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Garden, Home & Party

~ My love of gardening, making home comfortable and entertaining friends and family.

Garden, Home & Party

Category Archives: Flowers

Autumn flora in the home

19 Wednesday Oct 2016

Posted by Karen B. in Autumn, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Flowers, Halloween, House and Home, Thanksgiving

≈ 19 Comments

Good morning, my friends!  So much for getting back to regular posting, right?!

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

I am an avid fan of fresh flowers and plants in my house year round.  I’ve used branches from shrubs and trees in the yard, and flowers from the market for our home most of my married life.  I also have several living plants in my home.  Ivy topiary, Peace Lily ‘spathiphyllum’ and a large pothos live in various rooms of the house.  When Christmas rolls around I’m happy to use faux garland, embellished with live cedar and pine.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn flora

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

So it was with some hesitancy that I returned the kind email I received from Silk Plants Direct.  They were offering me a shopping visit of their site, where they would ship a product of my choice (with a generous pricing limit) for my honest review.  Still doubtful, I visited the link and found many of their plants to look very believable.  The item I selected reminds me of bittersweet, something that is sold live per stem by florists this time of year in our area.  I’ve always loved the look of bittersweet in autumn arrangements and wreaths, but couldn’t always find fresh stems.

I emailed my contact with Silk Plants Direct and was thrilled with the speedy delivery and the quality of the stems.  The flowers filled the large porcelain blue and white vases and finished the mantle decor for the season for me.  Thank you Silk Plants Direct!

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

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Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

Silk Plants Direct, a Silk flowers and plants retailer, has a user-friendly site and provides a column on their home page that allows shoppers to narrow their search by topics such as category, size, price, color, variety and season.

If you’re a die hard fan of real live plants and flowers, as I consider myself to be, you may be in for a surprise. I urge you to take a look at Silk Plants Direct.

Disclosure:  I received a free product sample in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The honest opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way. 

 

Happy Spring ~ Happy Easter

23 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by Karen B. in Easter, Flowers, Gardens, Seasons, Spring

≈ 25 Comments

I’m always excited for spring.  I hope you stopped by earlier this month and checked out the vast array of ideas for the season via Project Design Now – Spring Mantles.  There are some great ideas for decorating—and not just the mantle from the team of design enthusiasts that participated!

This beauty was one of my favorites…Ciao Newport Beach created the fresh, spring look

Garden, Home and Party: Easter

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Spring brings some new bird friends to the area…I’ve spotted a blue bird on my walks, not as vibrant as this fellow, but still very pretty and we’ve had up to 6 Robin Red Breasts visit our birdbath at the same time!

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Summer

 

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For me spring always means spending more time in the garden.  Warm days, cool nights.  Sparkling sunshine (have you ever noticed how the light changes with the season.  Spring has it’s own special, sparkly light).

The patio bed needed a major renovation.  I’ve completed this space and will share a post about it, and other little changes in the garden, later.

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Spring

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Easter

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It’s a dream of mine to be able to walk through my garden and come up with a bouquet as wonderful as this!  I am growing sweet peas, I hope they provide me with bundles of blooms.

Easter eggs whether chocolate or real are a staple for Easter.  There have been some really pretty ideas for dying eggs.

Garden, Home and Party: Easter

Garden Home and Party: Easter

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Garden, Home and Party: Easter

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Garden, Home and Party: Easter

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So if you haven’t dyed your eggs yet, visit HERE to receive step-by-step guidance on these beauties (above) and HERE for a general overview of how to dye Easter eggs.

Spring also brings with it the chance prepare a few more meals on the BBQ and to generally lighten up on the mouth watering calorie laden casseroles.  True confession, I still enjoy the occasional casserole even during the summer.

Garden, Home and Party: Easter-Spring

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These lovely to look at tea sandwiches made me want to plan a spring tea party for a few friends!

Garden, Home and Party: Easter/Spring

This meal above is pretty typical of our traditional Easter dinner.

If you saw this recent post, you know I love to set a table.  These charming Spring/Easter tables give me some ideas for the upcoming season.

Garden, Home and Party: Spring/Summer

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Garden, Home and Party: Easter/Spring

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How cute are these little bunny plates?

Garden, Home and Party; Spring/Summer

One last note, if you haven’t already filled an Easter basket with a few goodies for yourself, I’d like to mention the newest book by Kristen Woodson Harvey, Lies and Other Acts of Love which will be released April 5th.  If you pre-order from the Design Chic blog site, you’ll automatically be entered to win a $1,000 gift card to Shop Design Chic their online store.

I’m excited to reviewing this wonderful book on April 5th right here.

 

What are you doing this season.  Special plans for Easter Sunday?  I wish you a happy spring and all the “new beginnings” it can bring, and a very happy Easter.  ♥ Karen

 

 

 

Easter with Beatrix Potter 2015

01 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by Karen B. in Easter, Flowers, Holidays

≈ 42 Comments

No tricks, even though it is April 1st.  I’ve never been very good at pranks.

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

Easter is on my mind.  I’m not hosting Easter this year {Thank you, Sarah and Kevin} I still enjoy putting out a few Spring/Easter decorations.

Garden, Home and Party:  Easter 2015

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

I set my table using my grandmother’s china…it reminds me of my grandma, and the violets are such a pretty representation of spring.  The runner was made for me, and the fabric seems like it was made to go with these dishes. {Thank you, Gretchen}

With two granddaughters in our family, my thoughts have gone to Beatrix Potter and her cast of wonderful rabbits.  When our sons were very young I collected, obviously more for me than for them, many of the Beatrix Potter Royal Doulton figures from her stories, as well as a complete set of her books.  I would pick them up when I could find them at thrift stores or used bookstores.  I eventually collected the entire set, although the final 4 needed are the new white cardboard covers rather than the little green books with slip covers,  that I love.

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

The concrete planter is made to look moss-covered.  I planted sweet pea, violas and lobelia to create the center piece.  I move the planter to our atrium during the day to keep it happy, and provide a little sunshine.  It lasts several weeks and then I plant the plants in my yard. Dual purposing, always good, right? 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

The little silver bell is Peter Rabbit and has the sweetest ring.  {Thank you, Debbie}

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

Last year we had Easter at our house and I put together this 3-tiered tray of goodies for family…

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

This year’s version of the  little rabbit tags can be found HERE.

The little galvanized cups holding the violas are from Trader Joe’s.  They held something else a few years ago and I saved them, glad I did! 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

Garden, Home and Party: Easter 2015

Happy Easter, my friends.  I hope you have wonderful plans to be with family and friends.  May the sun be shining on you wherever you are.

{Garden} Inspiration for the garden – Chelsea Flower Show

18 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, Outdoor living

≈ 70 Comments

Tags

Chelsea Garden Show, Garden Tours in England

RERUN ALERT:  I shared this post at the end of April but I couldn’t resist re-posting so that I could join Anita over at her beautiful blog site Castles Crowns and Cottages, where she’s inviting all of us to share our favorite destination.  England captured my heart years ago and I will share a bit about the Chelsea Flower Show.  I’ve never been but it’s a dream!  Because this post coincided with an eye to spring in the garden I am sharing additional inspiration for creating a pretty garden.  I hope you enjoy and will stop by for a visit sometime. ♥

Garden, Home and Party:  Castles & Crowns linky party

Here we find ourselves on the last day of the month of April (where’s the time going?).  There’s been weeks of activity in the garden if you are an enthusiast and if you happen to live in a climate like my neck of the woods, Southern California.  Gardening is pretty much a year-round hobby here.

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

Still, there’s always interest for me to see what others are doing to their own yards and as usual, I gain the inspiration I’m seeking to create a new corner or change out a fledgling flower bed, from fellow blogging friends and international gardens posted on the internet.

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

{Charlotte Moss}

Garden Home and Party: Garden inspiration

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

{Restoring our 1890 Victorian, Victoria Elizabeth Barnes}

Above, I’ve added Helebores to my wish list when they’re available.  Below, don’t you love this clever use of grass and concrete squares.  Not to mention, it would be so great to have an outdoor fireplace.

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

{5th and State}

Tone on Tone just published a great post on his blue garden, published in Southern Living magazine.  I’ve made a list of blue flowers for my own garden.

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

{Tone on Tone – Loi’s beautiful blue garden}

Garden, Home and Party: Garden show

This year my friend, Carla, happens to be going to the Chelsea Flower Show (May 20 – 24th). With the show’s 100 year anniversary behind them (2013), I’d guess this year may be an impressive show of innovative and unique gardens.  Maybe it’s that way every year, but I like to think there’s always a wave of extra talent after a big anniversary of something as wonderful as the Chelsea Flower Show.

The first year (1913) Chelsea Flower Show was introduced there were 244 exhibitors, last year there were over 500.  The show attracts over 150,000 visitors each year.  It’s on my bucket list.  I know I’d love it

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

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…and for those of you who would like to have their very own folly…here is a company that will build it for you.  They entered the Chelsea Garden Show with this little gem.

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration{via}

Since we’re speaking of gardens in England, this past fall the Los Angeles Times travel section featured a list of gardens you can visit more than once per year in England.  The Stone House Garden in Cheltenham, Goucestershire was appealing to me for the home as much as the grounds.  Started by a garden hobbyist, Katie Lukas, she developed her garden on the 2 1/2 acres surrounding her Cotswold home.

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

{photo by Nan Sterman}

No surprise, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire offers a learning experience in addition to the wonderful gardens presented.  There’s a garden where plants are grouped by the era in which they were introduced to the British Isles.  I selected this image since I was surprised the garden features our own California Poppy!

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

{photo by Nan Sterman}

What would a garden tour be without a garden by a castle?  Broughton Castle, Banbury, Oxfordshire is a 700-year old castle.  There are sheep on the grounds (wouldn’t it be great to look out your window to green rolling hills, dotted with sheep?  {Maybe I’ve seen one too many period piece movies and PBS presentations?} Climbing roses, “lushly planted garden borders” and more, this one is on my list. To read more and to get ideas for your garden visit HERE.

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

Garden, Home and Party: Garden inspiration

My own garden can always use a little tweaking.  I hope to work on the area under the bottle brush tree (the red blossoming tree in this picture).  The roots are so prohibitive to digging and such.  I am currently doing some homework on finding plants that need next to nothing but will grow and thrive in spite of adverse conditions.  Any suggestions?

Have you started planning / planting  your garden?  Any new projects on the table?

{Party} Wedding bouquets

11 Wednesday Jun 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Family, Flowers, Personal Information

≈ 33 Comments

Tags

wedding bouquets

As June is traditionally considered the wedding month, I thought I would share some images from our son and daughter-in-laws December 2012 wedding.  I have published posts on the build up HERE and HERE.  Unfortunately, the photographer had to be coerced into finally delivering on the photographs.  We received the full set of pictures in August of 2013.

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding bouquets

Rather than share with you a host of pictures, like the overzealous traveler who shows you slides (did I just age myself?  I meant digital images) of their latest vacation, I will show you a few of the pictures and zero in on the topic of wedding bouquets.  Like most brides, my DIL is a talented designer and had a specific vision of how she wanted her wedding to be.  For the reception, the 100 guests were all at one long table, candlelight was used over traditional lighting.  [This is why getting the pictures from the photographer was essential, most photographs taken by friends were taken with a phone and were too dark]

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding bouquets

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding bouquets

DIL’s vision was extraordinary by it’s unique blend of ‘winter wedding meets English castle’  feel to the setting, and thereby all components of the evening. The wedding was staged at the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art.  Dinosaurs were abundant.  The wedding ceremony took place in the African Mammal room and the reception took place across the hall in the American Mammal room.  Her attention to detail transported guests and the feel of the rooms was magical.

Sarah’s bouquet complimented the theme, as did her maid of honor and bridesmaid’s bouquets.

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding bouquets

{Sarah’s bouquet, held by her mom, during the ceremony.  Note:  The bouquet probably weighed in at 10 lbs or so}

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding Bouquets

{Bridesmaid bouquet}

After seeing the first picture of the wedding (top of post) my bff blog friend, Victoria, suggested I do a post about wedding bouquets {thank you, Victoria}.  I’m always eager to have a suggestion for a post since I’ve been known to have dry spells, creatively speaking.  So here are some beautiful examples of wedding bouquets I found online.

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding Bouquets

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In my day the trend in wedding bouquets was all white flowers.  I love the variety of unique plant material that is added to bouquets today,and the color variations of the flowers.

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding bouquets

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Ranunculas and Roses, with petite daisies and the sage green leaves of a eucalyptus branch makes for a beautiful bouquet.

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding Bouquets

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The beauty of planning a wedding in today’s world is that there are literally thousands, if not millions of ideas floating out there.  Between Pinterest and dozens of blogs dedicated to weddings, you can be inspired and possibly confused by the abundance of ideas.

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding Bouquets{source}

I can imagine using Sunflowers for a late summer / early fall wedding.  I love this bouquet.

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding Bouquets

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This bouquet is right up my alley, peonies, roses and ranunculas, all in soft ballet slipper pinks and whites…sigh.  Aren’t they beautiful?!

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding Bouquets

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The lavish use of gardenias, such a delightful choice.  I once heard of a wedding where on all of the windows at the reception hall, there were fresh gardenia wreathes hung.  The fragrance would be fabulous.  Hopefully, none of your guests would have allergies.

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding Bouquets

{enchanted forest wedding  photo by Emily Steffen // flowers by Johnny and Dottie via Pinterest}

The tree ferns in the bouquet above give it a magical fairy-like feel.

Garden, Home and Party: Wedding Bouquets

 {source}

 I really like the bright orange flowers with dusty miller and the purple thistle in this bouquet.  I also like the diminutive size of the bouquet.

 If you were planning your wedding today, what would your wedding bouquet look like?

 

 

{Garden, Home and Party} Celebrating Spring with Roger’s Gardens

09 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

Rogers Gardens

Roger’s Gardens in Newport Beach, California is a favorite stop any time of the year.  To say it’s a unique and special nursery might be an understatement.  I was recently invited to their Spring Celebration (along with hundreds of others) and their interpretation of the best of SPRING did not disappoint.  I visit the nursery regularly [HERE and HERE] for the inspiration and creativity it supplies.  Roger’s is like the Disneyland of nurseries.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring with Rogers

During my visit I used my iPhone to capture some of the beauty of the flower arrangements and the grounds…no one does spring better, well except Mother Nature!  There are also some photographs saved from Roger’s Gardens site. *This is not a paid write up.  Pictures really don’t do this nursery the justice it deserves.  A visit is a delight for the senses.

The room below is part of Roger’s gift gallery.  For this special event all of the flowers you see are real.  It was stunning to enter this building and take in masses of hydrangea, tulips, ranunculus, and roses, to name but a few of the many fabulous spring blooms on hand.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrate Spring w Rogers

This blue and white planter caught my eye, filled with white hellebore, I would have loved to take it home with me.  Unfortunately, it was out of my budget.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring with Rogers

There were nests and cut branches everywhere, including on top of each of the display cabinets in the gallery.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Everywhere you looked, including this orb, sported live flowers.  Even the chain holding the orb to the ceiling was wrapped in ivy.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

There were inviting tablescapes loaded with inspiring ideas for your next spring luncheon.  Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to gather a bouquet like this using flowers from your yard?

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

The fragrance of pink jasmine and other blossoming plants gave your senses the expected scents of an ideal spring day.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Rogers Gardens

We then moved to the floral studio.  This part of the nursery presents (and sells) floral arrangements of all kinds.  I confess, I’ve purchased a few of these beauties, sometimes as gifts and a couple of times as a gift to ME! 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Isn’t this charming?  Roger’s finds decorative items that often look antique, even though they’re not. These cute bunnies were metal and quite heavy.

White hydrangea, ranunculas, lisianthus, roses, white stock, and dusty miller are but a few of the flowers filling this footed vase.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

This arrangement caught my eye, that’s right, that is lettuce growing in the basket filled with seed for growing carrots and beautiful spring flowers.  What a great hostess gift this would be.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

The sweet peas were so fragrant, they were selling them in bunches…I wanted the entire crate.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

The grounds are displayed with antique props (often for sale) and many pre-planted planters are for sale.  I’m sure you can see why visits to Roger’s are as much for a shot of inspiration, as they are for actual purchases.

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

Garden, Home and Party: Celebrating Spring w Roger's Gardens

I hope you enjoyed the tour!  If you are ever in the area, email me, I’ll be happy to take a tour of this fabulous nursery with you.

♥ Karen

 

{Garden} It’s official…rose’s first spring bloom wins!

02 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

roses

Most of us are in agreement that there’s nothing quite as showy as the first blooms of spring, right?  The roses in particular seem to stand out in my little garden.  Spring, whenever she decides to arrive, never ceases to astonish me.

How quickly it can look like this one winter day…

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

and seemingly overnight, the garden announces Spring’s arrival…{full disclosure: the two pictures of our formal garden are from my files, but you get the idea}

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

The wooden fence shares space with a ‘Sally Holmes’ climbing rose; the quadrant to the right (rear) of the sun dial has a ‘Guy de Maupassant ®’, a Romantica rose bred by Alain Meilland (France, 1995); in front of that is another Romantica,  Eden Rose®.  I have an Eden climber as well and they both perform well in my garden and seem relatively pest free.  {I know pests vary from region to region but we had a huge problem with a particular caterpillar that caused pin holes in each leaf.}

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

‘Sally Holmes’

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

‘Guy de Maupassant’

Left of the sundial in back is a new Romantica by the name of ‘bolero’, a white multi-petaled  beauty that was only planted last spring.  I like to give newly planted roses 3 seasons before they get their first report card.  In front is St. Patrick, a hybrid tea rose that has been in since I first planted the garden many years ago.

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

St. Patrick

One of the most beautiful romantic roses ever created is the Meilland rose; Pierre De Ronsard also known as Eden rose. It belongs to a class of roses known as Romanticas. Fully double roses with a romantic old fashioned look. It is the French Rose company’s response to the popularity of the English Austin Roses. Modern roses with an old fashioned look. Many of the Romanticas are Hybrid Teas to the core, but not Eden Rose, that is more like climber —Niels Plougmann, Roses in Gardens blog

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

‘Eden Rose’

Eden Climber™ is one of my favorites, I cannot believe how well it, and the shrub version in the formal garden, performs.  Eden was a little shy this past weekend while I was taking pictures.  She’s not in full bloom yet, but I wanted  you to see the color of Eden (above).

Because my yard has very few sunny locations, ideal for rose growing, I’ve filled in sun/shade areas with Iceberg roses.  Here in California there are a few rose snobs that consider the Iceberg too common for the serious gardener…to this I say, “nonsense”.  It’s a foolproof shrub rose that gives consistent snowy-white blooms from March through October (sometimes even longer) and it demands nothing other than fertilizer and water. For new readers, I live in Southern California, Zone 9, we barely have seasons.  It’s a mixed blessing.  I long for chilly mornings with the burst of fall colors in October and wish for  a smattering of snow in the winter.  That’s the “downside” of living in a mild climate—another post for another time.

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

Iceberg rose

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

A couple of years ago I helped design our youngest son and his sweet wife’s front yard.  We placed an espaliered apple tree on the front of their house.  It has performed so well, but being a cheapskate on my own yard, I thought I’d give espaliering a try with this humble ‘rosa banks’.  It’s done very well, but there will be NO apples.  🙂 I may have to break down and buy an apple in the near future.

This picture (below) doesn’t do the apple tree justice, but it really has performed well and even had some apple blossoms early this year.

Garden, Home and Party: Spring roses

White Lady Banks, rosa banks

White Lady Banks, rosa banks

A close-up of Lady Banks…

Garden, Home and Party: Spring RosesThe final two roses I’d like to share are the reliable Cecile Brunner, probably one of the oldest roses in my yard.  We have cut him to within 6 feet off the ground for painters to paint the patio posts, and each time he returns with new canes and more blooms than the year before.

 

Garden Home and Party: Spring Roses

Cecil Brunner –don’t mind the hose that I failed to roll up before taking the picture and notice the leaves on the picture below, that is the pest that used to be on nearly every leaf of most of my roses!

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses~ and ~

the Burgandy Iceberg, which like it’s white cousin, blooms from early March until late October.

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

Burgandy Iceberg Rose

Do you have roses in your garden?  Do you have a favorite variety, I’d love to hear from you.

Garden, Home and Party: Spring Roses

{Home} The magic of flowers and Ikebana

05 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, House and Home, Uncategorized

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

ikebana

Garden, Home and Party: Ikebana

Flowers are a welcome mood and room brightener and maybe never as coveted as on these last few days/weeks(?!) of winter.  I am always on the lookout for new ideas and inspiration for a display of flowers, whether they are store bought or home grown or a combination thereof.  Bouquets (below) with unexpected elements are such a nice surprise.

Garden, Home and Party: Ikebana{source}

Flowers – they transport us, romance us, amaze us. They make us smile and swoon. Who could live without them?

—Charlotte Moss, designer

Garden, Home and Party: ikebana

{source}

So I was excited to receive an invitation from Tuttle Publishing to read their new book, Japanese Ikebana for Every Season,  by Rie Imai and Yuji Ueno, and asked to post my thoughts.

Garden, Home and Party: Ikebana

I really enjoyed this book as my recollection of ikebana was of a far different style than the arrangements shared herein.  The classic ikebana arrangement should look natural, something I lean towards where flower arrangements are concerned.  But I used to think of ikebana arrangements as stark and possibly a little too modern for my tastes.  Clearly, this doesn’t have to be the case, for this pair of talented artists (the authors) have introduced a new view of ikebana.

Garden, Home and Party: ikebana

Garden, Home and Party; ikebana

Author Rie Imai is an accomplished “lifestyle coordinator” in Japan, with a focus on interior design and flowers.  During her time in the United State Ms. Imai completed floral design course work at   Parsons New School for Design, New York and at City College in San Francisco.  She has traveled extensively and has mastered blending the cultural aesthetics of modern and traditional, as well as Eastern and Western influences into her floral designs.

Garden, Home and Party: Ikebana

Garden, Home and Party: ikebana

Garden, Home and Party: ikebana

Her co-author, Yuji Ueno, is an independent floral artist.  The book’s introduction to Mr. Ueno says it best, “…Yuji has created a style not linked to any recognized Japanese ikebana school…he has found the freedom to chart his own course.”  He has a personal website where you will find further inspiration.

In addition to some spectacular examples of the new ikebana, the book offers detailed words and illustrations on water absorption, cutting  and maintenance techniques; there are helpful tips on stabilizing, shaping and trimming which can assure your success as you embark on creating your own flower arrangements.

Garden, Home and Party: ikebana

There are great ideas for each season, using items from the yard as well as what you can buy.  As with any floral arrangement, it’s the unexpected that catches my eye and presents a need to study exactly what has been included.

Garden, Home and Party: ikebana

The photography for the book was done by Noboru Murata, one of Japan’s most accomplished photographers.  

Garden, Home and Party: ikebana

{source}

The book will be a welcome reference to anyone who enjoys flowers in the home, and who doesn’t?

{Thanks to Tuttle Publishing for contacting me and providing me with Japanese Ikebana for Every Season}

Spring officially arrives on March 20th.  Happy Spring, just a little early!

 

{Home and Party} Flower Arrangement Ideas

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Flowers

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Flower Arranging Ideas

For me, flowers are one of life’s little treasures.  Whether they’re growing in your garden or purchased at the farmer’s market/grocery store, they seem to brighten a room, not to mention the mood.

Home Talk Flower Arrangement Ideas

That’s why I’m sure it will come as no surprise to my blog friends that I enjoy entertaining almost as much as time spent in the garden.  Flower arrangements are the best way to satisfy that creative interest with the simple grouping of a bouquet.

Home Talk Flower Arrangement Ideas

{via}

With internet access, there are endless flower arranging ideas for the sharing.  I recently did tour of the topic over at Home Talk.  This site is relatively new to me {thanks, Victoria} but like Pinterest and others, you can zero in on specifics and gain a host of inspiration in a short span of time.

Home Talk Flower Arrangement Ideas

{via}

Using a garden urn as a table centerpiece adds a bit of drama and elegance to the table.

Home Talk Flower Arrangement Ideas{via}

Home Talk Flower Arrangement Ideas

{via}

Home Talk Flower Arrangement Ideas{via}

I invite you to visit my clipboard of Flower Arrangement Ideas over at Home Talk.  I think you’ll see lots of great ideas on the subject and possibly get lost in the vast array creative inspiration.

Home Talk Flower Arrangement Ideas

{Home Talk ~ Flower Arrangements}

What are you flowers are you arranging this summer?

Join me at Favorites on the First at The Polohouse.

{Garden, Home and Party} Celebrating the season with a party!

15 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating, Entertaining, Flowers, House and Home

≈ 23 Comments

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Spring

Garden:  Spring is truly magical, with the seemingly overnight transformation of our outdoor surroundings from austere to vibrant.  I marvel at how quickly the yard can burst with color, including large doses of every shade of green.  I’ve shared with you how work in my garden always makes me happy.  I understand not everyone shares my enthusiasm, but those of you that delight in planting summer flowers or bulbs, understand the joy the warmer, longer days can bring the avid gardener.

Garden, Home and Party linky partyBethany HouseI planted hydrangea in the urn to the left of the door, it’s the softest pink.  Most of the flowers in the front yard are white or blue.  Pink was my nod to the fresh innocence of spring.  I’m such a dare devil with color, lol.

Garden, Home and PartyWhen the warm weather visits we spend a lot of time in our backyard. {Sorry about the glare on this image below, even though it was overcast, it was still very bright, one of the things I like best about spring}.

Garden, Home and Party - llnky partyI know this spring has had issues…like snow in late April in some parts of the U.S., but when it’s  perfect weather-wise, do you enjoy the great outdoors?

Home: Some of the steps I take around the house to seasonalize for spring:This time of year, with the addition of a few extra hours of daylight, the windows are open more often, the woolen throws are carefully stored and I put out some birds nests I’ve collected over the years.  {I only take the ones that are vacated by the family of wren, sparrows and hummingbirds}.  I’ve found most of them in our yard, and I love the intricate construction of each one.

Garden, Home and PartyGarden, Home and Party, nestI have a lot of roses in my garden, but surprisingly the ones that provide a constant source of flowers for cutting are the hardy, shrub Iceberg roses and my Eden climbing rose.  I love bringing fresh flowers into our home all spring and summer.

Eden rose, mantleorchid, spring linky partyI love the color of these orchids (above), a gift from a friend.  They look like spring to me, along with the twig planter, it almost reminds me of a nest.

Fresh fruit is another way to give a room a touch of spring.

limes

iceberg rose bouquet, spring linky party…and finally, I bring out my little bronze birds to remind me spring is in the air.

bronze birdsIMG_0054Party:  I like to cook, I find it to be a creative outlet.  Mr. B and I don’t usually eat large meals during the week.  My work schedule facilitates simple menus for the weekday meal.  By entertaining friends and family, I’m able to try new recipes with the added bonus of trying out new table settings (another passion).  Spring swings the door wide open with possibilities and options for mixing things up in the table setting department.

violet chinaviolet table settingblue and white tableblue and white table settingwild strawberry chinaout door planterI use this white planter (which you can barely see in this picture) outdoors when it’s not providing me with plenty of maiden- hair fern and ivy for a table arrangement.  I buy small pots of seasonal flowers and plug them in where needed.  It’s an inexpensive way to dress the table with natures best work.

So are you ready?  Share some of your favorite ways to enjoy the season…

Peter Rabbit for springI’ll be eager to see what you’ve been up to.

Note:  Due to my blog being hosted by WordPress.com, Inlinkz has you click on the icon below to insert your link.  Sorry for the extra step.  ~and~  a huge thank you to my friend Victoria “Restoring our 1890 Victorian” for helping me with this.

I’ll be linking up with Tracie at a Fishtail Cottage, stop by and say hi.

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