2015 Color of the Year: Marsala - An Earthy Wine Red

A naturally robust and earthy wine red, Marsala enriches our minds, bodies and souls.  Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us in to its embracing warmth.   - Leatrice Eiseman Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute

Why did Pantone choose Marsala? Eiseman stated, "We felt it was time for something that spoke to people's real needs—the need of nurturing, the need for something more robust that had a life force that was intrinsic to it.  The most interesting thing about Marsala, I think, is that even though it has this grounded influence, this earthy undertone we see in the wine-red, at the same time, it has this sophistication.  There is something very versatile about the color." 

So, naturally when I heard the news I began to ponder about how the flowers and foliage we grow compliment this awesome color of the year.  Here's some Marsala inspiration to get you started. 

First, a few fabulous flowers and foliage that emulate this seductive shade.

Then, a look at how very versatile Marsala is when combined with other earthy hues.

Home for the Holidays

To me, a room is never finished without fresh flowers and greens.  When getting the house ready for holidays, there's nothing better than bringing the freshness of the outdoors in.   Whether it's a festive handmade wreath to decorate the door or a beautiful garland to garnish the table or mantle, flowers add life to a home and make it welcoming!

Debra Prinzing, outdoor living expert, author and lecturer specializing in interiors, architecture and landscapes recently shared with readers how to stay local and sustainable when creating holiday wreaths and garlands.

From harvest to holiday

It’s easy to stay local when you make a wreath from homegrown San Diego greenery and blooms. 

Subtropical plants are enjoying a huge surge in popularity in the global cut flower market, which is why it’s so satisfying to know that San Diego County has many family farms, large and small, that are producing Protea, Leucadendron, Leucospermum, Banksia, Leptospermum, Chamelaucium (Wax flowers), Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paws) and other Mediterranean specimens.

DIY holiday garland made with foliage, flowers from California's backyard

For millennia, garlands created from intertwined foliage, flowers and fruit stems have symbolized home, hearth - and hospitality.

During the holidays, we expect to see evergreen garlands, often made with cedar boughs.  But according to floral designers who want to "go local", you don't have to rely on the Pacific Northwest's forests to decorate doorways, mantels or tabletops.

May your holidays be filled with fresh flowers and greens that bring you a bounty of joy and happiness!

Festive Flowers for the Holidays

The holiday season is in full swing, which means your schedule is starting to fill up with parties and family gatherings.  If you're hosting your own special get-together, you'll need decorations to create a festive ambiance.  However, finding the right decor can sometimes be difficult because options are often limited to the typical colors and styles.  One way you can combine your personal style with seasonal decor is with flowers.

Not only do flowers allow you to express your unique style, but they also bring the freshness and beauty of nature to your gathering.  Your family and friends may admire your holiday decorations, but nothing compares to a gorgeous bouquet.  When you decorate with fresh flowers and foliage that reflect your personal style, it makes for a unforgettable event your guests will reminisce about for weeks.

To show how we expressed our personal style using Protea we created six holiday designs that will hopefully inspire you to create your own.

Fun with Flowers & J – Holiday Favorites

As another holiday season draws near, it's often second nature to open up those boxes of decorations in the garage and place the decor in the usual spots.  Some of us just need a muse to get our creative decorating juices flowing.  Here are two of our favorite Fun with Flowers & J videos you should checkout for holiday decorating inspiration.

Link to Video: How to arrange flowers:Elegant Christmas Centerpiece

J creates an elegant Christmas Centerpiece - quickly and easily with the Wm F Puckett Majesty Collection.  Using Protea, Lilies, Tulips and a Satin Mist® Chimney, J shows you the tricks to making your Holidays Happy and Bright!

Link to Video: Decorating with Protea Wreaths and SNOW for Christmas!

J uses a Protea Wreath as a Christmas Centerpiece and shows how Protea Wreaths and Bouquets can be dried for continued enjoyment.

Enjoy - Happy Holidays!

Creating a Festive Protea Wreath

It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas here on the farm.  We've jumped right into our wreath making mode and we're loving every minute of it!  Creating and making things with your own two hands feeds the soul and definitely puts you in the holiday spirit!  Throw in fresh protea, crisp foliage and cones loaded with texture and the joy just begins.  Watch as Porfirio walks you through the steps of creating a festive protea wreath.

This time of year is so magical.
Let it fill you with joy and happiness.

Happy Holidays!

The 1st Annual Protea Festival

Welcome to Rainbow

This month we had the pleasure of attending the California Protea Association's (CPA) 1st Annual Protea Festival.  This special event, the first of its kind, was held at Rainbow Protea, one of the neighboring flower farms.  Attendees included protea farmers from both San Diego and Riverside counties as well as floral industry friends.

Rainbow, a suburb of Fallbrook, is a natural fit for the protea festival as its roots go deep into California agriculture.  Rainbow’s trademark product is the protea, but a wide variety of crops grow here too – like avocados, citrus and exotic fruits, macadamia nuts, persimmons, pomegranates, wine grapes and more.  This Protea Capital of the USA is definitely the ideal location to host a field to vase event celebrating Protea and the Farmers!

It was a perfect day that turned into a perfect evening.  We were surrounded by beautiful California grown flowers and people who really adore them too.

However, it wasn't just about the flowers, it was about the entire experience.  Preparing a delicious meal on the farm - where food starts, in the hands of farmers.

We dined in the middle of a storage barn surrounded by protea fields, on a table that sat over 30 people. Everything about the setting was breathtaking!

It was a terrific evening filled with scrumptious food and even better conversation with friends who love farming as much as we do.

Many Thanks to Dawn Bonner and Rainbow Protea for hosting this fabulous event!

Stay tuned for information on next year's Proteafest!