Menziesii is also referred to as Port Wine Banksia or Raspberry Frost due to its amazing color and Firewood Banksia due to its quick burning properties. It typically blooms during autumn and into winter. Each spike is composed of up to 6,000 individual flowers, and yet only a few become filled with seeds. The seeds are enclosed in sacs attached to an indestructible cone until it’s burnt.
This spectacular banksia is thought to have a special flower essence. Australian Aboriginal people would use menziesii in their rituals and ceremonies for its healing capabilities for courage. Courage to help one release pain and to move ahead triumphantly, with renewed energy. This flower essence parallels with The Language of Flowers and the symbol of Protea - Diversity and Courage.
Whether flaunted alone or showcased with other florals, menziesii never fails to put on an amazing display.
Have you ever watched a chef peruse his vegetable garden, getting excited while scrutinizing the fresh herbs and veggies that will later be used to create a fabulous meal? That's me with flowers. I'm most in my realm when I'm surrounded by seasonal blooms and foliage, visualizing the array of bouquets and arrangements I could create. Usually, I start by considering things like color, texture, shape and size when I’m picking flowers, and I never know what I’ll end up with until I’m finished!
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.
Some colors are simply inspiring. Take orange, for instance, it is a vibrant and warm color. It represents sun, fun, warmth and tropical settings. Orange is considered a fun color with scrumptious and delicious qualities. It boosts the oxygen supply to the brain and kindles mental activity. As a citrus color, orange is associated with healthy food and it fuels the appetite. If you love having friends gather around your dinner table, orange makes guests more social, encourages conversation and extends the meal time.
In color psychology, orange is hopeful and uplifting. In fact, orange is so optimistic and uplifting, that we all should find ways to implement it in our day to day routines. Orange adds spontaneity and a positive way of looking at life. And with great Enthusiasm, orange calls for adventure, risk-taking and individuality.
Orange is also very popular among young people, they respond very well to it, as it is bursting with youthful spontaneity.
Spring may officially begin on the 20th of March, but for anyone who loves Leucadendron as much as we do, spring starts in early January when the first Leucadendron take on vivid shades of cream, white, yellow, gold and maroon. Inca gold turns a bright yellow color with a touch of red on the tips. Gold Strike transforms into beautiful yellow ‘tulips’ and Maui Sunset is simply stunning in hues of white and pink. The Safari Sunset, which is red or burgundy most of the year, lives up to its name as it changes to ‘Tricolor’ with lovely multicolored bracts in hues of maroon, green and gold.
As the weather gets cold the leaves or bracts of the Leucadendron change colors becoming brighter and more intense. This fabulous foliage seems to ‘wake up’ and turn into vibrant flowers in their own right. Our bouquets and wreaths take their inspiration from the wonderful colors and textures of this long-lasting accent foliage.
Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do. - Nelson Mandela
The true hero of South Africa. The man who fought for equal rights for all and a country that stands ‘United as One’. Nelson Mandela is one of the most influential, respected and loved men in South Africa. And, did you know he has made such an impact on South Africa and has such a legacy that he has a Protea named after him? South Africa’s national flower is the King Protea and there is a special vibrant red variety that is absolutely striking, and known to many by Mandela’s tribe name, Madiba.
Spring is a long way off, but if you could use a mid-winter pick-me-up right this minute, we have the perfect antidote. “Andrea”—a bright, cheery and vibrant protea—this lovely cultivar produces large, fuchsia flowers with a silvery central dome and white feathery tips. It has the muted green leaves of the Protea Queen (magnifica) parent and the clear pink flower of the Protea Compacta parent.
There is no doubt that Andrea brings an abundance of winter cheer out in the fields. But once harvested, arranged and displayed her vibes are contagious – the perfect pick-me-up.
