grass
i'm trying out a new container and i walked to farmer's market to find some of the local flowers and summer grasses. got some dahlias too -- they remind me of the local peaches that are in season.
it's a quiet saturday night for me. no pete. just me and a bottle of rose.
it's a quiet saturday night for me. no pete. just me and a bottle of rose.
a little bit of drama
a dose of drama is good every once in a while; too much will give you agita. this is perhaps one of the more exotic arrangements i've done -- sarracenia, crispy wave ferns, darcey garden roses, near-black dahlias and some beloved ranunculus.
p.s. agita should be pronounced with a north shore boston accent, i.e., tons of emphasis on the "a" and have the other syllables fall off, like give it a big old "ah" sound, not so big on the "gi" and a barely perceptible "ta". really i'm from the north shore -- there's no other way to say it.
p.s. agita should be pronounced with a north shore boston accent, i.e., tons of emphasis on the "a" and have the other syllables fall off, like give it a big old "ah" sound, not so big on the "gi" and a barely perceptible "ta". really i'm from the north shore -- there's no other way to say it.
garden bouquets
Away from the city to catch my breathe. I've made a number of bouquets that I haven't shared with you and now the flowers have come and gone and karma has left me with dirty flower water and vases. I deserve it.
My cutting garden survived the nuclear-level heat wave -- all much to do with Pete's mom care and watering. I cut these flowers this morning (along with squashing bugs and slugs that were hiding in there -- yuck!).
Is it bad to say that I love these bouquets? We grew these ourselves. And all from a brain fart that I had one day. I was like "hey, wouldn't it be nice to have a cutting garden and blog about it..." and the next thing I know, I have Pete, his family, my family and me laboring for countless days, making soil blocks, seeding the blocks, digging up plots, making frames for the beds, filling the beds with soil, planting the flowers and tubers, mulching and watering. I feel exhausted all over again just thinking about it.
Now to introduce busyB's summer flower collection: sweet peas, fama scabiosa both white and blue, butterfly blue scabiosa, globe amaranth, bennary zinnias, coleus, dusty miller, coral nymph salvia and verbena. I supplemented these bouquets with some delicate white hydrangeas from a 100 year old tree.
Blue is for Boy
June and July (so far) have been filled with a good number of photography projects, but found some time for flowers -- oh, how I missed you! I hosted a baby shower this afternoon at the Veselka Bowery (food was great and the staff and management were so lovely to work with).
audrey
Happy 4th of July!
And I also launched my photography blog, which will feature my photography-focused projects: photosbybusyb.blogspot.com. Please add to your blog roll.
Columbia County
I've been dreaming about a flower farm for so long now. Pete and I explored Upstate New York, mainly Columbia County, this weekend to get a sense of the area. There are a lot of farms up there -- lots of big farms with acres upon acres of corn. It's super rural too, even more than so Western MA. Hardly any decisions were made, only that perhaps 5 acres would be too large to tend on a part-time basis and that we'd need to get adjusted to super-rural weekends.
Some pictures taken at a sweet bed & breakfast in Hillsdale, NY, the Inn at Green River.
Happy Father's Day!
We leased a car; we were car-free in NYC for close to 10 years; I feel like an adult now.
And, of course, our first trip was to visit the cutting garden. Everything is looking so healthy and remember the dahlias that I planted two weeks ago? They're sprouting like crazy. I was a bit nervous about them since the tubers started sprouting two months before I could plant them. But they look good. So good.
I was also able to put together a country-inspired nosegay to bring back to the city.
No trip to Western MA would be complete without a little wildlife.
The birdies:
Alvin:
And, of course, our first trip was to visit the cutting garden. Everything is looking so healthy and remember the dahlias that I planted two weeks ago? They're sprouting like crazy. I was a bit nervous about them since the tubers started sprouting two months before I could plant them. But they look good. So good.
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| dahlia beds freshly covered with peat moss |
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| one of my favorite dahlias of all -- the 'cafe au lait' dahlia |
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| clematis |
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| really pretty double variety |
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| the beds |
I was also able to put together a country-inspired nosegay to bring back to the city.
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| lady's mantle, spirea, scabiosa, veronica, coral bells and foliage |
No trip to Western MA would be complete without a little wildlife.
The birdies:
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| gold finches |
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| cardinal (his girlfriend is never too far behind) |
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| blue jay -- the bully of the bunch |
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| wild turkey. not from this weekend, but last year. it's standing where the beds are now |
Alvin:
in between
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| my owl lamp |
I'm in between events at the moment -- kinda feels strange not to be working on a project. I've just pushed out 400+ proofs for a client and have another proof book to do shortly after the first set is uploaded to my printer.
Can someone get married in during the winter please? I'd love to make this for you....
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| snowball roses, french ranunculus, japanese sweet peas and white stock |
Go Celtics!
Beat the Heat!
Creamy White
I'm back in the city and feeling a bit restless this weekend. Most of my energy has been focused on editing countless pictures, leaving very little time for flowers. Nonetheless, I'm using this short window of flowerless activity to post a bouquet from this winter.
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| vendela roses, majolika spray roses, anemone, sweet peas, scabiosa pods, wax flowers & bush ivy |
Country Bumpkin
I maxed out the size limitation on my last post. Here's me in my country bumpkin form.
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| mud on my face |
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| grandmother's hat |
I'm super tired now....
Summer Cutting Garden, continued
This weekend was a scorcher in Western MA. Proof:
It was hot and humid, but the heat didn't stop me from building a shade garden, a small full sun garden and planting the rest of my flower beds.
The shade garden. We cut down part of an old rhododendron and whacked some weeds and turned the earth. In the process, I dug up a spotted salamander (looked like a fat slug rolled in dirt). By the end of six hours, we had laid down 4 pink astilbe, 2 red bleeding hearts, 2 white bleeding hearts, 1 pink bleeding heart and 6 hostas and several wheelbarrows of mulch. Oh yeah, it was work.
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| view from the street |
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| i think bleeding hearts are my new favorite. the plant is too young for cutting, but can't wait for next season |
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| astilbe |
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| hosta transplanted from another part of the yard |
The sun garden. Not too many pictures; I'm not sure what happened. Mrs. Foxglove (Pete's mom) had a couple of surprises for me when I arrived: 2 foxglove plants and 2 pink scabiosas. We decided to add amend an existing bed of blueberries and catmint with the foxgloves and scabiosas, pink and blue veronica.
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| sun garden |
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| blue veronica |
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| cat mint and foxglove |
Cutting garden. OK, I didn't neglect one of our main reasons for visiting western MA. I planted two dahlia beds and finished up my annual plantings mixed in with the sweet peas.
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| dahlia beds |
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| clematis seems to be doing well |
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| annuals |
Wedding Party at SHI
I was (oh so very) excited to help out with some last minute flower arrangements and photography for a wedding party this weekend at SHI in Long Island City. I put together a combo of red peonies and roses (red is the groom's favorite color). In hindsight, the arrangement is somewhat fitting for the Asian-fusion venue. I'm not a scholar on Chinese culture (or any other Asian culture for that matter), but the color red symbolizes good fortune and there is a legend connecting peonies to the Chinese Empress Wu and something to do with moving her court to an area with a climate more suitable for peonies.
For these arrangements, I used Scarlett O'Hara peonies (magenta/red peony with yellow center), Red Charm peonies, Freedom roses, unripened blueberries and viburnum in a simple leaf-lined 4" cube vase.
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| @ the b-hive; getting ready to move out to SHI |
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| pre-party picture |
More Mother's Day Arrangements
I'm a tired bee. And an out of shape bee. I need to hit the gym, DESPERATELY.
Here are pics of Friday's arrangements. You must forgive me on the pictures -- took them very early in the morning before heading to work. My apartment (a.k.a. the b-hive) was a mess but I managed to find an uncluttered spot for these pics.
I have an event this Sunday and I'm totally excited. The color scheme is red which I haven't done in awhile. Hopefully, these pics will hold you over until my next post.
Here are pics of Friday's arrangements. You must forgive me on the pictures -- took them very early in the morning before heading to work. My apartment (a.k.a. the b-hive) was a mess but I managed to find an uncluttered spot for these pics.
I have an event this Sunday and I'm totally excited. The color scheme is red which I haven't done in awhile. Hopefully, these pics will hold you over until my next post.
Mother's Day
For Sunday's deliveries, I created three color combinations: coral, blush and purple. Admittedly, it's pretty difficult to shop for three color palettes in the same shopping trip. Thankfully, I had Pete to help me keep my stem count and color combination straight and a bale of unripened blueberries for inspiration.
BTW, I reached my first milestone. I finished an entire (small) roll of cellophane! I use a combination of cellophane and waxed tissue paper to help my arrangements. I bought the roll in February and didn't think I'd finish it until next February. Who knew?
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| almost ready for delivery |
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| Blush Arrangement: 'Gardenia' peonies, 'Festiva Maxima' peonies, 'Miranda' garden roses, viburnum, unripened blueberries and mountain laurel I think this is my favorite out of the set. |
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| Why can't unripened blueberries be available always? |
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| Purple & Pink: purple and pink peonies (don't know the exact names), 'Rosalinda' garden roses, 'China Pink' hyacinths, mountain laurel, unripened blueberries and viburnum |
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| Coral: 'Coral Charm' peonies, 'Juliet' garden roses, sweet peas, ranunculus, 'China Pink' hyacinths, viburnums, unripened blueberries and mountain laurel. The sweet peas, garden roses and hyacinths were the only non-local elements. I think that's pretty cool. |
I'll post pics from Friday's arrangements after dinner tonight (only if I don't pass out straight after).
Summer Cutting Garden -- Phase 4
I know some of my readers have been wondering about the status of the cutting garden. It's coming together and I've just planted my perennial bed. I put in 3 clematis vines, 10 scabiosas, 3 icelandic poppies, a few mounds of lady's mantle and 5 small bunches of coral bells. The remaining beds will be planted on Memorial Day weekend, which I understand is the traditional planting time for this area of Western MA. I've got enough dahlia tubers for two beds and if the sweet peas show no gusto by then, they are going to be dug up and replaced with annuals.
Few things are more pleasurable than being outside and working on my cutting garden, except for happening upon a small patch of freely growing lilies of the valley. I've known about this patch for some time, but seldom have been around when the flowers were in bloom -- except for this time! The lilies haven't reached their peak yet, but their fragrance is really unparalleled to any bottled perfume. While their glory is fleeting, these lilies are one of the reasons why I love and look forward to spring so much.
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| clematis |
Few things are more pleasurable than being outside and working on my cutting garden, except for happening upon a small patch of freely growing lilies of the valley. I've known about this patch for some time, but seldom have been around when the flowers were in bloom -- except for this time! The lilies haven't reached their peak yet, but their fragrance is really unparalleled to any bottled perfume. While their glory is fleeting, these lilies are one of the reasons why I love and look forward to spring so much.
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| you'll have to look closely to find them |
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| the flowers are at their peak once the green buds turn into tiny white bells |
For Mom
In Massachusetts this weekend to visit my seedlings and start planting in my garden. Unfortunately, the sweet peas aren't doing as well as expected, but I decided to give them until Memorial Day before I surrender and dig up the bed. Also went shopping for clematis today to pair with my scabiosas. It was so tempting to keep buying, but limited my purchases to three plants.
And, of course, Pete and I spent some time with the folks. Won't be seeing my mom next weekend for Mother's Day but I wanted to do something special for her. Mom's favorite color is purple and she loves peonies (yes, the peony theme continues).
And, of course, Pete and I spent some time with the folks. Won't be seeing my mom next weekend for Mother's Day but I wanted to do something special for her. Mom's favorite color is purple and she loves peonies (yes, the peony theme continues).
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| lilacs, fritillaria, peonies, calla lilies, sweet peas and lady's mantle |
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| forgot to lower the ISO settings and photo's graininess is a reminder that I need a new camera |
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| I added some salvia from our yard to this one -- mom's idea |
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| can't wait for the peonies to fully open |
Bainbridge Island
I had planned to post pictures of some arrangements that I made last week but alas, I rediscovered these old pictures and couldn't help but get sidetracked. Things never go as planned!
This arrangement is very special to me for several reasons. I was on Bainbridge Island in the summer of 2010 and it was the perfect season for wildflowers. Together with Pete's grandmother (a.k.a. Grandmother), his mom and his sister, we gathered the flowers from the woods nearby. Never have I've seen six foot tall wild foxgloves and butterfly bushes so heavy with fragrant blossoms (I'm a city girl after all). Not everything was so bucolic though -- I nearly stepped on a snake!
Grandmother was so knowledgeable about all the flowers. She showed me how to cut and shouted her support when I was literally "in the weeds" to reach some flowers. I wanted to do this again with her once back on the East Coast but sadly, Grandmother passed away about 4 months later. This arrangement is part of my memory of her.
In hindsight, I love the verticality and looseness of this arrangement. Somehow, all the colors worked out and the daisies provided a gracious gesture. It's because of this arrangement that I realized that I needed to make flowers a permanent part of my life.
Wedding Anniversary
No, not my wedding anniversary, but Faith and Bruce's 40th wedding anniversary party where I was both florist and photographer this past weekend -- a true BusyB Production! It's quite rare that I do flowers and photography for any single event, but I couldn't refuse my good friend, Jen. Jen chose pink and purple for the flower color palette (her girls absolutely love those colors). She left me to interpret the colors into flowers and I wanted the flowers to be as magical and lush as possible.
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| Pre-Event Picture taken at my apartment |
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| Other side of the arrangement |
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| Entry Piece -- I love cherry blossoms, particularly when the flowers start to lose their petals; it's like pink snow. |
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| pink peonies, ranunculus, clematis, scabiosa, spirea, roses, double tulips -- need I say more! |