Winter State of Mind

When the weather is cold and blustery, my strategy for creating a stunning arrangement is simple… make it colorful, textural, and seasonal. Starting with a few stems of vibrant protea like Ceres and Brenda plus, Leucadendron Tricolor and Salignum Pink my inspiration starts flowing. As I mingle in a few stems of textural Grevillea blooms and some bristly bottlebrush, winter really start showing off.

For a bit of a whimsical feel, weave in some frilly yellow wattle and fragrant eucalyptus Parvifolia with lovely heart shaped leaves.

With these fabulous florals, it's easily to create a design that takes the chill out of the season while providing an instant cold-weather pick-me-up. There’s no doubt, the best remedy for beating the ‘Winter Blues’ is to surround yourself with vivid color, lots of texture and seasonal bliss.

From December to March… happy hour is infinite with blooms this luminous.

In the Field: Protea Trish Compacta

Spring may be a long way off, but if you could use a winter pick-me-up right this minute, we have the perfect antidote. A gorgeous protea cultivar that’s certain to boost your spirits and take the chill out of a cold winter day.

Trish Compacta! Think Pink and so velvety soft (don’t you just want to reach out & feel those satiny petals?). This protea is a wonderful mix of compacta and laurifolia with the classic flawless-colored floral bracts in a rich pink (like compacta) and silvery-white highlights that surround the same pink colored center dome. Trish Compacta blooms winter through early spring… which means you should be enjoying them, umm right now!

When harvested and mixed with other proteas (and some textural Berzelia), there’s no doubt Trish Compacta delivers nature's best remedy to cure the winter blues.

Fall Vibes: Protea Repens – Sugarbush

Protea repens, Sugarbush or Suikerbossie. It’s October and these beautiful blooms are starting to make their debut. The word Repens means "creeping" but there is nothing creeping about this protea, the majority of flowers have long stems and some even display multiple blooms. The open, funnel-shaped flowers range in colors from red to white + even two-tones with some that flare open in a very spectacular fashion. Amazingly, the process from a tight bud to an open flower takes six to eight weeks and the seed develops over the next seven months.

Repens could be considered the first protea. In 1774, it was cultivated under glass in the Royal Collection at Kew Gardens where, in 1780, it became the first protea ever to bloom in cultivation away from the Cape. Sugarbush was also considered South Africa's National Flower until 1976 when it was replaced by the Protea King.

The name Sugarbush comes from the abundance of nectar that these alluring flowers produce. In fact, in the 19th century, settlers in South Africa’s Cape Province collected the nectar to use medicinally (called bossiestroop) to cure coughs and chest complaints.

No need for a medicinal remedy? How about a mood booster? Sugarbush provides the perfect pick-me-up and will set the scene for special fall gatherings.

Natural Remedies for the Winter Blues

I must have flowers, always and always,” said Claude Monet.

Our sentiments exactly! Especially in January, at the cusp of winter, when we’re all slowly coming out of a ‘Christmas Greens Coma’. One trip into the fields and there’s no doubt in our minds, as the weather gets colder, the colors become brighter and more intense.

The Leucadendron Inca Gold seemingly ‘wakes up’ making for superb winter flowers in a bright yellow color with a touch of red on the tips.

And the Protea Brenda is so shiny and vibrant creating the perfect contrast with her lovely petals or bracts in hues of deep pink.

With a few stems of Grevillea Misty Pink and some textural Ivanhoe foliage, you can design a bouquet that takes the chill out of the season while providing an instant winter pick-me-up. There’s no doubt, the best remedy for beating the ‘Winter Blues’ is to surround yourself with vivid color and pretend it’s almost spring.

Beating the Winter Blues

“I must have flowers, always and always,” said Claude Monet.

We can’t agree with him more! Especially in January, at the cusp of winter, when we’re all slowly coming out of a ‘Christmas Greens Coma’ and suffering from the 'Winter Blues'. But that’s not to say the Monets among us are out of luck. As the season settles in, we find ourselves shifting back to more traditional florals, and it dawns on us that winter is a choice.

One trip into the fields and there’s no doubt in our minds. As the weather gets colder, the colors become brighter and more intense. Leucadendron seemingly ‘wake up’ and make superb winter flowers in a variety of colors and textures. The Inca gold turns a bright yellow color with a touch of red on the tips. And the Safari Sunset, which is typically a red or burgundy hue, lives up to its name in winter as it changes to ‘Tricolor’ with lovely multicolored bracts in hues of maroon, green and gold.

With a few stems of beautiful protea, sprigs of sweet scented waxflower and plenty of colorful leucadendron, you can design a winter bouquet that takes the chill out of the season while providing inspiration for the next. Actually, we’ve found the trick to beating the ‘Winter Blues’ is to surround yourself with vivid color and pretend it’s almost spring.

Protea Susara

Protea Pink Mink

Protea Liebencherry

Protea Silvertips

Protea Coronata

Hybrid Waxflower

Leucadendron Inca Gold

Leucadendron Safari Tricolor