Peach and Coral Garden Roses and Poppies for Taylor and Grant's Wedding

Love, love, love this color palette!!! It's so fresh and so perfect for a mid May wedding.

And such a lovely setting... Snipes Farm in the spring time... Thankfully the rains held off, and everything looked wonderful for Taylor and Grant's outdoor ceremony yesterday.

I met with Taylor and her Mom, Tammy, last fall around State Fair time. We talked flowers and colors for a while, and then they set off for the State fair with their family. In the next few weeks the color and flower choices were firmed up. Some of Taylor's favorites- baby's breath, garden roses or peonies and soft green succulents. She wanted her bridesmaids to carry all white bouquets to set off their seafoam green dresses and for her bouquet she wanted corals, peaches, and pale yellows, oh yes, and succulents!

This is when I start to think about what can I grow that will be in that color palette. My first thought was zinnias in corals and salmons, (this year it just wasn't meant to be- too cool in March and April!). But there is always something else and I was so excited that I had also mentioned poppies- they came through beautifully.
Taylor decided to use small pails filled with white hydrangeas and coral and peach roses and spray roses to adorn the aisle chairs. She and her sister decorated each pail with burlap ribbon accented with a single white  flower.

Tables for the reception were fitted with burlap runners and a collection of flower filled bottles and votives. Flowers from the garden included poppies, a small gathering of late blooming ranunculus, Chantilly snapdragons, and yellow flower stems from garden kale.

Lots of love went into the decorations... Tammy created a beautiful wall of flowers with bottles and zinnias (I would love to get to know her source!)...

I can't wait to hear all the wonderful details.As Sandy and I were leaving, a joyful crowd was gathering to celebrate a wedding.

And today there is a newly married couple! Taylor and Grant, praying God's blessing for  you as you begin your lives together!!!

Something Different- Vegetables and Herbs for Wedding Flowers

Something Different...

There was no doubt about it! When I first met with Lauren and her sister, Meredith, and mom, Tamara, I knew we were definitely talking about something very different for wedding flowers! This 2012 September wedding would feature designs that reflected Lauren's love of baking and cooking, so the focus would be on fresh herbs and vegetables and fruit, oh yeah, and a few flowers too...

 So in July I started some veggie seeds in the garden- things I had checked on at the Farmer's Market and thought might not be available in September-purple hulled okra and patty pan squash to be exact. The okra did GREAT, the patty pan squash- not so well... But the Raleigh Farmer's Market came through at wedding time. I not only found Patty Pan squash, but several varieties of petite eggplants and peppers.

Then back to my garden beds for LOTS of herbs like Rosemary and African Blue Basil, Scented Geraniums and Garlic Chives flowers and frilly dark Perilla, and  flowers such as yellow Butterfly bush, purple gomphrena, and Opopeo amaranth, and purple pods from hyacinth bean vines.

Other floral elements like Queen Ann's Lace, green millet, yellow freesia and kangaroo paws came from the wholesaler... oh yes, and lemons for the bridesmaids bouquets.

It was so exciting to see the look come together!
Below are some beautiful pictures taken at the wedding by Erica Serrano. Be sure to visit her blog at Erica Serrano Photography to see more pics- especially some great shots of the fabulous desserts created by the bride herself the day before the wedding!!!

Lauren and Chris, I am so happy for you both!!!

Cerinthe- An Intriguing Flower for Springtime Weddings!

I love following flower blogs... One of my favorites is Erin Benzakein's Floret Flower Farm. Last spring she  featured a lovely flower that was new to me- Cerinthe. It's an interesting plant in the garden with its arching succulent-like stems that hold pendulous purple bells. The coloring on the leaves is striking too with overtones of peacock blue and green.

 I searched for the seeds- found them through Renee's Garden. And I am so glad that I did! So I started the seeds last fall, moved seedlings to some of my mini hoops for the winter, and started harvesting flowers last month for wedding work.
They made their first appearance in Allison's lavender, purple and plum bouquet....

And here they are featured with Angelique Tulips, wood hyacinth, white and pink ranunculus,

 rose and white anemones, and Solomon's Seal

They have definitely found a new home in my gardens. So looking forward to using them for spring time weddings next year!!!

Peach and Coral Ranunculus and Bleeding Hearts for Katey and Matt

Some of the most beautiful flowers for springtime weddings are grown here at Springwell Gardens. Ranunculus, leucojum, tulips, bleeding heart, and more have been making an appearance in the garden beds since late February.
And that is just what Katey and Matt wanted for their April wedding- flowers from the garden.

When we first met last March, I showed Katey and Matt some designs that featured ranunculus in an array of beautiful colors peaches, corals, pinks and yellows... they decided these would be the perfect flowers for their wedding designs.

 

 They also liked the idea of trying to use some of the other seasonal flowers from the garden such as Angelique tulips, leucojum and bleeding heart.....

Here's Katey's bouquet filled with a colorful array of ranunculus, leucomjum, Angelique tulips and bleeding heart from the Gardens, along with coral spray roses and creamy stock.

 Matt's boutonniere featured two plump ranunculus buds and a single bleeding heart floret.

Posies for the aisle chairs were created with apricot colored snapdragons, coral spray roses and peach and coral ranunculus.

Centerpiece elements featured pussy willow, curly willow and ranunculus from the Garden in sleek cube and rectangular vases for the reception at The Umstead Hotel and Spa.

Loved having the chance to work with this sweet couple. And since they live near, I would be more than happy to help give them pointers for a flower garden of their own!

 Wishing you all the best, Katey and Matt, as you begin your lives together.

Blue Anemones, Hellebore and Muscari for Allison and Kevin

 Spring is here and it's a joy to watch all of nature wake up from winter!

The cooler temperatures in March have made this one of the most beautiful springs in years! Really!!! And I am so happy for couples like Allison and Kevin who chose this time of year to get married!

My first meeting with Allison was January. She wanted a rich color palette for their wedding day- deep purples and plums and brightly hued greens punctuated with soft lavenders.

As April approached, it was exciting to see the garden flowers cooperating! Plum colored hellebore, dark purple muscari and blue-purple anemones, peacock blue-green cerinthe tipped with purple bells, and bright chartreuse euphorbia. These garden flowers were paired with lavender Ocean Song roses and violet stock.

The centerpiece designs made a lovely statement at Caffe Luna. Other flowers included green Jade roses, purple larkspur and lisianthus, and various shades of purple and lavender Florigene carnations with such names as Moonvista and Moonshade,

It's been a little over a week since their wedding day... and now come the days of being newlyweds!

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

Beautiful Blue Anemone and Muscari for Springtime Weddings

We have been blessed with a very cool start to springtime this year, and all the spring bulb-type flowers have LOVED it. The blue muscari and anemones have been blooming for several weeks. And it has been great using them in springtime wedding designs.

The color of the anemones runs from a dark blue to a deep purple blue, and the same is true for the muscari. My pictures are a little deceiving- in real life this color has more of a purple hue. They are pictured here in a bouquet of other spring beauties- rose colored anemones,  Bridal Crown Daffodils, ranunculus,  pansies, viburnum and vinca vine.

 When the temperatures are on the cool side, each flower will put on a show in the garden that lasts for about a week. But start adding a little heat- like upper 70's and low 80's and they will melt out quickly. My advice is to pick them so you can enjoy them for five to seven days inside your home!!!

Blue Muscari and Yellow Daffodil Centerpiece for Spring

The muscari are in bloom now at Springwell Gardens. 

These charming blue flowers have a delightful "grape-like" fragrance and are so lovely for centerpiece and bouquet designs. Here they are featured with miniature daffodils called "Tete a tete", and purple and yellow face pansies.

 The first greens of the spring season include small leaves of lambs' ear, lime green Angelina sedum, Fairy rosebush sprigs and heuchera.

 The floating candles nestled among the floral elements in this wooden box complete this unique garden style centerpiece.