Floral News: Inspirational Stories of the Week

US: Rose Parade to promote Californian grown cut flowers

This year's Rose Parade will feature three CA Grown floats, which are being sponsored by Cal Poly, California Milk Advisory Board, FTD and Miracle Gro. The 127th Rose Parade presented by Honda and themed “Find Your Adventure,” will take place Friday, January 1, 2016, followed by the 102nd Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual. Read the rest of this article at floral daily

Kick off to the Rose Parade

There really was no better way to celebrate Miracle-Gro’s kick off to this year’s Tournament of Roses Festivities than enjoying a beautiful field-to-vase luncheon, while giving back to the Pasadena community.

At John Muir Ranch High School, the day greeted guests with blue skies and warm temperatures, making for a perfect afternoon to help support the Pasadena School Garden Program. This is the second year Miracle-Gro has supported the program through their Tournament of Roses Partnership. Miracle-Gro representatives and Ty Pennington, Miracle-Gro’s spokesperson, were on-hand to help work with the volunteers in the garden and reinforce their commitment to the community. This event was also a volunteer opportunity for members of the community to install a new pollinator garden (that includes Proteaceae and Australian wildflowers) at Muir Ranch and help distribute 100 Thanksgiving dinners.

Miracle-Gro is also the Official Rose and Flower Care Company of the Tournament of Roses for the fourth year in a row and this year their float with be certified as “California Grown”. This means more than 85% of the flowers and plants on the float will be grown here in California. We’re honored to have been chosen to contribute Protea to this year’s float. Miracle-Gro is the very first brand to invite flower farmers and customers to supply flowers for their float. In addition along with Ty Pennington and four other “Miracle-Groers”, Mel has been chosen as one of the California farmers to ride the float on New Year’s Day.

Looking forward to celebrating all things California Grown on New Year’s Day!

Fall Fresh: Foliage

With all due respect to pumpkins and chrysanthemums, fabulous foliage is what really gets us excited about fall each year! From leucadendron to grevilleas, from acacia to eucalyptus, we simply can’t get enough of the season’s fresh botanicals. Looking for color and texture?

Foliage adds so much volume, color and texture to arrangements, bouquets and displays. Leaf colors come in a kaleidoscope of shades ranging from yellow-green to gray-green and silvery shades, to blue-green and bronze, burgundy and red hues. And, there are even variegated patterns of green and yellow well as red and green. When it comes to texture, foliage is available in lots of shapes and sizes – long and thin, oval and round, lacey or feathery, with cones, pods and seeds– the varieties are endless! These plants truly stir our imagination and keep us connected to the earth.

The autumn harvest is underway. Be sure to relish the season and make it a time to rediscover these gifts from Mother Nature!

Protea: Ever-Flowers

Did you know Proteas are ever-flowers? With proper post-harvest care blooms can last two to three weeks in the vase. Then they don’t die – they dry! Many Proteas retain their structural design and to some extent their color. When mixed in arrangements, they are as permanent as almost anything the botanical world provides.

Is there a second life? According to Martha Stewart Living Magazine Nov. 2015, “It’s a Perfect Union - There’s no rule against combining dried plants with fresh blooms; the effect. In fact, can be unexpectedly striking.” We couldn’t agree more, dried flowers can add unique texture and color to designs.

A Protea Pod or sometimes called “Protea Flat” is the wood-like base and stem of the flower that’s left after the long bracts and center dome is removed. They are great when added to arrangements, bouquets, wreaths and topiaries.

Feeling creative and enjoy crafts? Use dried flowers as raw materials for sculptural inventions. By themselves or in combination with other natural materials, proteas make fascinating ornaments, dolls and other creations.

Accessorizing with Proteaceae and Australian Wildflowers

What is it about wearing fresh flowers that makes an event feel extra special? Simply put, it’s the perfect accessory - natural, stylish, and we love it! Inspired by our wide variety of Proteaceae and Australian wildflowers (pincushions, serruria, waxflower, leucadendron and more) we perused the internet for bloggers who share our sentiment to help us dream up ways to turn our special flora into chic accessories.

Confetti Dreams

Wedding Chicks

Colin Cowie Weddings

Burnetts boards

ElizabethAnne Designs

Floral Verde

The Knott

Instagram: Photos We Dig

10 awesome photos featuring native flowers from East Coast Wildflowers a flower farm and a wholesaler in the Sydney Flower Market NSW. Owner, Craig Scott, has developed a new profile for Australian and South African Proteaceae and other Australian wildflowers on the Australian domestic market. “Craig has helped turn around the perception of Australian natives. He knows how to make them look natural, beautiful and abundant.”
– Flower Addict

Beautiful book Flower Addict acknowledging @craigioscott developing "a new profile for native flowers".

A bucket of goodness and inspiration from @craigioscott, we are so excited to begin our workshop tomorrow.

From grower @craigioscott, I long to be with his flowers again!!

So lucky to have the most amazing native suppliers! Thank you @craigioscott for the spectacular Eucalyptus macrocarpa this week.

Coral Flowering Gum by @craigioscott

The Most beautiful Natives. Stunning... thank you Craig @craigioscott

This week at the club, thank you for all the beautiful flowers @craigioscott !!

Native love ‬ @craigioscott

Blushing Bride I am so happy you are back in season! Thanks Craig they are gorgeous x @craigioscott

Happy to visit with @craigioscott yesterday at the farm and today at market. We love the amazing flowers and foliages we got from Craig.

To see more of Craig’s gorgeous natives checkout his Instagram feed @craigioscott.

Floral News: Inspirational Story of the Week

California is abuzz with an extraordinary protea farm spirit.

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe,” once said the French novelist and essayist Anatole France.

A generation ago, two of the state’s most experienced protea farmers, Howard Asper Sr. and Dr. Peter Sacks saw the possibilities of this region to grow protea of exquisite quality. And it has taken every bit of that generation, and even part of a second, to learn exactly which proteas to grow, where to grow them, and how to grow them properly within California’s many diverse microclimates.

Steady increase in farmers

Over the last three years California has seen a steady increase in the number of new farmers in the state, primarily due to the increased awareness of, and demand for, protea in the United States and Canada. Now over 250 protea farmers from California’s Monterey Bay in the north down to San Diego in the south are growing a wide range of Protea, Leucadendron, Leucospermum, Banksia, Bruniaceae, Telopea and Grevillea.
Read the rest of this article at FloraCulture Int.