The Latest Floral Inspiration

Golden State – is Still the One for Fresh Flowers

While it’s a reality that even our local flower market is a part of the global economy, the Market enters its next 100 years with its feet firmly planted in Golden State soil. California remains a leader and trendsetter for what is in demand for floral artisans here and around the world thanks to the vibrant and versatile flower, plant, and foliage offerings from its farms.

Read more here.
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A Conversation with Certified American Grown

Come with us as we learn more about Certified American Grown! Q1. Can you tell us more about yourself and how long you have been in the industry?

Certified American Grown (CAG) is a non-profit organization. We are an independent national trade association representing a unified and diverse community of American cut flower, cut foliage, and potted plant farmers from the United States.

Read more here.
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Discover The National Flower of South Africa:
The King Protea

South Africa is an incredible country with a wide range of climates, people, and animals, so it’s no surprise its national flower is the astonishing king protea. With a name like that, you know it’s going to be good! Let’s discover the national flower of South Africa: the king protea and why it symbolizes the South African nation so well.

What is the National Flower of South Africa?

The national flower of South Africa: the king protea is also called the sugarbush or the cape artichoke flower.

Read more here.

Autumn Protea Wreath

We’re starting to see early signs of fall here on the farm. We've dusted off all the wreath making equipment and ordered plenty of extra supplies. Designing and creating a gorgeous Protea wreath is one of our favorite crafts, it's like painting but with a palette of flowers, and it definitely puts you in an autumn mode! With a ten beautiful Protea, Grevillea Ivanhoe, Leucadendron Safari Sunset, Galpinii and Inca Gold as well as seeded Eucalyptus, we anxiously observe as another unique masterpiece is created.

The wreath... a symbol of welcome, eternity and a joyful spirit! When protea find their way into a wreath, they no doubt fulfill the promise of eternity, as they don't die, they dry beautifully and become timeless!

Protea Grandicolor

Current obsession: Grandicolor. This gorgeous protea is a mix of grandiceps and aurea… an unusual and unique combo to say the least. The cream bracts deepen to peach at the base and there is delicate pink + white lashes that surround the rusty-red center. The egg-shape foliage is small and leathery with a silvery-green hue and the stems straight and upright. Grandicolor produces exquisite, medium sized blooms off and on from autumn through spring. Dainty, cute and yeah, PERFECT for fall designs!

Seasons Greetings

As one season transitions into another the flora and colors that dominate our daily harvest shift as well. The crimson, fuchsia and white protea of winter give way to the red and yellow hues of spring. Summer’s lush greens and coral shades become the warm orange and cream banksia of fall. Even in the greenhouse where seasonal changes are not as obvious the passage is visible in the angle of sunlight and feel of the air. This helping hand from Mother Nature offers us the opportunity to continually change the colors and textures found in our wreaths. In our opinion, there’s no better way to roll out the welcome mat and start a new season than with a gorgeous Protea Wreath!

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Color Enhanced Banksia

The brighter the better in some cases, and that’s what we’re loving these days when it comes to banksia.

The banksia is a bold and textural bloom that’s displayed in many of our favorite designs. For any season, there’s always a way to make them work no matter what the occasion is. I think the uniqueness of a banksia is what makes it loved by so many of us. When it comes to designing with banksia, the options are seemingly endless. Such an exceptional flower can be transformed by the designer, projecting a different look depending on what else it is paired with it. You can go with red, white and blue hues, or add more color to the stems and create a virtual rainbow.

Color Enhanced Banksia are eye-catching flowers when combined with lively, vibrant colors and the unique bloom shape. The flower spikes provide a textured look and feel, indulging even more into the brilliance of the colors and showing them off with intensity, boldness, and flare. Banksia are hardy flowers and they dry beautifully, making them a perfect option for or almost any occasion, like Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas… the possibilities are endless.

April Blogs & Articles of Interest

Certified American Grown Flower and Greens Farms

What are you doing to celebrate the wonderful moms in your life this year? With Mother’s Day just a couple of weeks away, why not give her fresh-cut blooms shipped directly from Certified American Grown flower and greens farms - it’s a great way to support local businesses especially during this difficult time.

Certified American Grown is a unified and diverse coalition of U.S. flower and greens farms representing small and large entities that grow everything from fragrant garden roses to bright field flowers to lush foliage. Yesterday, I received several boxes of beautifully grown blooms and greens - columbines, hellebores, roses, anemones, tulips, Ornithogalum, delphiniums, pittosporums, podocarps, lily grass, lace ferns and so many more - all the highest quality and freshness. I took them out right away and made some gorgeous arrangements for my home.

Read more here.
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Flower lovers cheer for the exotic ‘King Protea’

The annual Rose Parade winding down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California on New Year’s Day is a flower enthusiast’s dream.

Every float is covered with lush blooms and greenery from around the world, as well as natural materials such as coconut fibers, seeds and coffee grounds.

The oldest, and certainly one of the showiest, flower on display in the 2020 parade was the King Protea, Protea cynaroides, the national flower of South Africa.

Read more here.
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Protea blooming in popularity

Researchers, breeders in Hawaii exploring design trends
with exotic cut flowers

Quick, where does protea grow? If you answered the Western Cape of South Africa, you wouldn’t be wrong.

The King protea is the national flower of South Africa. Plants in the protea family also occur in the cool, dry areas of Australia, New Zealand and South America. If your fresh holiday arrangement includes exotic cut protea flowers purchased at a local florist shop, chances are they came from a family-run protea farm in Hawaii, where the flower has been introduced and many new varieties are being hybridized by breeders at the University of Hawaii.

Read more here.

Unique Protea Holiday Décor Workshop

If you’re a fan of Rene’s Bouquets or any of the floral publications where his books and designs have appeared, our Holiday Workshop designer needs no introduction. However, if not… he’s a local resident and internationally renowned designer, author, presenter and instructor. Rene van Rems fills his days consulting, providing hands-on design instruction, as well as doing presentations and seminars for trade groups, garden clubs, horticultural societies and museum fundraisers. He is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), The National Speakers Association, and the Professional Floral Commentators International (PFCI).

Busy designer that he is, we were thrilled when Rene agreed to teach a Protea Holiday Décor Workshop here on the farm. He and a group of students spent an entire day whipping up festive wreaths and gorgeous pillar candle centerpieces. Plus, everyone had an opportunity to chat and share information about themselves during a ‘family style’ Mexican feast.

In appreciation for the day’s spectacular floral artistry, and for all our friends who weren’t able to join us… keep scrolling down to have a peak at some of the workshop activities!