California Grown Floral Inspirations: Part 2

Ready for a little more California Grown Inspiration?  Remember last spring when we shared some our favorite California grown flowers with three very talented designers and later revealed their creative designs?  Well, this summer we felt inspired once again and wanted to see what they’d craft with another season’s harvest.  Each designer received the same box of flowers and was asked to create something special.  What happened this time?  Once again three very different personalities, styles and moods were divulged - all beautiful and creative. 

The designers involved were Carmel from Mt. Lebanon Floral Shop in Pennsylvania, a Alicia from Bella Fiori in Washington and Laurie from Fleurie in California.  Each box was filled Protea Eximia, Banksia Speciosa, Grevillea Ivanhoe, Brunia Albiflora and Leucadendron Goblet, Jester and Safari Sunset. 

Here's what they created:

Carmel made a variety of wonderful designs - from a large colorful centerpiece (love the message), to a beautifully decorated street lamp, a lovely table arrangement and even a matching ring and bracelet.

Alicia created a fabulous arrangement in an elegant crystal container and a gorgeous green and burgundy hand-tied bouquet.

Laurie designed a spectacular centerpiece in a rustic wooden container.

With all these amazing designs - I couldn't help but feel inspired to grab an armful of flowers and create something special too!

Thanks Carmel, Alicia and Laurie for inspiring us once again!

Fall 2014: A Season of Untypical Colors

“This is a season of untypical colors—more reflective of the imagination and ingenuity, which makes for an artful collection of colors and combinations not bound by the usual hues for fall,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “There is a feminine mystique that is reflected throughout the palette, inspired by the increasing need for women everywhere to create an individual imprint.”

Autumn is the perfect season for weddings, not only is the weather 'warm' and 'cozy' - this season the colors are as well!  With such an amazing palette of artful colors and a 'feminine mystique' I was inspired to see how floral designers were blending Protea into some of these unusual fall hues.  Here's just a few of my favorite finds: 
 

Aurora Red - a sophisticated shade that adds verve and spark.

 Ruffled Blog - From Invitation to Flower Inspiration 

Misted Yellow - alludes to the promise of spring to come.
Green Wedding Shoes - Colorful Australian Wedding

Sangria - an exotic red that evokes a sense of glamorous adventures and faraway destinations.

Green Wedding Shoes - Bohemian with an Edge

Cypress - a majestic and powerful green. 

 Want That Wedding - A Nature Inspired, Australian Native Flower Wedding

Farmgirl Flowers Visits Rainbow

"Local. Sustainable. Slow flowers. These are more than just buzz words, they represent the philosophy behind the growing movement of localizing the flower industry. Plain and simple: flowers that are sold stateside should be grown domestically to support the local economy and our local agricultural communities. That’s why we’re calling it the Local Flower Movement."

- Christina Stembel

Meet Christina Stembel, owner of San Francisco-based Farmgirl Flowers.  As you can sense from Christina's quote above she's a strong and passionate advocate for domestic cut flowers.  Through her company Farmgirl Flowers, she has become notorious for sourcing and promoting only local and seasonal flowers for use in her bouquets and designs.

Lately, when Christina's not working side by side with her amazing design team in the San Francisco Flower Market, she's been touring farms from California to Alaska meeting the farmers and learning about the flowers they grow.  When Christina's travels brought her to Southern California she made it a point to stop by the farm and check out the special flowers we grow here in Rainbow.  And, during her visit we were thrilled to discover she is passionate about Protea too!  So, after a brief peak in the cooler to see what flowers are being harvested we headed to the hills to see how they're grown.  Join us on our postcard tour:

 

Standing on a rock high above the flower fields - It almost feels like you're on top of the world. 

Protea - there's so much to learn: the numerous varieties, they're seasons, how they're grown and harvested.

A trip into the fields is not complete without stopping to see the limo and yes, it's CAGrown!

Definitely a 'Farmgirl' - Christina even stopped to feed the goats! 

It's all about 'Field to Vase' and 'knowing' where your flowers come from. 

A recent Farmgirl Flowers creation!

More Peony, Protea, and Pistachio perfection...
#americangrown #farmgirlflowers 

Protea Pink Ice: From Field to Vase

The month of September marks the beginning of what all of us here at Resendiz Brothers call 'Pink Ice Season'.  Why, Pink Ice?  We'll, for the next six to eight weeks this is the amazing flower that blooms in the fields and fills our bouquets!  So, stop for a moment, relax and enjoy this photo journey from the fields to being ready for your vase! 

Cal Poly Rose Parade Float: Aims to Inspire Learning

This year students from Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo will celebrate the power of reading and imagination with their 2015 Rose Parade float design.  “Soaring Stories” portrays a fairy tale castle and a mythological griffin emerging from the pages of storybooks.  It reflects the 2015 parade theme, “Inspiring Stories.” 

Some float construction work has already begun on both campuses.  Cal Poly San Luis Obispo students are expected to move their half of the float to Cal Poly Pomona in mid-to-late October. Construction typically continues until right before Christmas. Students and volunteers then spend the week between Christmas and New Year decorating the float with California Grown Flowers. 

"This project is the epitome of Learn by Doing,” said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong in a recent university newsletter.  “It also demonstrates working across disciplines.  There are all types of majors working here, from both campuses. And it brings together the whole Cal Poly community — students, parents, alumni, people who have been involved for years.” 

This year Cal Poly is once again committed to source at least 85 percent of their float décor from California flower farms and be recognized as "California-Grown Certified".  During the last few years this project and the 'Learning by Doing' has expand beyond the campuses. Students and administrators are touring the farms that donate the fresh cut flowers and greens in order to meet the farmers and see where and how the flowers are grown. 

This weekend Resendiz Brothers had the pleasure to host some of the Cal Poly Float Team as well as Amanda Lee the Decoration Chair and their Advisor Greg Lehr.  It was fun getting to know these designers while sharing a little of our 'Flower World' with them.  First off, a stop in the cooler to see what's being harvested - Protea, Banksia, Grevillea, Leucadendron, Eucalyptus and more.

Time for a quick photo and then off to the hills!

Without a trip up into the hills of Rainbow it's difficult to understand how our flowers are grown, the terrain, the climate and the vast layout of the land.

Oh yes, Silver Tree - definitely the first time this group has seen this fabulous foliage outside of a bucket or glued to a float! 

Finally, a quick lesson on growing and propagating Proteaceae.

Our Thanks to Cal Poly Float team for their commitment to learning about and supporting California farms and their flowers!

Serruria florida

Almost unheard of in the United States up until the last few years, Serruria florida or more commonly called Blushing Bride, has become one of the hottest flowers in floral design. This delicately beautiful flower of the Proteaceae family is thought to have received its common name 'Blushing Bride' because of its traditional use in bridal bouquets in South Africa. Serruria florida has papery white petals surrounding feathery tufts of white to pink flowers and soft needle-like foliage. In addition, these amazing blooms have an exceptionally long vase life and they dry beautifully.

Obviously, being such an appropriately named wedding flower 'Blushing Bride' we're seeing it popping up more and more in wedding pictures, blogs and magazines. Here's a few of our favorites:

Friday Flowers: Blushing Bride Protea

A Formal Vineyard Wedding in Winters, Calfornia

"blushing bride" protea, astillbe, and parrot tulip bouquet…

When buying Blushing Bride look for: 

1. Bunches with 1/2 of the flowers open. 

2. Avoid bunches with drooping blooms. 

Flower Care: 

1. Keep cool when possible. 

2. Split bunches and strip leaves from the bottom half of each stem. 

3. Re-cut at lease ¼” off the stems and place in cool water immediately. 

4. Always use a preservative as it will help the buds to open. 

5. Replace water frequently. 

Sustainable Style

There's no doubt that we have 'embraced' the eco-friendly lifestyle, linking ourselves with the earth and its bounty, and this connection to nature is as well-established as it's ever been.  This earthy connection has become quite evident by the way we're seeing colors and materials being used daily.  For example, the use of fresh, colorful produce, especially pomegranate, persimmon and fig as well as materials like burlap, linen and well-worn containers.

Designs for this sustainable theme have a rustic, organic and wholesome feel mixed with a touch of “retro-industrial” vibe.  Obviously, exotic flowers and foliage like Protea, Grevillea and Leucadendron compliment this style perfectly.

When fabulous flowers, fruit, fabric and containers are combined we can't help but feel humbled and ground by nature's bounty.