flowers are hardly noticeable. These plants were started from seed in early March. They grow slowly at first, but add a little summer heat then they really take off. One of my favorite sources for seeds is Johnny's Selected Seeds because their catalog gives a wealth of information about how to grow the seeds you get from them! Check them out at: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
A word of caution when using any type of euphorbia- the plants excrete a milky sap when the stems are cut that may cause skin irritations in some people. Be sure to sear the stems in hot water and set aside in very warm water to condition before handling. And always wash the sap from your hands.
If you are looking for a distinctive textural element for your summer or fall wedding flowers-
You may really want to consider Snow on the Mountain!

Dominique and Javier's Stunning Coral and Navy Wedding

Here are some great pictures from Dominique and Javier's  May wedding taken by the very talented A.J., of A.J. Photography.
I love how she captured the simple and elegant details from the cozy ambiance of Caffe Luna to the finishing touches on Javier's boutonniere...

Of course, I love seeing the beautiful pictures of the bride and bridesmaids' bouquets, but I really enjoyed how A.J. wove in the

story of Dominique and Javier's special day.

This was such a sweet, sweet couple to work with, and I am so happy for them!
Be sure to check out A.J.'s blog post to see all the wonderful pictures that capture the essence of Dominique and Javier's wedding day at A.J. Dunlap Photography- Dominique & Javier

Romantic Roses for Melinda and Ryan

There's just something about roses- their classic elegance  NEVER goes out of style.
So I was delighted to hear that Melinda's favorite flowers were roses- red and white roses- so very romantic and timeless!
Melinda and her mom, Debra, and I met together several times, and each time there was just a bit more excitement as the wedding day approached.
Melinda wanted her bouquet to be a mix of white and cream roses, white freesia and lisianthus. Her bridesmaids carried red roses and white stock.
The ceremony took place at Salem Baptist Church in Apex- such a lovely setting for this July wedding.
Red and white roses, red gladioulus and white hydrangeas were a part of the ceremony designs.
Little touches included a posy for Melinda- whenever possible I like to give my brides a petite bouquet to toss at the reception.
Now it's honeymoon time for these newlyweds!
Praying God's blessing for you two on this wonderful journey of being husband and wife.

Summer Bouquet of Cafe Au Lait Dahlias

The dahlias are starting to bloom. Summer is not their favorite season, but

it's so nice to see them! New to the garden beds are Cafe au Lait Dahlias. These blooms are gorgeous- Soft, billowy and BIG.

Here they are mixed with white dahlias, pink pincushion flowers and gomphrena.
Right now they are streaked with lots of lavender, but I think as the heat of summer gives way to cooler fall temps and shorter days, their color will soften to the more familiar creamy blush... We'll see.
I added them to the garden for my daughter, Mary. She and Brad will be getting married this October, and I was thrilled to find out that Mary really likes the look of this flower! So now is the time to gather their blooms and practice designing with them.
My daughter, Judy, agreed to model for me...she's such a sweetie!

Zinnias and Scabiosa in Pinks and Dark Maroon

Each year it's exciting to try something new in the garden. This years "new starts" included ranunculus and leucojum in the spring as well as poppies and delphinium. And for the summer I've added Pincushion Flower (Sweet Scabiosa) and Lisianthus.
These are not new types of flowers- they're just newbies to my garden beds.
The design above includes both pink and very dark maroon pincushion flowers (Summer Fruits and Black Knight Scabiosa), Pink Champagne Lisianthus, Love-in-a-Puff vine, Pink Zinnias and  dark leaves of Perilla. Love how the bright pinks play beautifully off the darker notes of the Black Knight Scabiosa and Perilla.

Green Button Mums and Queen Ann's Lace for Susan and Gary

Nothing like a green and white color palette for your wedding flowers when the temperatures are soaring outside. It's such a refreshing look for these hot summer days!

June 30th was the second day in a flush of 100 plus degree days, but I am sure that Gary and Susan hardly noticed! This was a day to celebrate with friends as they joined their lives together as husband and wife.

I met with Susan and her friend, Christa, to discuss this great color palette. Flowers for the bouquets included white Akito roses, green button mums, buplerum, lisianthus and Majolica spray roses. Susan wanted something that would complement the navy blue bridesmaids' dresses. I think she nailed it perfectly!
Ceremony arrangements also showcased the bright greens, creams and soft whites.
It was great having some flowers to gather from the garden beds such as some white spires of foxglove,  Queen Ann's Lace, summer phlox and double feverfew.
Susan did not need a toss bouquet, but loved having a posy to give away to a special friend.

Well, it's been a week and a day since this sweet couple said "I do!" Praying God's blessing for you two as you begin your married lives!!!

Summery Pink Dahlia and Zinnia Bouquet

Summer is in full swing here in North Carolina, and the flowers are coming!

June blooms from the garden included LOTS of shades of pinks, reds and wines- lavender pink dahlias, pale pink Summer Phlox, Queen Red Lime Zinnias and wine colored Bee Balm with cherry red caps....
and gorgeous raspberry pink heads of hydrangeas with ruffled leaves of aubergine perilla peeking out between the flowers. The finishing touch is a lovely wrap of ribbons with scallop edged tails!