In the Field: Banksia Speciosa

Like clockwork… just before the summer solstice, Banksia speciosa are in full bloom. Many of the soft, silvery-gray buds have fully opened to form long, chartreuse cylindrical spikes. Leathery, saw-tooth leaves fan out in a circular pattern from each flower’s base, creating amazing natural designs. Also referred to as Showy Banksia, Green Banksia, Ricrac Banksia or Mint Julep, the name speciosa comes from the Latin speciosus, meaning ‘showy’… referring to the stunning appearance of the plant, particularly its flowers.

With a refreshing and revitalizing mint-green to yellowish hue, these awesome blooms deliver a wealth of texture to arrangements and bouquets.

Flower News: May’s Stories of Interest from Around the World

South Africa wins gold
at the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

South Africa just won gold at the Chelsea Flower Show for the 37th time. This is reportedly the 37th time in 43 years that SA has been awarded Gold at the international flower show.

Kirstenbosch – who is representing South Africa on the show’s world stage – was awarded their 37th gold for their stunning floral kingdom display – ‘Mountains of Abundance’, reports Traveller24. Kirstenbosch received the award at the 2019 RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Chelsea Flower Show in the UK today.

Read more here.
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A Luncheon With CA Grown & Husbands That Cook

Celebrating the fresh seasonal produce grown in California!

This spring, #TeamFeedfeed traveled to sunny Los Angeles where we hosted an amazing luncheon to highlight vibrant seasonal produce from CA Grown and to celebrate Husbands That Cook's newly launched book.

The setting was Adam and Ryan’s very own breathtaking backyard overlooking the city, filled with beautiful flowers and plants. They have many trails with fruit trees, herb bushes, huge succulents and monumental blue agave plants (I was so tempted to take some succulents back to New York with me!). It was a perfect day filled with lots of sunshine, birds chirping happily and great company. The wonderful and gracious co-host Rebecca Firth, who is a long time friend of Feedfeed and Husbands That Cook, arrived early to welcome the guests and share a few appetizers and salads.

Read more here.
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June: California Grown Flowers Month

For the fifth year in a row, the California Legislature will honor the state’s flower farmers and recognize their contributions to the state’s economy and workforce by declaring June California Grown Flowers Month.

State Sen. Mike McGuire is again putting forth the resolution to “honor the men and women of the California grown flower industry for their dedication and productivity.”

Read more here.
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Research Says Having Fresh Flowers in Your Home
Can Actually Reduce Levels of Pain

Sending flowers to your sick or sad friend might be a universal go-to gift, but the heartwarming gesture is actually more helpful than you think. I know it may be surprising, but there are more to flowers than just a sweet smell and a pretty face—they can have some seriously positive effects on our health, too.

The American Society for Horticulture Science performed a study evaluating if plants have therapeutic influences on surgical patients, and the results are honestly kind of shocking. 90 patients were split into rooms either with plants or without plants, and those with some kind of foliage had wildly different results than those who had not.

Read more here.

Vine & Blooms

Why the name Vine & Blooms? There are a few reasons but mostly the name is inspired by the coming together for the love of wine and flowers. The two seem to go hand-in-hand in a beautiful relationship. Sipping on a glass of wine while creating your own special bouquet can lower inhibitions which is perfect for those who have beginner designer nerves. Floral craft activities have consistently proven to have tremendous benefits for both your mind and body as well!

Sounds far-fetched, doesn’t it? We don’t think so! That’s why this month we partnered with another California farm, Fallbrook Winery, at their 36-acre vineyard to host our first Vine & Blooms Workshop. The afternoon started out with a wine tasting and tour of the vineyard followed by our bouquet workshop. It didn’t take long for everyone to realize that floral designing (especially when it’s paired with friends and wine) boosts your mood and you don’t have to be a professional designer to have FUN with Flowers! It was no surprise how beautiful all the bouquets turned out and everyone had a blast in the process.

Many thanks to our friends at Fallbrook Winery for being the perfect host!

Seasonal Gatherings

Have you ever watched a chef shop at the farmer's market, getting excited while gathering an array of locally grown herbs and produce that will later be used to transform the evening's menu? That's me with flowers. I'm most in my realm when I'm surrounded by seasonal blooms and foliage, visualizing the myriad of bouquets and arrangements I could create. Usually, I start by considering elements like size, shape, height, color, and texture when I choose flowers, and I never know what I’ll end up with until it’s finished!

In the case of this arrangement, I was immediately drawn to the jewel tone hue of the roses contrasted with the cheerful pop of the peach pincushions. Since the protea and pincushions were similar in texture, I added a few stems of foxglove to create a delicate, country type feel. The spiky foxglove also brings a new shape to the mix without veering to far from my chosen palette. Finally, the Grevillea Ivanhoe’s serrated green foliage complements both the protea and pincushion’s texture injecting an organic looseness to the design. I'm enchanted with how it turned out, and even more importantly I had a wonderful time creating it!

Event: Husbands that Cook Cookbook Launch

We ask a lot of our CAGrown flowers and foliage. It’s not enough to just see them while they’re in the fields or harvested and ready for shipping - we want to see them in festive displays, bouquets and centerpieces, too! That’s why we were so excited to partner with thefeedfeed and cagrownofficial to celebrate the launch of Adam Merrin and Ryan Alvarez’s new cookbook, “Husbands that Cook,” featuring 120 irresistible recipes that use fresh California grown produce!

High in the hills of Eagle Rock, CA, the day greeted over 35 guests from thefeedfeed’s Instagram Community of Cooks with blue skies and warm temperatures, making for a perfect afternoon to savor some of the recipes from the cookbook and while enjoying a feast of CAGrown flowers from our farm and Mellano & Company. As an extra treat during dessert, guests were also invited to create their own special bouquet to enjoy at home.

Thanks to everyone who joined us at Adam and Ryan’s home in Eagle Rock to celebrate the launch—we’re so proud to share CAGrown Flowers with you!

Event: Meet the Growers

To celebrate the esprit de corps of the Southwest Chapter of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), we hosted the first in a series of Meet the Growers Workshops here on the farm. All floral designers and floral enthusiasts are invited to participate in these workshops as they ‘get back to the roots’ and connect with the farmers who grow their favorite flowers and foliage.

It was an afternoon of protea chat, creative inspiration, and good cheer. While touring the greenhouse, nursery and cooler, Tracy Easter, explained how the flowers we grow are planted and harvested, as well as how they journey from the fields to the markets. A hands-on workshop was the event finale, as each guest created their own beautiful bouquet or arrangement using an array of protea, pincushions, grevillea, banksia and much more.