Within the wonderfully diverse world of proteaceae, the Grevillea genus is starting to rank among the most coveted, captivating, and cool. This Australian genus includes almost three hundred species, numerous subspecies, and more than a thousand cultivars (a number that continues to grow). These amazing botanicals are not only popular for their colorful spider-like flowers, the foliage is fabulous too. Grevilleas helps create height, movement, dimension and textures in bouquets, arrangements and displays.
Ivanhoe is a hybrid cultivar derived from combination of G. Longifolia and G. Caleyi. It has very attractive serrated and deeply cut foliage with deep green leaves and silver undersides, while new growth is a reddish bronze color.
Hookeriana or also called Robin Hood, is hardy, prolific and versatile species. This lush plant which can reach heights of up to 7’ tall, has glossy, dark green, deeply divided foliage with bronze-brown stems.
Robusta or more commonly known as the southern silky oak, silk oak or silky oak, silver oak or Australian silver oak, is an evergreen tree with olive-green, fern-like leaves that have a beautiful silvery undertone.
Asplendifolia or longifolia has long (6 to 10”), straight army green leaves with a slight rust-red tinge when young and their undersurfaces are covered with flat, silky brownish hairs.
Grevilleas develop small cone-like buds and toothbrush-like flowers that are displayed primarily late winter through spring. This versatile foliage not only adds a distinctive texture and color to designs, they typically have a vase life of 14 days or longer.
Before the Cal Poly Universities’ float made its debut down Colorado Boulevard, California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross, in partnership with the Buy California Marketing Agreement (BCMA), recognized the students and advisors in a special ceremony for sourcing exclusively California grown flowers and foliage. To earn this special certification, a float must be decorated with more than 85 percent of its flowers and greens from California, and ‘kudos’ to this year’s Cal Poly Float for being nearly 97 percent. This is the seventh year that the university has received this certification.
Despite the fact that a moody groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter, we’ve got a ‘welcome’ cure for the winter blues. Handmade with 10 to 16 small bouquets —our designers create wreaths so lush that they’ll take the chill out of winter and brighten up dark days. Crafted with the season’s freshest flowers and foliage – blooming leucadendron, textural greens, accent flowers and colorful protea, pincushions & banksia... all the ingredients necessary to create a joyful spirit and cheerful welcome.
Did you know the Australian genus of Grevillea consists of approximately 313 different varieties and 200 cultivars, and the numbers continues to grow? This amazing plant family was named in honor of the British patron of botany Charles Francis Greville, one of the founders of the Royal Horticulture Society in 1804.
Grevilleas are not only popular for their colorful spider-like flowers, the foliage is amazing as well. Yes, we’re all familiar with the fabulous Ivanhoe but do you know Hookeriana? This interesting cultivar, also called ‘Robin Hood’, is hardy, prolific and versatile. This lush plant which can reach heights of up to 7’ tall, has rich, green fern-like foliage with bronze tips and stems. Hookeriana adds incredible volume and texture to designs and it has a vase life of 14 days and longer.
The little cone buds and red tooth brush-like flowers, which are prominently displayed over the late winter and early spring, seem to turn this lush foliage into a fabulous filler flower!
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!
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!
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!
