Cosmos… May 7, 2009

Chocolate Cosmos

Yellow Cosmos

Cosmos

White Cosmos

Ulama Raja

field of Cosmos

Yellow Cosmos

Cosmos vase

paper trumpet bouquet

The Greeks gave us a word for complete harmony and order – cosmos (κόσμος). Gardening Spanish priests named us a cute little flower with perfect petals centered on a bright, bulbous center– Cosmos.  Texas gave us the perfect conditions for the Cosmos flower to grow – harsh. This is, yet, another great flower that grows extremely well as a wildflower in dry, arid, scrubby heat. These flowers are probably the easiest and quickest to grow successfully and are therefore a frugal choice for brides on a budget. The Cosmos is quite similar to the Anemone in appearance and would, again, make for a great wildflower arrangement.

 

Here are some common Cosmos:

                Cosmos Sulphureus – Yellow Cosmos

                Cosmos Atrosanguineus – Chocolate Cosmos (actually has a chocolatey scent!)

                Cosmos Bippinatus – Cosmos a.k.a Mexican Aster

                Cosmos Caudatus – Ulam Raja (an herb known to improve blood circulation)

 

This is yet another great filler or accent flower. I’ve seen this mixed with Gerberas, Sunflowers, and Hydrangeas in awesome summer bouquets. As a solo bouquet, try bunching together and loosely wrapping in a newspaper trumpet with twine or thick embroidery yarn – a perfect touch to casual summer evenings!

Aster… May 5, 2009

Summer Aster

New England Aster

China Aster

Alpine Aster

Goldilocks Aster

Blue Aster

Pink Aster

Aster mix bouquet

Aster bouquet

Here comes the Aster. This dainty, daisy like flower is the perfect fall touch. It comes in a variety of fresh hues –that aren’t orange- that really make an autumn bouquet or arrangement stand out. Asters are great as fillers or accent flowers because of their showy spray of petals and bright yellow center. They can be found growing wild or in gardens across North America, Europe, and Asia and are huge bird, bee, and butterfly targets for their fragrance and bright color.

 

Popular Aster blooms:

                Aster Alpinus – Alpine Aster

                Aster Linosyris – Goldilocks Aster

                Aster Novae-Angliae – New England Aster

                Callistephus Aster – China Aster

 

If you’re on a budget or are going for something simple and cute for picnics and other low-key outdoor events, Asters are perfect! I’ve used small bunches of Aster along with several different types of wildflower placed in an old Crush (or Coke) bottle with twine wrapped necks.

Anemone… May 3, 2009

Pasque Flower

Buttercup Anemone

Japanese Anemone

Blue Anemone

Buttercup Anemone

Mountain Anemone

Japanese Anemone

Pink Anemone

Windflowers in Bouquet

 Today’s a good day to highlight the Anemone… a gray, simple day staring out the window at little pops of color in the fields below. The Anemone is commonly seen growing wild throughout North America, as well as Europe and Japan – the most popular variety being the autumn-blooming Japanese Anemone. Poppy-like in appearance, the Windflower (as they are generally referred to) can grow quite tall with only a single bloom per stem. There are over 100 different species of Anemone and they are, essentially, herbs that have been used to treat cramps (yes, menstrual) and emotional distress. Windflowers are great as filler for both bouquets and arrangements.

 

Some commonly used varieties are:

                Anemone Hupehensis – Japanese Anemone

                Anemone Ranunculoides – Buttercup Anemone

                Anemone Pulsatilla – Pasque Flower

                Anemone Sylvestris – Snowdrop Windflower

 

These are considered wildflowers and are great when mixed with similar blooms in a summer wildflower bouquet or as a simple bunch -en masse- in a mason jar or small tin vase. I mostly associate this flower with a more ‘woodsy’ or ‘earthy’ vibe which looks great when used in garlands or placed in hay for a touch of femininity in Western themed events!

Alstroemeria… May 2, 2009

Alstroemeria Aura

Alstroemeria Caryophyllacea

Alstroemeria Haemantha

Alstroemeria Ligtu

Fuschia

Bright yellow lily

vibrant orangey yellow

nice pop of color

inexpensive color options!

The Alstroemeria, commonly known as the Peruvian Lily or Lily of the Incas, is a cute little lily that comes in a range of hues (orange, pink, rose, purple, red, white, and salmon just to name a few) and has a fairly long lasting bloom- good for up to two weeks in the everyday vase. They are indigenous to South America and generally grow in the cool, mountainous regions of the Andes; however, most modern day hybrid blooms (and colors) are created in labs. Alstroemerias tend to be late spring/early summer bloomers, but are widely used in year round arrangements.

 

Some common varieties of Alstroemeria are:

                Aurea – Lily of the Incas  

                Caryophyllacea – Brazilian Lily

                Haemantha – Purplespot Parrot Lily

                Ligtu – Lily of the Nile

 

I personally like these flowers as they are an inexpensive option for adding a touch of the tropics to casual décor. I’ve used the individual blooms (plucked straight from the stem) to dress a tea light setting for a Caribbean themed event. It looked great and it saved money for more important things… like wine and dessert!

Rain, Rain, Go Away… April 27, 2009

I’m such a sucker for spring. I absolutely adore the beautiful 70-something degree weather and light breezes before the famously sweltering 129.9 degree Texas summer boils in; yet I also get so excited over the storms that pop up and sometimes last for hours. For the same reason I love a good patio for a stellar margarita or ice cold Shiner; I love that same patio (with covering) to soak up the energy and smell of a good ol’ Texas thunderstorm.

 

Spring also brings on the daydreams of outdoor events. Whether you’re at a seaside gazebo or in the middle of Nowhere, TX in a gussied up barn, the thought of bringing the party outside makes me want to twirl with glee! I have so many wonderful memories of random outdoor fiestas and parties and last minute get-togethers that I always imagine my perfect event would be outdoors somewhere… at dusk… light breeze… fireflies… candles… good music… better friends- the perfect evening. What more could you ask for, right?

 

And then that good ol’ Texas thunderstorm rolls in. Now what? Is the party over? Nope. Where am I? I have no idea, but the party is where we are and we can take it somewhere else. This is me. This is how I’ve always been. The party is where I am and as long as it’s the same people and we’re all together for the same reason, there’s no doubt that the same vibe will follow regardless of whether we’re at the gussied up barn in Nowhere, TX or Jana’s backyard smack in the middle of urban Dallas.

 

The thought of the perfectly planned party with the perfect food and the perfect flowers in the perfect dress with perfect friends can really make you dance with excitement and anticipation. Aaaaaahhhhh… what a lovely thought. But even the best laid plans can get wrinkly at times. And that’s when all the planning and re-planning and over-planning brings you a great back-up plan. Even if you have no back-up… go with it. No matter what rolls, drips, cracks, or rips on your perfect intentions, life isn’t perfect. But… life does give you alternative paths.

 

Sometimes the best/strongest memories come from the most unexpected turn of events… even when it storms.