Cafe Au Lait Dahlias and Pink Majolica Spray Roses

Some things are worth the wait! That is what I think about these Cafe Au Lait Dahlias. They are starting to bloom now at Springwell Gardens.

This is my second year of growing them. Last year I received dahlia tubers that were supposed to be Cafe Au Lait, but they were not!

Here they featured in a bouquet with pink Majolica spray roses, coral pink Jitterbug and white Bride-To-Be Dahlias, with a collar of seeded eucalyptus, Dusty Miller and Centaurea "Colchester White".

 I am looking forward to using them this fall for a few special brides!

Summer Dahlias and Zinnias

We have had the summer rains this year, so there are lots of summer flowers. Here's some of the flowers blooming now at Springwell Gardens: Audray Pink Gomphrena, Burgundy Crested Celosia, Queen Red Lime Zinnias, Karma Dahlias, and Centaurea Colchester White

And here they are in a summery bouquet. Other flowers include Fireworks Gomphrena, Mountain Mint, Blue Ageratum, Smilax Vine, Summer Phlox and Love-in-a-Puff.

Most of these flowers will continue to bloom until frost. I have some autumn weddings that

will feature several of these beauties. Cafe Au Lait and Chilson Pride Dahlias are starting

to crank up which will be great for my brides that want a softer color palette.

Pink Zinnias and Gomphrena for Summer Weddings

Zinnias are one of my favorite summertime wedding flowers, so I am thrilled when the brides that I meet with like them too!  The color for this summer has been pink.

I had the chance to use them last week for Kitty and Lofton's wedding, and will be using them again this weekend for Valerie and Matt.

Here they are in a bouquet from earlier in the season other flowers from the garden- Queen Ann's Lace, pink gomphrena, blue ageratum, bunny tails and mountain mint. Can't wait to show them paired up with dahlias next week!

Lantern Centerpiece for Winter and Spring

Last post about lantern centerpiece designs featured this lantern and this box with summertime flowers.

But lanerns are great for any season. For late winter and early spring, the wooden tray can be filled with cool season flowers such as pansies, hellebore, Winter Daphne, daffodils and anemones. These flowers are available (depending on the weather in the South) from mid February through April.

And for year round interest consider using lanterns with flower strewn wreaths.

This wreath was created with loosely woven of curly willow branches, then twined with mixed foliage such as Love-in-a-Puff vine, Dusty Miller, and a light scattering of peach colored spray roses. Other material can be used according to the seasons.

I love how versatile lanterns are, and so do many of my brides!

Lantern Centerpiece Design for All Seasons

Lanterns continue to be a great design feature for wedding receptions. There are lots of ways to dress them up with and without flowers.  Here is one of my takes on lantern centerpiece designs.

It features a low wooden box in which the lantern is centered, then surrounded by seasonal flowers, foliage material and moss.

It's a great design that sits low enough on the table for guests to enjoy one another's company without the centerpiece blocking their view.

Flower choices change with the seasons. This design features summer flowers such as monarda, gomphrena, feverfew, zinnias, and succulents.

Chantilly Snapdragons and Zinnia Bouquet for Early Summer Weddings

The garden beds continue to change as the summer season moves forward. It's time to say goodbye to Chantilly Snapdragons (for awhile)

They starting blooming in April and continued for a solid two months. This fall I will do two plantings about four weeks apart to see if I can get some later blooms.

They looked great with spring blooms like ranunculus and anemones, but they also work well with summer flowers.
The bouquet below features a pastel palette of Chantilly snapdragons with zinnias, feverfew, and laceflower (orlaya), and yarrow.

It's great to have flowers that transition from one season to another. I have several brides who are looking forward to seeing these blooms in their spring and summer wedding designs!

Summertime is Zinnia Time!

They're here!!! The zinnias that is. I am growing Queen Red Lime, Bright Pink and Salmon Rose

The pictures with this post feature Queen Red Lime. It's a real beauty. The flowers range in color from a soft green with pink undertones to shades of antique pink and rose.

It really makes a statement on its own or in bouquets. It's paired below with the mature stems of cushion spurge or euphorbia.

It will be blooming from summer through fall. I plan to show it to Kitty who is getting married in August.

She just may want to add a few stems of Queen Red Lime to some of her centerpiece designs- we'll see....