February Articles of Interest

Petite Wedding Bouquets That Make a Big Statement

While we'll always be big fans of wild, cascading bouquets, we've noticed that more and more brides are opting for smaller-scale arrangements. This is particularly true for brides affected by the coronavirus pandemic, who have had to adjust their wedding plans for a smaller guest list and new budget. These mini clutches can range from a single stem to a collection of tiny blooms. But don't be fooled by their smaller stature—although minute, these posies still make a big impact down the aisle. In fact, we think their small size is what makes them so eye-catching.

Read more here.
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Rare pink flannel flowers bloom in Australia

The blossoms grow in eastern Australia, from the Blue Mountains to north-eastern Victoria. Their seeds can lay dormant for years, requiring exactly the right conditions to germinate – a year after bushfire followed by rainfall.

Read more here.
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The Flower Fields Will Reopen in March,
With New Guidelines

AROUND THE TIME WHEN THE POPPIES... of the Antelope Valley arrive, but a little after the desert's wildflower show begins, and near the moment when wisteria starts to add a purple-lush beauty to some of California's grandest formal gardens, a petal-packed place in Carlsbad gets colorful. Very, very colorful, thanks to vast carpets composed solely Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers, those giant-headed, eye-wowza beauties that pop in an assortment of reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks. It's The Flower Fields we're talking about, the venerable attraction that includes opportunities to stroll by the famous cultivated blooms, as well as other events in years gone by, from sunset dining to live music.

Read more here.

From Brush to Blooms

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe." - Anatole France

The bliss of flower farming is having the opportunity to accomplish great things!  Yes, farming requires a dream, planning, hard work and a big leap of faith but in the end it is possible to do the unimaginable.  With those thoughts in mind, this weekend I ventured out into one of the newer flower fields to seeing how our dream was unfolding.

In 2012, we purchased several acres of land on a very steep hillside completely covered in brush.  At this stage in the game you have to have a wonderful imagination with so many bushes to remove, loads of trash to cleanup, tons of bugs, snakes and animals to evict and roads to grade.

What was once only brush is now full of blooms!  Here's just a glimpse of the treasures I discovered.

Flannel Flowers: A Symbol of Purity

Did you know Flannel Flowers, a popular Australian native wildflower, has became sought after as a symbol of purity in many festival and religious ceremonies?

These dainty flowers have a daisy-like appearance with a raised textured center.  Each bloom has 10 or more floppy petals that are soft and feel just like 'flannel'.  Some varieties of flannel flowers have petals with light grey-green tips, but for the most part, the flowers are white.  The leaves are silver-grey and velvety in texture as well. 

When these fabulous flowers are mixed into bouquets or designs along with protea, grevillea, fillers flowers, leucadendron or eucalyptus they add a unique touch of sophistication, elegance and purity.

i-do.com.au

Polka Dot Bride - Fetching Flannel Flowers

Butterfly Philosophy

What to look for:

• Buy when flowers are half to fully open and have a fluffy appearance.
• Avoid bunches with droopy brown tips.
  

Flower Care:

1. Keep cool at all times.
2. Strip leaves from the bottom half of each stem and wash thoroughly.
3. Re-cut at lest 1/4" off each stem and place in cold water.
4. Always use a preservative as this will help the buds to open.
5. Replace water every 1 to 2 days.
6. To dry, hang upside down in a well ventilated room.

Interesting Facts: 

The 'flannel-like' texture of this flower is due to a film of fine hairs that cover the whole plant. The hairs reduce the loss of water from the plant, protecting it during times of drought.

The Flannel Flower has been chosen as Australia's national symbol to promote mental health awareness because of its inherent beauty and strength.  Several varieties are commonly found growing wild in the bush throughout Australia.  The Flannel Flower, as with all native Australian plants, needs to be adaptable and enduring in order to survive.

The flowering heads can be cut off and placed in a bowl of water.  Treated in this way these 'floaters' will last considerably longer.