Monday, May 25, 2015
They Say It Best: Wedding Bloggers
Talk about a problem that’s good to have: there are so many creative wedding bloggers who have both impeccable taste and willingness to share their views, that when we find a moment to absorb a little of their wisdom, precious few of us have sufficient time to see them all. Luckily, there’s room right here to show you some of the creative and inspirational ways protea have become a wedding ‘it flower’. From a Mediterranean-Moroccan Wedding to an Organic, Earthy, Market-Style Wedding, see how bloggers are showcasing these amazing flowers:
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Grevillea Johnsonii – Hummingbird Magnet
Grevillea johnsonii is a beautiful, slightly weeping evergreen shrub with long needle-like, dark green leaves. However, there’s no doubt this amazing Grevillea truly ‘comes to life’ when flowering - as it does profusely. The loose clusters of extremely showy spidery pinkish-red flowers produced from late winter through the spring months make a strong but elegant contrast with the foliage.
These showy blossoms are very popular among pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds - especially the hummingbirds! Another name for Johnsonii should be - Hummingbird Magnet! Herds of hummingbirds happily feast on the sweet nectar! They are beautiful as they dart around from flower to flower and the dance they perform is unlike any other bird. Their bright, shimmering colors, rapid flight and the ability to hover are a few of the traits that make them so unique. Such high-energy movement requires that they feed every ten to fifteen minutes. Hummingbirds are most attracted to flowers in shades of red like Grevillea johnsonii, of course!
These showy blossoms are very popular among pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds - especially the hummingbirds! Another name for Johnsonii should be - Hummingbird Magnet! Herds of hummingbirds happily feast on the sweet nectar! They are beautiful as they dart around from flower to flower and the dance they perform is unlike any other bird. Their bright, shimmering colors, rapid flight and the ability to hover are a few of the traits that make them so unique. Such high-energy movement requires that they feed every ten to fifteen minutes. Hummingbirds are most attracted to flowers in shades of red like Grevillea johnsonii, of course!
Sunday, May 17, 2015
BEyouTIFUL
One of the best parts of being a flower farmer is obviously - the flowers - and having them available year round makes it even better. First, the protea bloom, then the waxflower, pincushions and leucadendron and soon the fields are overflowing in a rainbow of colors. Not only do I enjoy growing and harvesting flowers, I love seeing them beautifully displayed in trendy and unique ways. So as you can imagine sometimes an ordinary vase just doesn’t cut it when a pickup full of fresh flowers arrives from the fields. It’s fun to create a gorgeous hand-tied bouquet and experiment with a few special containers to see just how they fit. Once you find that perfect combination of beauty along with your personal touch – the display becomes BEyouTIFUL!
Love containers: Here’s a few of my favorites:
Metal Buckets: Nothing says “From the Field to the Vase” like a flowers displayed in an old metal bucket.
Pitchers: The more unique, the better! Pitchers are beautiful, curvy works of art in and of themselves, but adding blooms makes for a colorful piece of art.
Antique Tins: Lucky you if you already have some lying around, but if not you might want to search out your local Thrift Shop.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Banksia Integrifolia - Fabulous Foliage
If you’re looking for thriving organic floral displays in your home or office, you need to ponder beyond just flowers – the foliage is just as important as the blooms you choose. Leaves come in all shapes, sizes and colors and now, Banksia integrifolia is in the limelight. If you are not familiar with integrifolia or sometimes called Coast banksia or white honeysuckle, the foliage is fickle: the younger leaves are usually broad and irregular toothed, while the mature leaves are smooth and spear shaped. They have white undersides that tend to give the leaves a silvery look in the wind.
Integrifolia is the perfect textured foliage for any season – it makes a lush and long lasting base for wreaths, it blends well with just about any flowers and combined with other Australian greens makes a wonderful bouquet!
Integrifolia is the perfect textured foliage for any season – it makes a lush and long lasting base for wreaths, it blends well with just about any flowers and combined with other Australian greens makes a wonderful bouquet!
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Cinco de Mayo – A Floral Fiesta
Did you know Cinco de Mayo marks May 5, 1862, when the Mexican army won the Battle of Puebla? The holiday has become a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture in the United States, particularly in communities with large Mexican-American populations.
The energy and sheer magic of Mexican flair is often expressed through the spirited and lively use of joyful color. Sizzling red, orange, blue, turquoise, purple, lemon, lime and pink – these passionate colors are applied to everything and are often offset with earthly shades and whites. Mexican celebrations are an invitation to show off colorful flowers, which are an integral part of Mexico’s culture.
And for some couples, Cinco de Mayo is the perfect day to tie the knot. Take a look at these colorful wedding blogs from Style Me Pretty:
The energy and sheer magic of Mexican flair is often expressed through the spirited and lively use of joyful color. Sizzling red, orange, blue, turquoise, purple, lemon, lime and pink – these passionate colors are applied to everything and are often offset with earthly shades and whites. Mexican celebrations are an invitation to show off colorful flowers, which are an integral part of Mexico’s culture.
And for some couples, Cinco de Mayo is the perfect day to tie the knot. Take a look at these colorful wedding blogs from Style Me Pretty:
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Field to Vase 2: A Breathtaking Canvas
There is no food quite as rewarding as the food you've grown or selected from a local Farmer's Market. Whether you're eating out or creating your own home cooked meal, there is something so gratifying about reducing the steps between the farm to the table. And for me, the same things goes for the flowers garnishing the table, there’s nothing more pleasing than flowers fresh from the field to the vase.
At this week’s Field to Vase Dinner in The Flower Fields of Carlsbad, California, 113 guests enjoyed an unforgettable evening amidst colorful splendor on a fifty acre canvas of breathtaking ranunculus. It was the very first time in The Flower Fields’ history that an event like this has taken place in the heart of the blooms.
Marissa Gerlach, executive chef of Vista Valley Country Club in Vista, California, was the evening's featured chef and Bess Wyrick of the renowned Los Angeles and New York-based studio Celadon & Celery created the event's floral displays using ranunculus in every hue.
Third generation flower farmer Mike Mellano, the evenings host who so generously provided the incredible venue – Canvas, personally led guests on tours of the fields and spoke about the growing and harvesting flowers.
Throughout the evening the attention was focused on the flowers, farmers and the amazing farms we are so privileged to have here in America!
At this week’s Field to Vase Dinner in The Flower Fields of Carlsbad, California, 113 guests enjoyed an unforgettable evening amidst colorful splendor on a fifty acre canvas of breathtaking ranunculus. It was the very first time in The Flower Fields’ history that an event like this has taken place in the heart of the blooms.
Marissa Gerlach, executive chef of Vista Valley Country Club in Vista, California, was the evening's featured chef and Bess Wyrick of the renowned Los Angeles and New York-based studio Celadon & Celery created the event's floral displays using ranunculus in every hue.
Third generation flower farmer Mike Mellano, the evenings host who so generously provided the incredible venue – Canvas, personally led guests on tours of the fields and spoke about the growing and harvesting flowers.
Throughout the evening the attention was focused on the flowers, farmers and the amazing farms we are so privileged to have here in America!
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
#PropagatingProtea
This month Resendiz Brothers had the pleasure to host a very down-to-earth and hands-on event where the members of California Protea Association (CPA) had the opportunity to share different protea varieties with one another while mastering their propagation skills.
Members were all asked to bring their favorite protea cuttings to share or exchange with others who may not have that variety. During the meeting we were all provided a flat of soil, rooting solution and clippers if we neglected to bring our own.
Mel guided us through the propagation techniques while we built our own flat of cuttings.
This event was not just for beginners, because throughout the process the more experienced farmers were encouraged to share tips and tricks that have worked for them.
This CPA meeting definitely proved to be a unique and enjoyable experience! We all left with the flat of stems we created and a better understanding of the art of #PropagatingProtea. And, if we're lucky, in a few months our cuttings will develop roots and we’ll have lots ‘new’ protea plants growing in our fields.
Members were all asked to bring their favorite protea cuttings to share or exchange with others who may not have that variety. During the meeting we were all provided a flat of soil, rooting solution and clippers if we neglected to bring our own.
Mel guided us through the propagation techniques while we built our own flat of cuttings.
This event was not just for beginners, because throughout the process the more experienced farmers were encouraged to share tips and tricks that have worked for them.
This CPA meeting definitely proved to be a unique and enjoyable experience! We all left with the flat of stems we created and a better understanding of the art of #PropagatingProtea. And, if we're lucky, in a few months our cuttings will develop roots and we’ll have lots ‘new’ protea plants growing in our fields.
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