Easy to care for Elegant Design by L’Olivier Floral Atelier in NYC, a long-time BBrooks member!

Coral Cactus – an unusual arrangement in a birch wrapped glass vase accented with money tree leaves.

“The desert has taught me to be more responsible for my designs, choosing plants and flowers that are drought tolerant, sustainable, and beautiful.  I like to think of my design aesthetic as eco-chic.”  ~ Colleen LaFleur

Colleen LaFleur of LaFleur Plantscapes + Fresh Flora in Tucson creates an eco-friendly centerpiece that keeps its cool in the summer heat. Visit flowermag.com to see more.

Certain varieties of dahlias can change appearance during their flowering.  Shown below is the “Coupe Soleil” which starts orange and gradually becomes white!

Over the past year, we have noticed an increasing presence of floral crown designs represented in social media, floral newsletters, blogs and websites.

These over-the-top crowns by Passionflower in Ann Arbor, MI are both gorgeous displays for a lovely summer day!

A ward-winning contemporary artist and Syracuse University art professor Sam Van Aken grew up on a family farm in Reading, Pennsylvania, but he spent his college years and much of his early career focused on art rather than agriculture.

While Van Aken says that his work has always been “inspired by nature and our relationship to nature,” it wasn’t until recently that the artist’s farming background became such a clear and significant influence, first in 2008 when he grafted vegetables together to create strange plants for his Eden exhibition, and then shortly after that when he started to work on the hybridized fruit trees that would become the Tree of 40 Fruit.

It is interesting about the daisy.  Many people adore them and consider them fun, refreshing and charming.  Others consider them less than quality “filler” flowers.  Our florists have found a wonderful alternative!

During summer months, try asking for Chamomile or Feverfew blossoms!

Delightful!

Margot Shaw, Founder/Editor-in-Chief of Flower magazine chronicles the day-to-day activities of a busy flower girl.

Visit www.flowermag.com/prim-rose to purchase your copy!

Betsy Bloomingdale, affectionately known as “Good Queen Betts”, a life long resident of Los Angeles, is well known for philanthropy, style and grace.  In the Aug 2014 issue of Town & Country, her close friend Alex Hitz offers a glimpse into the celebrated lady’s love of flowers.

“Betsy Bloomingdale’s rose garden is reached through vine-covered gates, past an allee of meticulously trimmed hedges and cypress trees.  I call it her secret garden, because it’s set off to the side of her Holmby Hills compound….

Betsy’s fine hand and love of flowers are alive in every room of the house – the orchids, just so, on the grand piano, those exquisite dahlias and roses the size of cat heads in silver or porcelain bowls throughout the library and breakfast room….  The rose garden isn’t there just for show, though it is my favorite in Los Angeles; it’s a cutting garden for the Hybrid Tea roses and Ball dahlias that decorate the lovely rooms inside the house, whether there’s company or not.”