The appearance of the groundhog this past weekend has left me with hope that the long days of winter will soon be a memory. But since we still have a few weeks to go, all one can do is make the best of what Wisconsin winter will bring. As for me, I am growing use to the long hours of darkness. In fact I took inspiration from a recent starry night for this board. Lose yourself in the feeling of magic and closeness that only night can offer. Imagine yourself taking pictures with a full moon in the background or the soft glow of candles at your receptions. Regardless of the season, you are always guaranteed the wonder of nightfall and a show of evening lights. Whether they are from Mother Nature or mankind, both can offer unique beauty. If you need more ideas or help creating your own starry night to remember contact us.

With allergy season upon us many people are suffering from the dreaded hay fever caused by Ragweed, including some members in my own family. Ragweed deserves the bad rap it has but a close relative does not, Solidgo. Solidago, used in floral design, is often unfairly blamed for causing hay fever. Solidago is not wind pollinated like Ragweed and will only causes allergic reactions when handled.

Common Name:  Goldenrod
Botanical Name:  Solidago (so-li-DAY-go)

Providing a soft texture and a punch of bright yellow color, Solidago consists of closely packed clusters of very small flowers spreading like a feather on 20-30" branching stem. Also know as Goldenrod, Solidago is available all year and can be dried. If you can get past its weedy cousin, Solidago can be a lovely addition to any floral design. Meaning precaution, encouragement, and good fortune, this filler is very stunning.


Interesting Fact: Thomas Edison experimented with goldenrod to produce rubber, which it contains naturally. Edison created a fertilization and cultivation process to maximize the rubber content in each plant. His experiments produced a 12-foot-tall plant that yielded as much as 12 percent rubber. The tires on the Model T given to him by his friend Henry Ford were made from goldenrod.


Below is a great video to help you tell the difference between Solidago and Ragweed.

So unless you have been living under a rock you must have seen some the 2012 Summer Olympics. If not there is still time, check it out! I am probably the most uncoordinated person you will find, and over the years I have found it safer to be a spectator vs a participant. Although clumsy, I am still absolutely taken with the Olympics. The grace and ease these athletes have is mesmerizing. Their will and dedication to their sport is honorable. I can and do watch them for hours. The best part is each medal winner receives a "Victory Bouquet"!

The Victory Bouquet was designed by the creative director at Jane Packer, Susan Lapworth, to reflect the energy and vibrancy of the London 2012 Games. This vivid combination creates visual impact, which will also enhance the athlete's moment of victory.

The bouquet is sectioned into boldly colored quadrants of Aqua Pink Roses, Illios Yellow Roses,  Marie Claire Orange Roses and Wimbledon Green Roses  to mirror the 2012 logo. These are separated by typical British food ingredients of English Lavender, Rosemary, and Apple Mint. These provide an eclectic fragrance which is important to enhance the ‘moment’ of triumph for the athlete without causing an allergic reaction which some heavily scented flowers often do.  Along with these herbs,  wheat is included as a source of energy, to reflect the ‘energy lines' of the London 2012 theme that has been an influence throughout the design process.


The flowers and herbs in the bouquet are British grown and bouquets are made with the help of floristry students across the country.Sadly no UK grower was currently producing roses for commercial use, so the roses used in the bouquets were commissioned and grown specifically for this project. Hardy varieties were chosen to l withstand varying temperatures as there are no cold storage facilities at the venues. 4,800 floral bouquets will be presented to athletes along with medals during the Victory Ceremonies.


Information regarding the "Victory Bouquet" was found at:
http://www.jane-packer.co.uk/UK/Olympics/Olympics.html

The last few days of this heat wave, that everyone here in Wisconsin has had the pleasure to sweat though, has left me thinking of the sun. So I put together some inspiration full of sunshine. Warm and cheerful and oh so romantic. Enjoy the pics and leave your thoughts about the sunshine below.

In honor of our country and the wonderful holiday we celebrate on the 4th of July, Independence Day, I would like to share some wonderful wedding inspiration. How fun would it be to tie the knot on the 4th and show your Patriotism. I found these super cool ideas at Bridal Guide. Click here to see for yourself. Let me know what you think below.

For my latest flower of the month I chose the Clematis. I purchased my first plant last summer. Not being much of a green thumb, I  just prayed I could keep it alive. Not only did it survive the summer, I was happy to see it come back this spring. This summer it seems to be doing extremely well (see pictures). Clematis flowers grow on a vine and blooms range in size from 1" - 7". They grow best in cool, moist, well-drained soil in full sun. I have noticed that my humming birds really like them as well. Available in purple, blue, pink, white and bi-color, clematis are becoming more popular in floral design. Clematises add that wild flower/garden feel while still providing a unique, elegant flower. Most clematises have Chinese or Japanese origins.

Common Name: Clematis
Botanical Name: Clematis (KLEma-tis)


The Western white clematis was called pepper vine by early travelers and pioneers of the American Old West. Taking a tip from Spanish colonials, seed and the acrid leaves were used as a pepper substitute. Unlike black pepper or Capsicum, however, the compounds in clematis cause internal bleeding of the digestive tract if ingested in large amounts. Despite its toxicity, Native Americans used very small amounts of clematis as an effective treatment for migraine headaches and nervous disorders. It was also used as an effective treatment of skin infections. 

Interesting Fact: Some clematis plants will change the color of their blooms though out the season.

So the other day, my husband, who by the way is a devoted fisherman, says to me,

"Would you ever use a spinner in a boutonniere?"

After I finished laughing at him and actually thought about what he said, I started to like the idea. For those of you who are unfamiliar with fishing, a spinner is a type of fishing lure, like the one shown on the left. I can honestly say that fishing lures are one item I have never been asked to use, but my husbands question makes me wonder if anyone would actually want a fishing lure(s) accenting their flowers. Of course I understand this idea is not for everyone, and even some grooms-to-be may have a difficult time convincing the bride-to-be or vise versa. But I could see this idea as a unique way to add your personal touch to your wedding flowers. It's really not that far of a stretch from all the other items used to add "bling" to flowers. Fishing lures come in so many colors you would most likely find one to coordinate. And if added to the boutonnieres the men would have a keepsake they may actually use! OK, so maybe my husband on to something?

So I am asking for your help, please take a second and vote in my poll. Let me know if you like the idea of fishing lures and flowers.

If I could plan my wedding all over again I think I would want something that
resembles nature. I have come to the conclusion that Mother Nature did it best.
There is so much beauty that surrounds us in our everyday lives, so many of us
and I am guilty myself, forget to take the time to slow down and see whats right
in front of us. I was reminded of this yesterday when I had a lovely meeting
with Shelly from Signature Events by Shelly. She brought me to
stunning local that over looks the water and really makes you stop and take
notice. With that as my motivation, I put together just a taste of what my nature inspired wedding would look like. Let me know what you think.

_Whether or not you are a fan of the Twilight series, I am sure you have heard about the release of the newest movie in the series - Breaking Dawn Part 1. I admit, I am a fan and I couldn't wait to see the movie. I counted down the days and this past weekend I got my chance. Bet you will never guess what my favorite part was.

This movie had the much anticipated wedding of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. Held at the Cullen's home, the wedding had an extremely romantic feel. The flowers were everywhere, yet had a very light and airy feeling. Bella wore a custom designer wedding gown valued at $35,000.00 and carried an all white bouquet that appeared to be made of wisteria and freesia. Edward wore a 1920's inspired morning dress and a boutonniere that appeared to be a couple of white cherry blossoms. The ceremony took place under 160,000 wisteria blooms that cascaded down from the trees. The aisle was lined with arrangements made of delphiniums, sweet pea, viburnum, ranunculus, and Australian ferns all blended with moss. Also used though out the ceremony were cherry blossoms and tiny cuts of white lavender. The cake was adorned in blooms of roses, viburnum, and sweet peas. Now a drum roll please......... a conservative estimate for all the wedding flowers at this very dreamy wedding ..........$20,000.00!