bbrooks membr Neil Leeson Decor

in Akron, OH, has been nominated for CBC Magazine’s

 Connectors Choice Award

“Floral Design Company

of the Year”!

 Cast Your Vote!

bbrooks member Centerpiece Napa Valley in Napa, CA invites all to join them on November 29th for a festive Holiday Workshop!

Participants will  learn to create three design elements- a wreath or swag, a centerpiece and a unique tree decoration.

The registration fee includes all supplies, as well as, expert instrucrion and assistance in crafting. To complement the evening, Venge Vineyards will feature two of their  fabulous wines.

For more information see Centerpiece Floral & Home Workshops.

Long time bbrooks member Robin Wood Flowers in Cincinnati is hosting a series of ongoing floral classes,  featuring seasonal design, through December.

In these hands-on workshops, students will be introduced to each topic with a demonstration by Robin and her design staff, as she shares her signature approach to floral design.

Students will leave with their own flower arrangement at the end of the evening. The cost for each participant is $85.  Refreshments and light bites will be served.

Exciting News!  bbrooks new website will be launched in the coming weeks!

Keep any eye out for our new look!

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.  The ten days starting with Rosh Hashana and ending with Yom Kippur are commonly known as the Days  of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the Days of Repentance.  This is a time for serious  introspection, a time to consider the sins of the previous year and repent  before Yom Kippur.

The presence of flowers is tradition on all Jewish holidays. These are used in table decorations, around homes and in Synagogues. Flowers displayed throughout the holiday are always extremely fine and beautiful. Whilst there are no specific flowers traditionally sent at Jewish New year, some members of the religion favour blooms mentioned in the Torah.  Apple Blossoms are also a popular choice; however these flowers are not as readily available as roses and other striking flora.
Judaism is symbolised by the colours blue, white and silver and these colours will often be interpreted into arrangements and bouquets during this festival. Ribbons of the traditional colours of the religion can be added to bouquets and arrangements and further complimented by candles.

Florals shown as designed by bbrooks member Greenwich Orchids in Connecticut.

Long-time bbrooks member, Walnut Creek florist Susan Donley, who co-owns the shop Florali with her son, Darwin Harrison, opened up a box of roses that had been shipped from South America, as so many roses sold in the United States are. Inside were beautiful blooms, but she smelled nothing but the abundant aroma of chemical pesticide.

That was the beginning of her commitment to using flowers that are grown locally — and “local” for her usually means California-wide. State regulations restrict the pesticides, and the flowers she gets from local growers are just plain “fresher and prettier,” she says.

As featured in Contra Costa Times online, Darwin Harrison is shown at right creating a lovely Summer design.

Designer Tom Simmons, of bbrooks member Three Bunch Palms in Palm Springs, displays 22 pages of gorgeous floral design in Flowers & magazine - May 2012 issue.

Featured here  are a variety of Roses – light pink Majolika, lavender Blue Moon,  red-flecked pink Minou, creamy coral pink Chablis and darker Pink Sensation – bundle wrapped with dracaena leaves and nested amongst river  stones in a clear glass square.  Simple & quite tasteful!

Long-time member Jun Pinon was featured in a series of exclusive floral design courses, ” Arranging Happiness“,  at the In Water Flower School in May.

In Jun’s own words,  “My moto is: floral design is not only about arranging flowers, but arranging happiness.  With this in mind, my goal has been to inspire, share, innovate and lead through the magical world of flowers.  Aside from running a successful business in San Francisco, I wanted to create a way to share the skills I’ve acquired throughout the years. There is so much to learn in this business, I learn something new every day, and think that evolving with the latest trends is the best way to stay current. I hope to bring this knowledge and experience to a larger community while providing honest recommendations of tools and tips that have worked for me in the past.
I have always believed in promoting a healthy living through floral design. My philosophy surrounds promoting wellness and empowering budding floral designers with the skills and tools to bring their visions to life.  While life itself can be complicated, you can always find ways to simplify it.  My eight-year-old niece says that floral designing “calms your mind” and she is right! ”

Portland, Oregon bbrooks member Fieldwork features a bountiful arrangement of mixed Lupine in the Floral Prototype section of their website. Gorgeous colors and textures!

Lupins are popular as ornamental plants in gardens.  There are numerous hybrids and cultivars. Some species, such as Garden Lupin and hybrids like the Rainbow Lupin are common garden flowers.

Lupine seeds are also edible. The yellow legume seeds of lupins, commonly called lupin beans, appear after the flowering period.  Lupin beans are commonly sold in a salty solution in jars (like olvies and pickles) and can be eaten with or without the skin.

Lupini dishes are most commonly found in Mediterranean countries, especially in Portugal, Egypt, and Italy, and also in Brazil.

Edible lupins are referred to as sweet lupins because they contain smaller amounts of toxic alkaloids. The seeds are used for different foods from vegan sausages to lupin-tofu or baking-enhancing lupin flour.

Given that lupin seeds have the full range of essential amino acids and that they, contrary to soy, can be grown in more temperate to cool climates, lupins are becoming increasingly recognized as a cash crop alternative to soy.

Varietal information as found on Wikipedia.

bbrooks member, Artichokes & Pomegranates, dressed this sweet Pomeranian up with a collar of Roses and Hypericum Berrry for a vibrant Summer wedding.