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    • About
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    • Stewardship
    • Testimonials
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Flower Camp 2024

“The lasting pleasures of contact with the natural world are not reserved for scientists but are available to anyone who will place himself under the influence of earth, sea, and sky and their amazing life.”

-Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder

The week of June 24th marked the inauguration of Flower Camp, an art and nature experience specifically intended for children. Starting each Day in Clark Park then travelling to the Flower Clvb studio, campers used their five senses to discover and create with the flora & fauna of their environment. Prior to working with blooms, I spent over ten years leading arts education programs so it was such a joy pairing my love for flowers with my enthusiasm for creative education.

My personal teaching philosophy is based in a method of child-led inquiry. Trying to speak as little as possible, I ask questions or give only simple direction supporting children to perform their own investigations towards discovery. The structure goes something like this: each day commences with a centering query based around the particular sense we are engaging. Putting their wonderings to movement, we then travel to a section of the park where children can explore. Finally, before embarking on an art project back at the studio, children enjoy a healthy snack and consider how even the food they consume awakens their senses.

Designing a curriculum that inspires children to love, care for and build with their surroundings is one of the best parts of Flower Camp. We begin our time together in an outdoor location away from play grounds and human-built constructions so that grass and gravel are the canvas, and pebbles and sticks are the tools of invention. While I am a big lover of innovative playgrounds —in particular, the work of the designers at Studio Ludo— it was important to me that Flower Camp take place in both indoor and outdoor classrooms.

Highlighted below are a few of the most beloved activities from throughout the week:

Day 1: Sight
While there was not much blooming in the park, the lily was on fire with allure. Its botanical anatomy on proud display made it the perfect flower for children to visually dissect and identify the stamens, stigma, petals and pollen found in its body. After spending some time drawing from observation, we broke up into groups and went on a scavenger hunt to find birds, bugs and bees with our beautifully designed Art Club Co. guide. If you have not seen the creative work of my dear friend and art teacher Emily Knighton, check out her wide array of nature scavenger hunts and offerings. Finally, what would a first day of Flower Camp be without a floral arrangement? The children learned to make spiral bouquets using local and seasonal blooms grown by the farmers at Philadelphia Floral Guild.

*Key Design Elements: Color and Shape

To do at home: Ask your kids to notice spirals they see throughout nature. Look for snails, tree formations, water indentions or grab a football. Even the perfect football throw involves a spiral. How does the shape, material of the ball and the way it leaves your hand impact its journey from your hands to your friends?

 

Day 2: Hearing
PATTERN, rhythm, RePeTiTion.
PATTERN, rhythm, RePeTiTion.
PATTERN, rhythm, RePeTiTion.
Like the spiral, patterns, rhythms and repetition are found throughout nature just as in the music we enjoy. The various styles of dance indicate that different pulses of sound, prompt rough or smooth movements. Campers listened to both Vilvaldi and The Beastie Boys to better connect how pattern impacts our emotions. Learning about the West African and South American gourd instruments made with vegetable and seed, children were sent out to find small objects such as pebbles and tiny acorns to place in their own natural sound apparatuses. Back at the studio, they painted their instruments using sequential ornamentation inspired by stripes and color progressions. Of course, the snack was full of crunchy celery doused in sun butter and raisins for a good old fashioned Ants on a Log treat.

*Key Design Elements: Line, texture

To do at home: Listen to music with your children that has been particularly meaningful to you in your life. Like trying a new vegetable, stretch their listening palette with music from a wide range of styles. Ask them how the music makes them feel and try to parse out the different sounds that make them feel peaceful, wild, floating etc…

 

Day 3: Touch
We started the day passing around a tapestry made from yarn, bark and string by the artisans at HighPeakCrafting. Texture is a key element we focused on as we discussed how touching objects whether a smooth petal or our own faces (such as in the calming practice of face tapping) can help soothe worked-up emotions. Our hands can build mighty things both big and small. With bases used to build large floral installations, children gathered leafy branches and gigantic sticks to create outdoor fortresses. In contrast, back at the studio, students made tiny Ikebana arrangements aka fairy gardens where they played with blank space and texture to elicit tooth fairies a sanctuary to come and rest.

*Key Design Elements: Size, space and texture

To Do at Home: Whether you have a yard or like to travel to a nearby park, spend time with your children gathering sticks, leaves, rocks and pebbles. Find a vertical center to begin building a structure using the found materials. The more you add, the sturdier your structure will become especially if you follow the spiral method. Tip: Imagine a spiral bouquet turned upside down.

 

Day 4: Smell
Travelling to various plants around Clark Park, we paused at bushes, trees and flowers to give each one a sniff. Some were fragrant, others did not have much scent at all. While “smell” is likely not considered the most favored among senses, it is considered by some to serve as humanity’s strongest. This is due in part, for its incredible mechanism for triggering memories and emotions. There are odors that disgust us and fragrances that delight us. A key component of floral design is arranging various aromas together that uplift the spirit. Often I will use seasonal herbs in my wedding bouquets.

Oregeno, sage, lavender, mint and rosemary are just some of the fragrant herbs children used to create herbal centerpieces. Just outside the studio, campers planted these aromatic sprouts in both their own pots and the Flower Clvb community garden. During snack time, students enjoyed apples paired with cinnamon infused yoghurt, in order to drive home the ways that smell excites us to eat and share food with one another. Shout out to to the farmers at Philadelphia Floral Guild for growing such fragrant herbs.

*Key Design Elements: Texture, scent (some do not consider this an element)

To Do at Home: First thing in the morning, go outside with your child, sit on the porch and close your eyes. Identify what you smell. Ask them if that smell reminds them of anything. Is it a good smell or bad smell? Take a minute to ask your child how the scent makes you feel. Open your eyes then observe, what you hear, touch and see. Then go inside and make an herbal tea such as Dandelion tea for breakfast, take in the aroma.

Day 5: Taste

Taste day is also Bee day since these buzzing insects are the reason we are able to enjoy our sense of taste. As we discussed how pollinators use flowers to collect pollen and make honey, children were given honey sticks to amplify the sweet experience of the day’s sense. Animating ourselves as these tiny creatures, we buzzed our way over to a native flower patch where campers landed and began observing and drawing rudbeckia, echinacea and other pollinator friendly plants. When we landed back at the studio, each child received a recipe and decorated their own blueberry cupcake with edible flowers. Below is the muffin/ cupcake recipe:

Note: This recipe makes a big batch. I like to make them to share or freeze some for later.

To Do at Home: Pollinators love native plants. Take a walk around your neighborhood and see if you and your child can find plants that are hosting bees and butterflies. If you are able, identify these plants, learn the native plants in your area. My favorite app for plant identification is called “Picture This.” You can also look up native plants in your area through the National Wildlife Federation website. Here is a list of various native plant nurseries if you would like to add pollinators to your yard.

Last but Not least, the students memorized a poem by William Woldsworth. During snack time, Anne (a beloved local elementary school teacher) led the group in poem memoization. This year’s campers learned the first few stanzas of William Woldsworth’s Daffodils.

Listed below are the lines of the poem we learned so you can continue saying it with your child.

Daffodils
By William Woldsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd—
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

Thursday 07.25.24
Posted by Grace McDonald
Comments: 1
 

2023 Year in Review

2023 was a busy yet exciting year for my business. In May, I moved into my first studio space right before Mother’s Day. Getting to know neighbors who pop into my little studio/ pseudo flower shop, hosting gatherings and working alongside friends and freelancers has given me such life this year. My goals for the shop have and always will be to manifest Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolia and offer a space where people can walk in share the good, bad and ugly and feel safe to do so. I love the community my little studio has created on Pine Street and look forward to what 2024 holds.

“I have a strict policy that nobody cries alone in my presence.”
— Truvy, Steel Magnolias

As we are a month into the new year, I have already had my first wedding and will have my next one in a few days. Hitting the ground running is an energizing way to start so rather than sharing every little detail about my previous year, I am gonna give you the short of it and some images from a few fun 2023 looks this past year:

2023 in Numbers
39 weddings and events across Philly and NYC
150 wedding bouquets (+ shop purchases)
24 Wrist Corsages
30 chuppas, arches and mandaps
28 Installs (stairs, fire places, ceiling pieces)
575 Centerpieces (+ shop Purchaces)

2023 in Pictures
*There are too many weddings to highlight so just highlighting a few. I loved all the weddings I did and wish I had time to share the all!

@ Fringe Arts in Philadelphia, PA
Photographers: Elle and Zach of Kindred Weddings
Featured in The Antibride

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@ Wythe Hotel, Brooklyn, NY
Photographer: Amber Gress

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@ The Free Library, Philadelphia, PA
Photographer: Jen Oceana Photography

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@ Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, PA
Photographers: 98 Wedding Co.

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@ Terrain, Devon, PA
Photographers: Peach, Plum, Pear Photography

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@The View on 50, Philadelphia, PA
Photographers: Susan Beard Photography

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@ Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Brooklyn, NY
Photographers: Carina at Major Crush Photography

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Thursday 02.01.24
Posted by Grace McDonald
 

Autumn 2023 Gathering

Hosting a gathering in the middle of my busiest season to date came as a gift of reprieve and opportunity to slow down my hustling body and mind. The past few months I have spent every weekend adorning tables with florals, candles and table runners for celebratory feasts of newlyweds and their cherished loved ones. I feel so grateful to participate in these nuptial celebrations through the gift of flowers. That said, it felt so good to finally sit at the table made beautiful for a meal of which I could partake alongside my own guests. On October 6th, four incredible women came into my studio and left with full bellies, friendship and a handful of blooms. 

Below I will share with you the ingredients and instructions for the flower arrangement we made. As for the meal, I made a white bean soup using a recipe from the cooking blog, Rainbow Plant Life. While I enjoy creating elaborate meals for my guests, for this gathering I prioritized ease since different seasons evoke differing capacities and during the month of October time was limited. I loved how easy this stew was to make and how accommodating it was to a wide range of dietary needs. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we all did!

Fall Dahlia Bouquet

Ingredients:

  • Focal Flowers: 7-9 stems of dahlias

  • Focal Supports: 5-7 stems of zinnias

  • Texture: 3 stems of celosia

  • Line Flowers 3 stems of caryopteris

  • Line Flower: 3 stems of salvia

  • Unique Filler: 1-3 Perilla

  • Foliage: 3 pelargonium foliage (scented geranium)

  • Foliage: 3 stems of hydrangea leaves

Instructions:

  1. Using your less dominant hand, pinch your index and middle finger together with your thumb as you would a shadow puppet.

  2. Turn your hand so the hollow part is facing up. Using your dominant hand, take a dahlia stem and place it vertically in between the pinched thumb and fingers of your less dominant hand. From there, begin adding zinnias and remaining dahlias (alternating between the two) at an acute angle. Twist your bouquet 180 degrees before incorporating the next stem. This will allow you to form a spiral. There are a number of different ways to create the spiral. My method is inspired by Amy Balster’s (the Floral Coach) technique.

  3. Next add in celosia, caryopteris, salvia and perilla into the spiral. By now your spiral should be well formed and your fingers loosened. Cut the longer stems to keep the bouquet balanced in your hand. Shift flower necks and heads so florals are distributed evenly throughout the bouquet while ensuring the stems remain in the spiral.

  4. Lastly, add the foliage lower in the arrangement, forming a collar around the stems. Then secure it with a rubber band.

  5. Place the bouquet in water before either cutting short for a vase or giving to a friend or loved one.

Bouquet Overview: Philadelphia Grown Blooms
Caryopteris, celosia, dahlias, gomphrena, hydrangea foliage, pelargonium, perilla, salvia, zinnias

Sourced from:The Philly Floral Guild Farmers: Flores Temporis, Hickory Grove Gardens, Liberty Plants, Love’n Fresh Flowers, Pinewood and Posies, Spring Wind Farm

Sign-Up for the Upcoming Wreath Making Gathering!



tags: flower gathering, paleo vegan recipes, gather, floral design gathering, honorable gathering, flower, vegetarian recipe
Friday 11.10.23
Posted by Grace McDonald
Comments: 1
 

Green Funeral Spray

Funerals are deeply meaningful opportunities for florists to create arrangements that speak to the life of the deceased. Often loved ones request “in lieu of flowers,” because typical funeral flowers are less than inspiring to say the least. When you are commemorating someone’s life you want nature to celebrate that person, not cause further grief.

As it stands, the funeral industry is not made to accommodate foam-free designs. Funeral directors need to transport flowers to gravesides or family members must collect them and take them home. Foam often ensures spill-free situations even though it is a toxic material. Despite the obstacles of flower hydration, I am deeply committed to a foam free practice.

A few weeks ago when a friend ordered a funeral spray for a grieving friend, I rose to the challenge and got out some grapevine and twine to create a green arrangement. Using foam free materials, I created something beautiful and compostable, able to return to the earth and help feed it rather than deplete it.

Below, I am going to share with you the mechanics I used to create my compostable spray. I recommend flowers that do well out of water. The flowers in the picture below are beautiful but they do not last out of water long.

Ingredients:

  • Twine

  • Grapevine

  • Hay

  • Newsprint

  • 5 Ferns

  • 5 Italian ruscus stems

  • 7 Carnations

  • 3 protea

  • 9 Roses of various kinds

  • 6 spray roses

  • 5 Rice Flower stems

Instructions:

  1. Using your grapevine, twine and hay create an oval shape full of hay, secured by grapevine and twine. Criss Cross lines over and over.

  2. Pour water over the nest to wet hay

  3. Using twine, connect nest to spray structure (the spray structure is not compostable), stand up on towel to let any water drip.

  4. Add your greenery to establish shape. First add the Italian ruscus to create line, then add ferns along the edges. I like to create a sort of “S” asymmetrical shape.

  5. Add carnations flowing in a flowly and curvy line up and down the arrangement as a sort of a color carpet.

  6. Place protea as your main focal flower, towards the middle and making a triangle line in their placement.

  7. Cluster roses in threes and place them in a similar triangular line throughout the arrangement. Then come along with your spray roses to accentuate these rose clusters.

    *Tip: Use ripped and soaked newspaper print to wrap around the bottom of the cut rose stems to add hydration

  8. Fill in the remaining gaps with rice flowers

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Sign-up for my newsletter or follow me on Instagram @flowerclvb to stay updated with more ways to design with sustainable mechanics.

tags: Green funeral, Green funeral flowers
Tuesday 05.09.23
Posted by Grace McDonald
 

10 Tips for Hosting a Great Party!

Image sourced from Canva

April’s book Clvb pick was fashion designer, Lela Rose’s book, Fresh Air affairs. While I am not much of a fashionista, style and design are certainly on my mind as I prepare for gatherings and host parties. As I began reading this book, I found myself reflecting on my mother who is the ultimate party planner. Unlike the Martha Stewart host, she is more of a “type b”host that creatively thinks of details while at the same time not stressing over perfection. Though deeply intentional, she does not stress about making things perfect. As I read through Rose’s book I kept thinking about how intention and thoughtfulness is critical to the success of a party.

Pulling from both my mother and Roses’s way of hosting, I have put together 10 tips for throwing any sort of party. You don’t have to break the bank to throw an excellent soirée. 

  1. Know Your Why (yes, even for a party): Identify why people are coming together. Is it a child’s birthday party? Dinner party, baby-shower or wedding celebration? This will help you make decisions on what kinds of things to do and the general mood you want to create.

  2. Pick a Theme: Themed parties do not have to be cheesy. Having a theme actually helps guests know what to expect, how to dress and how formal or casual the event is.

  3. Create a Color Palette: Having a color palette helps make any event feel more cohesive. Depending on the “why” and theme of a party. Are you having a baby shower? Stay away from moody colors and tones. Are you throwing a David Bowie party? You better have some hot pink pops in your florals and in your food selection!

  4. Plan Ahead: If you are someone who is good at winging things, put your “chill” aside to make some intentional plans for this event. You don’t want to get yourself in a Herodian situation where you cut off someone’s head on whim just to please your guests.

  5. Signature Drink: While Lela Rose loves her cocktails, you do not have to have an alcoholic beverage to make people relax. My main regret in my most recent gathering was only offering water as a dinner option. This is a huge no-no when hosting a party. We can literally drink water any time, Parties are special so having a special drink is par the course.

  6. Preparing the Food: Everyone loves a good lentil soup but that is not always the right vibe for a party. You can make pizza fancy and a formal plated dinner lame depending on the context. Choose the right food for your occasion by thinking about why your guests are gathered. If they are at a house show where bands are playing, lentil soup is fine. If you are throwing a party for a bunch of foodies and can’t cook, spend your budget on catering. I always prefer to cook to accommodate my guests.

  7. Dress in Coordination: Once you’ve established your theme, go to your closet and find the outfit that most closely aligns with the theme of your party. I never wear sequins in day to day life ( I am more of a sweatshirt gal) but you better believe I have a go-to vintage 80’s sequin top that I pull out for parties.

  8. Utilize Thrift Stores: In Lela Rose’s book she gives an example of embroidering napkins for a party. While very impressive, not all of us have time or the talent to embroider our napkins. I like to utilize thrift stores for small intentional accents. When my husband and I were getting married, I had friends and family collect tea cups from antique stores to use as centerpieces. 

  9. Always have music!: Whether it’s a live band or a carefully considered playlist, make sure you have a place where music can be played and heard. It should also fit the theme. Play jazz at a Gatsby party, make sure you have some 90s Jay-Z for a dance party or Iron and Wine for an intimate dinner. If you need a playlist guy, I know a playlist guy. 😉

  10. Always have Flowers:They do not have to be extravagent to make an impact. Perhaps you put a few bud vase clusters around the house, greenery for garlands flowing down a table or even create a photo wall. Flowers make guests feel like they are worth the beauty and charm of your time and intention.

    You can read Lela Rose’s book by ordering on Amazon but I recommend you order it from my favorite book store, Fabled, based in Waco, TX.  You can also buy a used copy of my mom’s  book on children’s parties published in 1994 HERE. 

Tuesday 05.09.23
Posted by Grace McDonald
Comments: 1
 

Blooming Branches in Arrangements

Early spring renders some of the most whimsical natural beauty of the year. Apple, pear and cherry blossoms are beckoning the bees to come out for a drink and in turn we all benefit. These trees are blooming flowers before they are producing green leaves. The best part is that often when we gather clippings from these arbors, we are pruning and further supporting them to thrive. Of course pruning should only occur under the upmost consideration and care for the plant and with necessary permission. You will never regret bringing these little branches of wonder into your home, just do it respectfully.

Cherry blossoms have a very short blooming window and are only enjoyed in certain locations around the world. By no small amount of grace, did they happen to bloom in abundance during the very final week of March for G + Z’s early spring wedding. While there are many trees blooming around Philly neighborhoods, I specifically sought those in unusual public spaces. A few sights I found were essentially trash dumps (places where people go to intentionally discard their trash). I foraged probably over 100 branches from these blooming beauties. Maybe if the trees continue to spout their beauty, it will deter  litter heaps.

Below I am sharing the recipe and mechanics for creating staircase florals using cherry and pear blossoms, anemones, green mist lace, moss, delphinium and roses. The recipe I am providing is just one part of what makes up 8-10 sections so keep this in mind when collecting flowers for such a design.

Ingredients:

  • moss

  • 3-5 blooming branches

  • 3 delphinium

  • 3 roses

  • 3 anemones

  • 3 ranunculus

  • 3 stock

  • 3 genestra flowers

  • 3 green mist lace

Instructions:

  1. Cut a 8x4” inch section of chicken wire and wrap it up into a double layer cushion and place it in  a 4.5 x 4.5” square vase.

  2. Then cover the outside of the vase with chicken wire.

  3. Take moss and place it in the space between the vase and the chicken wire.

  4. Fill the vase full of water

  5. Use your blooming branch to establish the shape and sculptural element of your arrangement at three different points (almost as if your arrangement is making a triangle) with your tallest piece in the back left of your arrangement reaching vertically, the next largest piece extending horizontally to the right and the smallest arm extending to the left horizontally.
    *Note. The highest point of your arrangement should be over 12'" tall.

  6. Place the delphinium along the lines where your  branches are.

  7. Snip S, M, L stems of your roses and use your imagination to create a “v,” line in your arrangement. Place one Rose at the bottom point, sticking out toward the side, another rose a bit higher than the point on the top of the “v” and another a bit lower than the top of the “v”

  8. Take the anemones, and follow the same pattern.

  9. Place the ranunculus around these roses to accentuate the roses and anemones.

  10. Use the stock and genestra to cover stem lines that might be showing and fill in any gaps within the arrangement.

  11. Add the green lace mist to add some whimsical elements to the arrangement.

    *** Repeat 6-9 times to create a cascading staircase arrangement. For the bottom pieces, make them longer and more dramatic.

Photo by Hannah Snyder Photography

Photo by Hannah Snyder Photography

Photo by Hannah Snyder Photography

Photo by Hannah Snyder Photography


Monday 04.10.23
Posted by Grace McDonald
 

March Book Clvb

Since beginning my floral business in 2018, Susan McLeary of Passion Flower Sue has been a consistent resource of knowledge for my journey. She is one of the most generous educators in the industry and freely offers design ideas that have helped florists and non-florists alike. When I received her newsletter announcing that her book would soon be available, I knew I had to pre-order it and make it one of the book clvb picks.

Flowers for All was written so that more people may experience the unique beauty of flowers and the ways they can be crafted to create intricate and unique designs. So much of the work I do as a florist and through my gatherings is to make flowers more accessible. Sue does exactly this through her book. You can go to your local farmers market or even Trader Joes and make anything from a simple bouquet to an incredibly artful piece with the knowledge obtained through her writing.

I appreciate how the focus of her book is not so much on the principles of design but rather on mechanics. While the principles of design are of high importance, many floral design books address these elements. Flowers for All is unlike other florist books in that it provides interesting ways to offer nature to oneself as well as others.

Throughout history flowers have held rich meaning among cultures and for celebratory and memorial ceremonies. However, as society moves away from valuing the natural world, often flowers are questioned for their value and purpose. Just as human beings should not be valued for what they are able to produce but rather simply because they are human, so we must value flowers simply because their beauty exists.

The presence of a single bloom can further inspire dignity to the people they encounter. Flowers may appear to be impractical but they offer encouragement, hope and peace in a world that desperately needs these things. Sue’s book gives ways of creating pieces that are unconventional yet honor the impact blooms have towards bringing life.

Having previously worked in the art world, I can attest that many artists are interested in exploring florals as a medium. Sue’s book is the perfect book for creatives and artists interested in delving deeper into the many ways florals can be arranged. Jewelry, floral meditation pieces and sculptural mechanics are just a few of the things you will learn to create through her book.

You can certainly order this book on Amazon but I recommend you order it from my favorite book store, Fabled, based in Waco, TX.

Saturday 04.08.23
Posted by Grace McDonald
 

Flowers for Hope

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of leading a floral workshop for Cradle of Hope, an organization that supports mothers and mothers- to-be who are facing crisis. While I provided a little demonstration, the real magic happened when the flowers entered the hands of these incredible women. Many of them told me the experience was therapeutic. If therapy is a time and space that further affirms one’s value and worth than I certainly believe that the flowers have the power to do just that.

Almost all of the flowers we worked with can be purchased at Trader Joes, Produce Junction or another grocery store. While I normally like to use only American grown blooms, I weighed the value of teaching a workshop knowing what flowers might be more accessible, with my value for keeping my carbon footprint as low as possible. For this gathering, I chose the former in case the women were at the grocery store and felt the flowers were telling them important truths about themselves, “you are worthy, you have purpose, you have strength in midst of hardship.”

Below, I am going to share the recipe for the arrangements we put together. Whether you are celebrating a loved one, facing difficult circumstances or simply having an ordinary day, my hope is that flowers might uplift you

Ingredients:

  • 3 plumosus stems

  • 1 hydrangea

  • 3 delphinium

  • 3 garden roses

  • 3 tulips

  • 3 snap dragons

  • 3 stock

  • 5 ranunculus stems

  • 3 scabiosa pods

Instructions:

  1. Fill up a 5-7'“glass vase with water.

  2. Clean your flower stems of leaves so that no foliage floats in the water when placed in the arrangement.

  3. Your vase should take-up 1/3 of the overall height or width of your arrangement. So if your vase is 6 inches high, the tallest stem in your arrangement should be no less than 18” in height or width. Assess the height of your vase and with an invisible marker, note the height of the highest or widest stem in your arrangement.

  4. Place the greenery in your vase first by taking three green plumosus, selecting a papa (large), mamma (medium), baby bear (small) stem removing at least 6 inches worth of greenery depending on the height of your vase. If the tallest stem is 18, “ then the second one should be around 13-15” and third one 9-`12.” This does not have to be exact.

  5. Imagine the points of a triangle resting on top of your vase and place each stem of plumosus at the corner of each of these points.

  6. Then take your delphinium and follow the lines of each stem of greenery, cutting them at only slightly shorter lengths to draw out the color.

  7. In the space between your 3 points, place your roses so that they are evenly dispersed and very visible. They are the stars of the show.

  8. Following the lines of the delphinium, place the tulips, snap dragon at a slightly shorter length, followed by the stock at a slightly shorter length than the snap dragons.

  9. Then take the Ranunculus, cut and place throughout the arrangement in an imaginary zig zag line. Ranunculus are beautiful so make sure they are also visible, seen and not hidden by other flowers or foliage. 

  10. Finally cut the scabies pods so that they are at three different heights and place them popping out of the arrangement.

*note: If your arrangement is placed somewhere where you will not see the back then focus all your florals on the visible side of the arrangement and work in elements of 3.

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Reflection: Flowers For Our Quotidian Days…

The occasions that call for flowers are often either celebratory or comforting in nature. When those who are in love finally decide to have a wedding, they plan to say their vows in front of friends and family amidst roses, peonies and dahlias. They do this to communicate that the reason for gathering is more excellent than an ordinary day. When we grieve the loss of a loved one, we all know that words fall short and there is something about the beauty and temporal nature of these blooming beings that remind us just how fragile yet miraculous life is. While I love creating florals for these important markers in the lives of my community, I wonder if flowers have a place in quotidian life too.

No one leaves this world having experienced only joy and prosperity, completely free from hardship and toil. Even when we are gathered among strangers with different life circumstances and varied degrees of stresses and challenges, we can commune in some small way as those who have all experienced suffering. While I certainly acknowledge that someone unsure about how they are going to feed their family is in a higher predicament than those merely wondering how they are going to get all their work done in a day, they are both sources of anxiety albeit, different extremes. We may not be able to relate to our fellow human in communal flourishing (at least in this life), but we can walk alongside anyone knowing that they have experienced or will experience loss. The wordless blooms that we see growing along curbs or in bouquets at the grocery store remind us that we too are created precious and unique yet here only for a moment.

We need flowers in ordinary life to speak to us in a universal language that all can understand and recognize. The collective dignity poured over us through these living and colourful creatures speaks truth to the profound nature of our existence and being. Elizabeth Barrett Browning seems to understand the offering that these plant materials offer to the world,

Earth's crammed with heaven, 
And every common bush afire with God, 
But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round and pluck blackberries.

-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

I love Brownings words as they embody what I feel plants can give. When I have the opportunity to bring people together around flowers, it is my hope that they will begin to see the bits of heaven offered to them everywhere, receiving the worth proclaimed by each crocus popping out of the sidewalk crack and daffodil returning.



Thursday 03.09.23
Posted by Grace McDonald
Comments: 1
 

February Book Clvb

Image by Stacey McDonald

When I first heard about Katherine May’s book, Wintering, I was immediately compelled by the subtitle, The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times. While I enjoyed elements of the book, I found myself unable to resonate with it in my own experience of winter. Perhaps my reading of this book on the heals of my grandfather’s death is the reason it left me spiritually wanting. I needed something that I could read alongside my grief and Wintering was not it. With this said, there were truly beautiful anecdotes scattered throughout May’s writing that were thoughtful and compelling. Rather than reflecting on what I did and did not like about the book, I have chosen to write about rest and winter in a way that feels honest for me.

As someone who lives for summer, I anticipate winter with the gusto of one preparing to do a hard thing. Though I am willing to hike on snowy days, dredge through freezing rain to simply embrace nature in all its forms, so many days are at home with stuffy noses and persistent coughs. This winter alone our family had the flu, Covid (for the second time) and a series of colds that keep the kids home and momma tired. I trade my clippers for my keyboard, writing proposals, preparing production schemes and putting flower lists together for the year’s weddings. Winter is not void of work but it is a necessary time to break from certain tasks. Pausing the production of weddings during the season when flowers are not in bloom allows me to focus my energy on planning and preparing for the events ahead in order that they may flourish in the spring, summer and fall. 

Rest does not mean sleeping in, taking two hour naps in the middle of the day and leisurely going about without worry. This kind of slowness, as necessary as it is at times, lacks the purpose and focus of the rest winter embodies. The “rest” of winter is a kind of work. The earth depends on those brutally cold days to destroy the harmful pests, mold, mildew and diseases that have grown alongside the beauty, as well as, to prepare itself to germinate properly for the spring. I too must, shift my posture from one upright and on my feet to one, sitting, scheming, typing and building stamina for the months of events ahead.

Ask any professional athlete and they will tell you that rest is an essential part of their training. It is part of the “work,” they must put in to perform at optimum levels. After running my first marathon in November, I assumed I could jump right back into my routine of running after taking a week to recover. The first few days post marathon were excruciating, not only because I was in pain but because I wanted to run but could not. To non-runners this might sound crazy but consider a time when you’ve entered a rhythm that peaks and then abruptly ends. There is a certain grieving on the way down the mountain. Mothers experience this the weeks following the birth of a child, olympians the days/  weeks after their competitions, every 9-5er on the last day of the weekend and the plants after the dahlias have given their last hoorah. 

Exactly one week after my marathon, I woke up and went on a 6 mile outing, running through knee pain that I assumed was residual from the marathon. Now, four months later after a series of visits to my physical therapist, I am finally able to run for 30 minutes at a time (a little less than 2 miles). Rest cannot be rushed. Rather than running, I am resistance training. Rather than growing blooms, the earth is soaking up the nutrients to perform its best for the months ahead. 

March is the month when I find myself most impatient with winter. It is hard for me to put up with the cold as I watch the daffodils and tulips begin to spring up from the ground. As we reach its end, I feel not just ready for wedding season to start but filled with joy and excitement. My time spent inside among sickness and in front of my computer screen are moments that considered in isolation are rather drab and monotonous. However, when compared against the whole, these winter tasks are germinating the seeds of the year’s blooming.

Tuesday 03.07.23
Posted by Grace McDonald
 

Your Spring Garden Guide for a Colorful Fall

If you are like me, spring gets here and you begin seeing things bloom so you rush to your local garden center and buy all the seeds you know will bloom in the fall. When you get home you realize that half the seeds you bought do best when planted 4-6 weeks before the last frost. As a florist who is constantly preparing for weddings months in advance, I have learned that planning ahead is key to success both in gardening and in business. While we cannot control the future, we can do our best to listen to the earth, discern and take the risk of planting a seed that may or may not grow. It’s worth it.        

10 Steps to Garden Prep

Here are 10 steps to creating your own planting calendar in the winter to ensure that your garden is colourful for spring, summer and fall.

  1. If you have not already ordered your summer/ fall blooming seeds, do it ASAP. My favorite place to order seeds is from Baker Creek Seeds: Here are some seeds I would recommend for a vibrant cut flower garden that is easy to grow (atleast in Zone 7)

    1. Amaranth

    2. Cosmos

    3. Celosia

    4. Dahlia bulbs

    5. Dara

    6. Fennel

    7. Marigolds

    8. Rudbeckia

    9. Sunflowers

    10. Zinnias

  2. Go to your grocery store and buy a 2023 Farmers Almanac. Look up the last frost dates for spring 2023. To be thorough, I would also google a few other sources. For Philadelphia, I would say you can begin planting transplants safely by the last two weeks of April.

  3. Once your seeds have arrived read the planting recommendations usually located on the back of the seed packet. Sort your seeds into piles based on the time from the last frost when you should plant. Some should be started in containers while others can be sewn directly into the ground when all chance of frost is past (generally you are good by May).

  4. Count back from your estimated last frost date and mark the dates in your calendar.

  5. Grab some small brown paper bags and on the outside of each bag, write he date and seeds that need to be planted. Anything before your last frost date will likely need to be planted in containers. Once your bags are labeled by month, place the seeds in the appropriate bags and store them together in a larger box.

  6. Ensure you have all the trays you need for the flowers that you are planting. For example if you have 200 Marigolds make sure you have 100 cells to plant them in. This may seem like a lot, but not every flower will make it. Often these trays come with 72 cells so plan accordingly.

  7. Prepare shelving and a warm, bright environment for seedlings to grow. In the past I have placed my seedlings by windows or on top of the refrigerator. To be honest, I have had mixed success with this method, in part because my kittens destroyed half my seedling trays but also because I think the light to warmth ratio was off. If I placed them on the fridge, they didn’t get enough light. If I placed them along the windowsill, they didn’t get warm enough. This year I decided to invest in warming mats and grow lights. Here are links to grow lights and heat mats I bought. If you have any others you would recommend, I am all ears:

    1. Heat Mat

    2. Grow Lights

  8. Starting in March watch your calendar for when you need to begin planting the first seeds. Prepare you seed starting mix in your trays and begin carefully planting seeds.

  9. Now that your seedlings have started to grow, transfer your new little plants to the yard in early May or even late April.

  10. At the beginning of May, start sewing seeds that can be directly seeded into the ground.

Now, all you have to do is wait patiently, water and then enjoy!

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tags: flower gathering, paleo vegan recipes, gather, floral design gathering, flower, vegetarian recipe
Tuesday 02.07.23
Posted by Grace McDonald
 
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