Banksia Coccinea

There are certain things that exemplify Australia, that are true icons of the amazing Land Down Under and there is no doubt that the Banksia is one of them. Banksia have earned a place on this list as they can be found all over the country. Many varieties have names that describe a certain physical characteristic, like the Banksia coccinea… or also known as the Albany banksia, the Waratah banksia or the scarlet banksia. Native to the coastal sand dunes or the southern edge of Western Australia, Coccinea is considered the most picturesque, though by far not the biggest of the banksia flower spikes.

The blossoms of the scarlet banksia illustrate the signature qualities of this protea genus, a barrel-shape inflorescence with hundreds of tiny flowers mounted on a woody cone in corn-cob-like rows. The male flower parts are the white and the longer female ones are intensely red. A general reluctance to reflex keeps these structures or pistels looped back in on themselves until they are finally released at anthesis - the period during which a flower is fully open.

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.

Protea Repens

The famed Sugarbush or Suikerbossie, Protea repens, was South Africa's national flower until 1976. It got its common name, Sugarbush, from the abundance of nectar that the blooms produce. So much in fact that early settlers in South Africa’s Cape Province, collected the nectar and made syrup called “bossiestroop”. Cape sugarbirds are also very fond of the sweet nectar and can often be seen chasing one another as they feast from one bush to the next.

Sugarbush or Suikerbossie (Afrikaans) is also a term of endearment that could be translated as "sweetie". The song Suikerbossie ek wil jou he (Sugarbush, I want you so) was composed on Lion's Head in Cape Town and shows how sweet the Sugarbush must be to inspire such romance. Suikerbossie ek wil jou he is a traditional South African Barn Dance Song and this English version of the song eventually became an international hit.

SUGARBUSH, I WANT YOU SO:

Sugarbush, I want you so
Sugarbush, I want you so
Sugarbush, I want you so
What will your mother want to say.
Then like that, we'll walk under the moon
Then like that, we'll walk under the moon
Then like that, we'll walk under the moon
Together, my sugarbush and I.

Sugarbush are harvested here in California from autumn through early winter - so now's the time to make these beautiful blooms a part of your next arrangement or bouquet!

Designed by Mel

We walk a prudent line when it comes to creating a ‘one-of-a-kind’ bouquet: too blasé and the bouquet can start to look like a mound of mis-matched proteas. Too planned and it ends up looking like a dull cookie-cutter Biedermeier. So, when an occasion calls for a little extra protea power, we step back and call in our favorite flower-farmer-florist, Mel. But in case you don’t have a passionate farmer to count on, we asked Mel to share some tips for creating one of his special protea bouquets.

“I think of designing a bouquet like planning a meal: once I decide on the main course, the side dishes fall into place. For this bouquet, the dramatic protea Arctic Ice took center stage. The most important thing to me is color and texture, as they immediately make a bouquet come to life. The King was an easy starting point, so I just played off of those fabulous, white, spikey bracts,” says Mel.

Whether you’re using flowers you purchased at your local market, a farmer’s market or clipping from your own garden, simply look for a few different varieties that go nicely together while creating contrast. In addition to the beautiful white King, this bouquet includes orange Banksia, red Leucospermum, silver-cone Leucadendron galpinii, lavender and white waxflower, woolly bush, boxwood, Grevillea and chocolate Agonis foliage.

“If you select your stems wisely, they’ll give you some hints when it comes time to put everything together. I let the flowers do most of the work for me and allow them to fall into place as I slowly twist and turn the bouquet. If you have an open mind and allow the bouquet to progress naturally, it will ultimately look much more spontaneous,” says Mel.

Fall Inspiration: Pumpkins and Protea Pair Perfectly

The vibes your autumn decor gives off depends entirely on what you pair them with. While we typically associate pumpkins with Halloween they're suitable for so much more. Left whole, they can sit at many angles to give everyone at the table a beautiful view. Cut open, they make excellent containers for flowers when hollowed out. While most popular in hues of orange, white and green, pumpkins offer wonderful new options for color schemes, especially when they are paired with protea. Use these pumpkin centerpiece ideas as your inspiration this fall.

Protea King Arctic Ice

A luxurious Protea King is the crowning glory of a design or bouquet - these chic beauties offer an enchanting world filled with color, texture, and sizes to try. But not all Kings are created equal. In fact, some varieties are so special, they take nearly a decade to create. Such is the case for the voguish Arctic Ice, a magnificent White King Protea which has proven to be one of the most popular cultivars of this coloring of the king protea. The large flower heads are almost dinner plate in size with serrated edges much like a king’s crown. A mature plant can reach up to 5 feet in height and produce up to 50 blooms a year.

The King Protea is the national flower of South Africa — but they have been grown commercially here in California for 50 years. If you’re as crazy about these majestic flowers as we are, we suggest spending a little time in this Cynaroides’ realm.

Seasons Greetings

As one season transitions into another the colors that dominate our daily harvest shift as well. The crimson, fuchsia and cream protea of winter give way to the orange, red and yellow pincushions of spring. Summer’s greens and pink protea become the saturated leucadendron and banksia of fall. Even in the nursery 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!

Flowering Gums

This summer, we're embracing familiar yet often overlooked blooms in the field: flowering Gums. The lush evergreen leaves of the Corymbia ficifolia or Gum Tree are harvested year-round and have become a popular foliage for garlands and wreaths. However, did you know that many varieties of gum produce a profusion of bright flower clusters during the summer? These flowers are not typical flowers though, as these showy blooms are made up mostly of anthers and styles, rather than petals. And in most species, the buds appear in masses on a single stem that develops on the axil of the leaves. These nectar-rich flowers can be found in hues of white, yellow, cream, red, pink, salmon, orange or even bi-colors and the stamens are held in small cup-like bases.

Flowering Gum Bouquet

Apricot Delight

Summer Snow

Calypso Queen

Summer Glory

Fairy Floss

Little Sweetie

Summer Beauty