Soft Blush Flowers for Hilary and Gordon's Wedding

Hilary and Gordon were married last Saturday. The day was perfect and the barn and grounds at The Little Herb House on the southeast side of Raleigh was absolutely lovely. I'm really looking forward to seeing the images captured by Brett and Jessica.

I met with Hilary and her Mom, Carol, back in February. Hilary already knew what she wanted- a soft color palette that featured creams, blush pinks,  delicate peaches, and silvery greens. She also loved textural elements such as seeded eucalyptus and  silver brunia berry. The flowers included Juliet garden roses,Senorita roses, soft pink chablis spray roses,and white lisianthus.

The designs for her bridesmaids featured white hydrangea, white lisianthus, ivory spray roses, wax flowers, seeded eucalyptus, and alstromeria that provided a bright splash of pink.

Boutonnieres for the Dads were twine wrapped baby's breath and

the groom and groomsmen wore spray roses edged with seeded eucalyptus. Gordon's boutonniere featured a sprig of sedum and brunia berries with a single Dusty Miller leaf.

Instead of wearing flowers, the Moms carried posies of white lisianthus, spray roses and scented geranium leaves.

Now it's HONEYMOON time! Hilary and Gordon, praying God's blessing for you as you begin your lives together!!!!

Daffodil Wedding Flowers

Daffodils and jonquils are such wonderful flowers for spring time weddings. One of the best ways to get the type of daffodils or jonquils that you want is to grow them yourself.

There's a large selection to choose from, and varieties that bloom from late winter through mid spring in the South. So if  you want to try your hand at growing them....
Now is the time to plan- because to have these flowers coming up next spring, you will need to plant them this fall! Two of my favorite sources for bulbs are  John Scheepers Bulbs and Eden Brothers. They offer a wide selection in a wonderful range of pastel colors.
In the South daffodils start the bloom season a month earlier than some of the cooler climates. The early varieties such as Ice Follies will start blooming by late January or early February, and others, such as my favorite- Bridal Crown (pictured below)- will normally start blooming in mid-late March.

Still other varieties such as White Lion (1st picture) will start their show in late March through mid April.
Another nice feature of growing them yourself is that they will come back each year.

You may want to plant both early and later blooming varieties to insure you have daffodils in bloom for your wedding day. Want to give it a try- just email me and I will be happy to give you some pointers!
One important note: when using them in containers with other flowers, but sure to cut and set their stems in a separate container to condition- for more info check out the Daffodils and Springtime Weddings post.

Pink Zinninas and Roses for a Late Summer Bouquet

September is here and longer shadows are being cast on the garden. Zinnias are slowing down a little, but the flowers are still beautiful. Time for a late summer bouquet.

This bouquet features lots of lovely shades of pink with a sprinkling of white. There's a new spray rose I am trying called Blush Star. No, they are not from the garden (I wish!!!)- these come from my wholesaler.

Flowers that are from the garden include feather celosia, pink and white zinnias, blush pink heads of Autumn Joy sedum, pink yarrow and lacy white flowers of garlic chive.

I love it when Judy is around and willing to hold the bouquets- makes it so much easier to envision how something like this would look as a bridal or bridesmaid bouquet....

Daffodils, Tulips and Hellebore for Spring Weddings

As August draws to a close and summer wanes, it's time to thinks about flowers for next spring.  

 Catalogs of spring flowering bulbs are enticing us with all sorts of beauty- tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.

I have been pouring over them,  trying to figure out how much I can squeeze in for next year. These will be used for my springtime brides and couples. And some will  go to other area floral designers who also enjoy working with local sourced flowers.
Check back to see what will be going in the beds at Springwell Gardens for next year.
By the way the bouquets above are from previous springtime gatherings. The top bouquet features White Parrot Tulips, white hydrangeas, and green hellebore. The lower bouquet is a gathering of Bridal Crown Narcissi. Tulips will be available next year for March and April weddings, and the daffodils (narcissi) will be available from mid February through early April.

Zinnia and Dahlia Centerpiece In Jewel Tones

The zinnias continue to crank out. One of my all time favorites is this little beauty called Queen Red Lime. Had trouble finding seeds earlier in the season, so I don't have many  plants this year.

But I did find seed later, so there should be plenty of plants next year. .

This design, created with flowers from the garden, features zinnias in pink and wine, white and lavender summer phlox, Mountain Mint, Karma Chocolate Dahlias, wheat and crested celosia and a petite dahlia called Jitterbug.

Just add some foliage such as glossy ternstromia, lamb's ear and wisps of Love-in-a-Puff vine, and you have one very elegant centerpiece!

Sunflowers and Black Eyed Susans for Elizabeth and Chris

Elizabeth loves the look of golden yellow flowers with brown and golden centers...

 

Gerber daisies and sunflowers, Viking mums and Black-eyed Susans.
And yes, she likes other golden yellow flowers as well- Babe spray roses, golden asters and yellow button mums.
White lisianthus and a froth of white Queen Ann's Lace for her bouquet and the bridesmaids added the finishing touch.

 The yellow and white color palette was carried through to the centerpiece designs with the addition of white hydrangeas and white spray roses and old fashion Shasta daisies.

 More flowers for the gorgeous wedding cake created by Jenny's Cupcakery

No flowers here... but what a fun sushi cake for the groom!!!

I'm so happy for this newly wedded couple

Praying God's blessing for you, Elizabeth and Chris, as you begin lives together!

Summery Yellows for Sara and Christopher's mid July Wedding

If I could color the months, I would color July yellow. It's smack in the middle of summertime. Yellow like lemonade and fireflies and of course- lovely flowers.

Sara must have thought so too... Or maybe she chose yellow because it would look stunning against the royal blue of her bridesmaids' dresses.
We met in April and over the next few weeks exchanged emails about flower choices, and while some of the details for her flowers changed a little- the color never did!

 For her bridal bouquet, Sara wanted to mix in white with the yellow. She decided on white lisianthus and larkspur... And feverfew, if it was still blooming.  The whites played well against yellow spray roses, freesia and calla lilies, and yellow zinnias from the garden.

Bridesmaids carried bouquets that featured frothy clusters of bupleurum with yellow spray roses and Gerber daisies.

Boutonnieres for the men were twined wrapped Billy Balls,

And the mothers carried posies filled with white larkspur, lisianthus and white and yellow spray roses accented with fragrant leaves from mountain mint and scented geraniums.
Can't wait to see the incredible pictures I'm sure that Cole Gorman of Blest Photography has coming up!!!

Sara and Christopher, praying God's blessing as you begin your lives together as husband and wife....