floral medley

peonies, begonias, roses, baptisia, lady's mantle and the freshest field flowers from Honey Brook Organic Farm http://www.honeybrookorganicfarm.com

this bowl is kind of monochromatic with dominant peaches and yellows and just a touch of white and blue. it is simply summer. these were flower heads left over from plate decorations in a catering job with chef Anne-Renee (Contact Chef Anne-Renee 609 915 1119). they held up really well for another week and a half, in large part due to shortness of stems - they wasted no energy on maintaining the stems or on holding up the heads which tend to be heavy. simple, beautiful, fragrant.... and recycled once again.

passioflora

This exotic and delicate flower is a perfect centerpiece. A margarita glass elevates it, supports the petals and provides a space at the bottom for water so that the little stem can reach it.

Words are inadequate to describe the scent of this one. It is akin to plumeria, jasmine .... but deeper, more serious and ancient. It does not have an extended vase life, but it will take your breath away every time you go past it while it is there.

Recycling ideas

Tillandsias and phaelanopsis orchids - looking for a perfect project.... I made a triangular frame from odd plywood around the house, backed it with landscaper's fabric and wrapped with burlap to re-enforce, for aesthetic and natural color. Hot glue, cherry and peach pits, lichen and cedar bark - whatever could be found. The pits are helpful to anchor the orchids and heavier plants to the fabric, and to define hot glue seals in burlap. Cedar bark and lichen are mostly for decor. Quick and easy and so gratifying to make something new from things that have been around for a while or forever (like the cherry and peach pits, saved seemingly without a purpose). Keep this 'living painting' in bright but indirect light and mist every other day, or every few days if weather is humid.
Use it on the dinner table as a most original centerpiece for cocktails or a dinner party.

succulents

2 varieties of sedum cuttings in a crystal bowl with roses and carnations. keep the water all the way up at the rim and it will last 2 weeks.

the bounty of the farm, calibri and tillandsia

our local farm - Honey brook organic, cannot be overestimated. it makes a whole year worth living. every week we get to go out in the field and visit the earth that feeds us. in the most fundamental way for me personally, it is a grounding and sustaining experience. as my little people taste the soil on their teeth as the strawberry juice runs down their chin, they learn respect: for the seasons, for the soil that feeds us all, for the farmer labouring in the field, for the plants that dance to sunshine, for their mom who brings them there, for their dad who works all day to make it possible and for themselves while they experience pure harmonious joy.

calibri is a russian name for nightingale, which i did not realize until one flew into the sunroom. it was like being visited by a fairy. the clever darling knew right away that we were trying to help it get out and cautiously sat on the rim of the butterfly net while i carried it out.
these vibrant green indoor plants have no root systems and are known as air plants. they are a wonderful plant, flower or constant centerpiece for a modern or rustic setting alike - use a shell, a wooden or ceramic bowl or log or bark to display it with a complement to the rest of your decor.