A Field to Vase Luncheon

Amidst a scenic backdrop in a greenhouse full of colorful gerbera daisies, California Flowers Farmers and special guests experienced a chic 'Field to Vase' luncheon in conjunction with the California Cut Flower Commission's (CCFC) December meetings held in Santa Barbara, CA.  Mobi's owners, Rene and June VanWingerden, hosted the gathering that featured local flavor and of course, local flowers.  The menu included a salad of organic baby kale, and a main course of roasted chicken and blue cheese shallot mashed potatoes - a savory treat for any palate.  Although, the flowers were truly the 'main attraction' of this occasion, from the gerberas that surrounded the gathering to the beautifully decorated table lined with an array of fresh California grown flowers and foliage - a feast for the eye! 

 A superbly decorated table awaits.

Red, pink and white flowers made a lovely color palette.

 Country Catering Connection created and served the delicious meal.

A special tribute honored the outgoing CCFC Chair, Lane DeVries.

Lunch in a greenhouse amidst thousands of gorgeous gerberas - it's hard to imagine a better place to dine!

 

Janice even made sure there were jars full of CaGrown Flowers to go.

Many thanks to June and Rene for hosting this amazing 'Field to Vase' event!

Flowers Color Our Lives

One of nature’s most precious gifts, flowers never fail to delight the eye and touch the soul!

If each flower has a special meaning, then each flower color has one too!  Symbolism of flower colors can be traced back in history and up until now many people believe in the meaning of colors.  This is the reason why there are individuals who are very picky about the flowers and colors that they choose for a bouquet or arrangement especially if it is for a special occasion.  Flowers color our lives!  Here are a few popular colors and their special meanings. 

Pink is elegant and romantic.  Brighter pinks are youthful, feminine and fun; vivid pinks are more passionate and sensual.  Pink makes a room feel inviting and warm.  Love and beauty are associated with Pink. 

Protea Ivy

Protea Brenda

Orange is energetic, trendy and fun-loving.  A powerful color, orange makes a statement and evokes stronger responses than any other shade.  In spring, orange flowers are fresh and cheerful; in autumn, they are beautiful like the changing and falling leaves.  Orange is a great accent color.

Banksia Ashbyii

Leucospermum Succession  

Green, the 'Eco' color, expressing environmental concern, good health and renewal, green is soothing and relaxing, refreshing and revitalizing.  A great neutral color, green can be combined with all other flower colors - it's probably why most flowers have green stems and leaves, they go with any color.

Kangaroo Paw Black & Green

Banksia Speciosa

What's your favorite color and its special meaning?

Cornucopia: A Symbol of the Harvest

A cornucopia, also called a horn of plenty, was traditionally made of a goat's horn overflowing with fruits, flowers and grains of the harvest.  It symbolizes abundance, prosperity and good fortune.

At what time the cornucopia made its way into our country's consciousness as a Thanksgiving holiday symbol is difficult to say.  But with its meaning of abundance and good fortune, the horn of plenty is now a symbol of Americans’ thoughts of thankfulness each November.

Cornucopias have become customary fall centerpieces and usually feature a basket woven into a horn-like shape.  Today, we fill these baskets with autumn foliage, fresh flowers, pods, and fresh fruits such as persimmon or pomegranates.  Whether it goes by the name cornucopia or horn of plenty, the meaning of this ancient symbol still resonates today.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Protea: Perfect For Fall Nuptials

When it comes to fresh, beautiful protea for autumn weddings there's an abundance of seasonal offerings.  Even though many trendy wedding favorites like Blushing Bride and Kings are not in season, there are plenty of other gorgeous blooms to fill out any bouquet. Pink Ice and Neriifolia 'Minks', being harvested now, bring an exotic and unique touch to any bouquet, especially when combined with other rich jewel tones. When paired with textural foliage like leucadendron and eucalyptus, and year-round flowers like roses or orchids, you can expect lots of personality. Here are some lovely pictures of wedding bouquets with protea used in very artistic and beautiful ways!

Protea in Art

My love of flowers is very obvious, as I live and work on a flower farm and surround myself daily with colorful bouquets and my favorite flower photos. It's not often enough that we speak of the inspiration, the pleasure and the hope we feel when looking at one of these amazing gifts from Mother Nature. Their vivid colors and exotic shapes make us joyful while their textures add a unique feel. Flowers evoke memories and transport us to a more naturally beautiful place.

As a flower farmer, I am always inspired by the perfection found in flowers and thrilled by the way they impact and arouse all of us differently, which for me, is certainly proof of their natural artistic qualities. With that in mind, I thought it might be nice to share a few different ways artists have used protea in their work – some have used them to enhance beauty while others have used them to tell the story of life itself.

"I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers."

- Claude Monet

The Thanksgiving Table

The Harvest Season is definitely underway and as Thanksgiving approaches, more emphasis is placed on the importance of color and texture. When we think of autumn, we often think of more conventional decor that feature reds, oranges and yellows. While this works for many occasions, I personally prefer variations on the tried and true traditional fall colors. 

By taking our cue from color experts, perhaps it is time to kick it up a notch - add a little textural Proteaceae, and feature designs that favor the more trendy 'Jewel Tone' shades of ruby, sapphire, amethyst, emerald, and yellow topaz. These lovely hues not only have a warm and welcoming appeal, they also exude a special 'farm-to-table' and 'field-to-vase' charm, and after all isn't that what harvest season is all about? Here are some of the ways I imagine my Thanksgiving table garnished! 
 

California Protea Association General Meeting

This fall Resendiz Brothers hosted the California Protea Association's (CPA) General Meeting. The program started out with a very informative presentation by Rolf Timmerman, Head International Technical Consultant, from Chrysal International. Rolf covered several important subjects: First, he gave an update on Protea Post-Harvest Treatments and the latest research from South Africa. Then he discussed Waxflower Post-Harvest treatments and practices; as well as the best practices on tinting greens. For more details on these topics we've provided a link to Rolf's power point presentation. 

In addition, Ben Gill with California Protea Management gave a brief update on South America's current protea production, and Diana Roy shared information about the California Cut Flower Commission's Sustainability Program and the newly developed California Cut Flower Co-op. 
 
The evening's final guest speaker was Rene' van Rems, who did an enlightening presentation on current style trends like Shabby Chic, Eco Glam, Patch World, Curio as it relates to old world, and New Neutrals - the grays, beiges and soft greens that so often coincide with what we see here on our flower farms.

The meeting concluded with the CPA's traditional plant and floral raffle and also included samples that were donated by Chrysal. Many thanks to all the speakers and flower farmers who participated and attended this event!