Unique Wedding Bouquets: The Protea

It's exciting to be posting pictures from Rene' van Rems new book Rene's Bouquets for Brides, and from his recent presentation during the California State Floral Association Annual Event"Bouquet Bash" - "Wedding Floral Demonstration and Fashion Showcase". Here are eight gorgeous bouquets designed using many different varieties of protea - a beautiful choice for wedding flowers with so many rich, earthy colors and unusual textures.

A King protea is already like a bouquet in itself. Here, additional petals were added to make it even larger and fuller - Rene's Bouquets for Brides - page 34.

Knotted loops of two-tone, moiré ribbon are used to create a collar for a bouquet of scarlet ribbon leucospermum, enhanced with clear beads and beaded wire - Rene's Bouquets for Brides - page 101.

A collar of berzelia buttons and black ostrich feathers, ringed by silver tree protea foliage, provides an exotic foil for the bronze cymbidium orchids Rene's Bouquets for Brides - page 100.

Cymbidium orchids, berzelia berries, leucadendron conicum and other tropical materials from Hawaii nestled in the heart of this bouquet - Rene's Bouquets for Brides - page 106.

Protea blue mink, roses, hydrangeas and cotinus - "Bouquet Bash"

Protea white owl, roses, stock, alstroemeria and chrysanthemum - "Bouquet Bash"

Protea king and leucadendron jester - "Bouquet Bash"

It’s obvious, that Protea, although beautiful on their own, become even more spectacular when arranged with other flowers, as they as do in these unique bouquets! To get more information on Rene’ Bouquets for Brides go to: http://renevanrems.com/store.html"

‘Going Green’ is In

The color of nature, expressing environmental concern, good health and renewal, green is comforting and relaxing, refreshing and revitalizing. Green symbolizes new life and freshness and is a crucial color in flower arranging. It balances arrangements, fills in holes and as a neutral color, provides a resting place for the eye. It’s not often that green is the focus of an arrangement, which is a shame with so many beautiful flowers and foliage to choose from! Here are just some of our favorite blooms in an array of green tones:

Banksia Speciosa

Leucadendron Tintum

Banksia Robur

Leucadendron Elemense

Brunia Albiflora

Leucadendron Discolor

Berzelia

Leucadendron Goblet

Kangaroo Paw Macropidia Fuliginosa

Protea Neriifolia

Banksia Baxteri

Green - The color for all seasons!

Autumn's Protea Harvest

There is no place I would rather be in autumn than in my protea fields. I always enjoy the amazing display of pink, red and white protea, the sound of bees hard at work and the warmth from the sun as it slowly sets over my fields.

Protea plants line the fields with flowers that have burst into bloom, looking like splendid candles on a Christmas tree.

As the protea harvest begins, each flower is a pleasant reminder of this special season.

And as the sun warms my body, these beautiful flowers feed my soul.

Monday through Sunday we fill up bucket after bucket with vibrant protea.

Never forgetting, it’s always important to take a moment and enjoy the fruits of our labor!

Finally, with each truck load of protea, I’m reminded of how lucky I am to be a flower farmer!!!

"More than anything I must have flowers always, always". – Claude Monet

Creating a Fabulous Fall Arrangement

Just like the childhood draw of a box of 68 crayons, a field full of colorful protea and foliage stirs emotions and encourages the imagination.  Warm and cool colors combine to make beautiful statements, some powerful, and others tranquil.  Rich reds, deep pinks, and cool greens can come together to make stunning arrangements that remind us of the season. Watch as Susan takes fresh flowers from our fields and create this fabulous fall arrangement…....

We begin with an interesting rustic container.

Add two banksia menziesii, some grevillea red hooks and hakea foliage.

Insert two beautiful protea eximia.

Add a protea pink ice.

Spice it up with a few protea red baron, bankisia occidentalis and pomegranate.

Mix in some jacaranda leaves, kangaroo paws and australian pine.

Finally, relax and enjoy the pleasure that flowers add to your life!!!

Banksia Menziesii

Ruby is the color of love, blood, passion, wine, fire and Menziesii, a fabulous fall banksia! Menziesii is also referred to as Menzies' banksia, firewood banksia, port wine banksia or 'Raspberry Frost' – all very suitable nicknames. 

Menziesii blooms in the fall when the reddish flowers begin to open from the base. Gradually taking their time, sometimes taking weeks, row after row of flowers open until the flowering reaches the top of the cone, looking like splendid candles on a Christmas tree. When this beautiful bloom has finished the flower spikes into an interesting seed cone that lasts for an eternity!

It has been said that Menziesii also has a special flower essence - the essential healing energy of a flower, a distinctive dynamic inner life force that differentiates it from other flowers. Aboriginal People from all over the world have used flowers in their rituals and ceremonies, aware of their subtle healing properties. Menziesii’s special healing power is “Courage” – the courage to release pain and to move ahead triumphantly, and that “Triumph” over disaster leads to renewed energy.

This banksia’s essence certainly seems to parallel with The Language of Flowers and the symbol of Protea - Diversity and Courage!  Menziesii, not only is a beautiful flower, but strong and powerful one as well; and looks fabulous mixed with other flowers in arrangements and bouquets (more to come on this design by Susan)!.

120 Minutes…Top Designers…A Mystery Assignment

The Sylvia Cup Design Competition is the longest running, live, national annual floral design competition. Sponsored by the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC), the Sylvia Cup tested the skills of 22 designers. Among them were winners of state and regional floral industry design contests, serial design competitors, designers of the year and members of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD).

John Hosek, AIFD, PFCI, CAFA, CF, of the Design Circle, in Verona, Wis., won the grand prize in this year's 44th Competition held on Sept. 15th during SAF Palm Springs 2011 - Congratulations to John and all the contestants!

It was exciting to see all the wonderful bouquets and designs that were created using the same product assortment of beautiful California Grown flowers and foliage, including our very own Protea Fiesta and Leucadendron Safari Sunset!  Here's a glimpse of some of these creative designs - Enjoy!!!



The Protea Attraction

The ability of protea to attract nectar-seeking birds is one of their greatest advantages. In South Africa’s Cape Floral Kingdom protea are primarily bird-pollinated, and it is common to see the beaks and heads of birds covered in pollen that is being efficiently transferred between flowers.

In addition, protea are an excellent food source, especially over the long winter months. In the Cape Floral Region, Cape Sugarbirds are seldom found far from the Proteaceae, especially in the early morning when nectar flows in abundance attracting a multitude of insects which in turn attract the Sugarbirds. Each bird has its own personal bush which it guards jealously from the other Sugarbirds. For the artist or photographer, these birds are a welcome subject since they do not flee at the sight of a human being.

Here are a few of my favorite bird and protea photographs - Enjoy!!!