Close up of the incredible red Bottlebrush from Wavelength Farm
HThis year I got a request for a hanging installation at a wedding reception held at the Caspar Community Center, just south of Mendocino, and these flower and foliage elements were exactly what I was inspired to use (fortunately also approved by the bride).
I always like working with dried elements in my arrangements, and you can see dried Hydrangeas, Amaranth, Nigella, Carrot flowers, and Queen Anne’s Lace in this hanging beast.
And beast it was - it was sure heavy with all the fresh foliage! We used 150 lb fishing line as an extra precaution and I am so glad I was working with my rigging skilled husband who helped hang and stabilize it securely!
The best part is all these flowers and plants are super resilient out of water (or they were dried!), so I didn’t need to bother with re-usable water tubes - what I typically use instead of disposable floral foam to give flowers in arches and hanging pieces a water source.
SO… winter brides- get in touch about creating a floral design with these incredible plants! Or really, couples getting married anytime in the year — there are some incredible lime green Bottlebrush blooming in the spring… I would love to create some gorgeous and fun designs with these less common flowers.
Winter is always a bit tricky when designing with primarily local flowers and foliage. Foliage in the winter - easy. Making things not read Christmas? That takes a bit of ingenuity and finding the few blooming things that can be the perfect non holiday accent.
This winter I started getting to work with some absolutely stunning flowers and foliage from Wavelength Farm - a small family farm on the Coast which specializes in growing Australian and South African plants that are pretty drop dead gorgeous and also pack a punch as far as visual impact goes. (You can find out more about Carly and Kelan’s farm at www.wavelengthfarm.com)
Some of my favorites are the Bottlebrush and Protea flowers, probably the most striking and large of what I have worked with in this flower vein, but there are also Acacea foliage and blooms, Leuchadendron, and Eucalyptus.
The final ceiling of plants and flowers!
The process: Creating a hanging installation always starts with some basic foam-free (and thus way more ecological and sustainable) mechanics - chicken wire and zip-ties, plus a branch with a great shape and a length of PVC to help with strength. The next step is to apply greenery and flowers!
Gorgeous Bottlebrush flowers from Wavelength Farm in Manchester on the Mendocino Coast
