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Wedding Inspirations; Pina Colada

When people think weddings- it is easy to assume that it needs to be white all the way. Tradition says it is so, so it must be, right? But these days really anything goes. A wedding is a celebration that brings together two peoples styles (well, in theory anyway) so essentially no two weddings need be alike.

For those who enjoy, nay love a bit of colour, a wedding can feel quite restrictive if you let your head get filled with other people’s ideas of what your day should look like. So this week, I am sharing with you a colour scheme I refer to as ‘Pina Colada’- a mixture of pink, orange and gold tones. Certainly it is not for everyone, but for those brave enough to saturate their day in vibrant colour, well, this combo may just win you over 😉

I guess something that you may take into consideration when choosing a colour palette that is a bright and vivacious as this one, is that it can dictate the vibe of your soiree also. Indian weddings are notoriously brightly coloured, and they do it so brilliantly. Using brighter colour tones can bring joy and exuberance, and less formality. Give this some consideration when you are in the planning stages.

Get the look;

Colours; I like to think of this colour palette as a gorgeous sunset which means that it can cover just about anything from soft apricots, lemons and powder pinks, to mid pink, burnt orange, coral, salmon, mango, gold and hot pinks- take your pick!

If you choose to go for the more pastel colouring, the result will be far softer and can suit more vintage theming. Brighter exotic flowers will suit a coastal/beach themed celebration.

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Image; Luna and Chloe Weddings via look o on flickr

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bouquet 1Marquee,

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cake, bouquet 2, bouquet 3

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Image; Brides
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Image; Flowers by Anthomanic via Grey Likes Weddings

Flowers; Depending on whether you prefer the bright vibrant hues or the paler tones you will obviously have different options of flowers to use within this theme. Of course seasonality will ultimately dictate what is available at the time of year you get married.

Poppies would be an awesome choice within this colour theme as well as peonies, roses, billy buttons, ranunculus, freesias, David Austin roses, pink or red hypericum,  dahlias, freesias, orchids, jasmine, cumquot branches, calla lilies.

Accessories; This vibrant, vivacious theme lends itself to fun and funky accessories and decorations; thongs, petal confetti, lollies as favours, coloured beverages, windmills etc. Or what about water-coloured invitations, place cards and table numbers, floral table runners and gold plated cutlery? Delicious!

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Image; Knots Villa

 

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Image; 100 Layer Cake
Red, Pink, and Orange #candy #favors
Image; Via Pinterest

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Now if this page has had you dreaming of the coming summer, keen to walk barefoot on the beach, and (gasp!) perhaps even have a dip…. then I have done my job.   Perhaps it has inspired you to get some fresh cut flowers and brighten up your home with winter behind us TOMORROW! Spring flowers are blooming and we have a magical selection available in-store and for local Sydney delivery, so come in and say Hello!

Fwf x

 

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Bring on Spring

After a dreary winter, and one of the worst cold and flu season’s ON RECORD, I know I am not alone in saying ‘Bring on Spring’. Apart from being an awesome time to get in your garden, the moderate Spring temperatures make it more enjoyable to be outside in general, and there are plenty of spring activities throughout Sydney to keep you busy.

In September;

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Image; David Jones

The first Spring activity on most flower lovers calendar is the David Jones Flower Show at their Elizabeth Street Flagship store. The Flower show runs from August 31st until September 10th. It is always beautifully created by a team of approximately 30 florists and takes some 10,000 hours. My tip is to get there sooner than later. Whilst the crowds are bigger in the first few days, the display does start to look tired toward the end of the show.

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A great way to spend the day outdoors is at Bondi’s annual Festival of the Winds. The festival takes place at Bondi Beach, Bondi Park and Bondi Pavillion and has something for everyone. There will be food on offer, kites for sale, kite making workshops, entertainment, jumping castles and puppet shows for the kids, and of course the sky will be full of kites. Kite flyers will WOW with their beautiful handmade creations and there is sure to be a mixture of creations; anything from flowers and animals to popular cartoon characters….the sky is the limit!

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If you are up for the drive, Floriade Canberra is a lovely (and long) day trip. Interestingly, Floriade was originally designed to be a one off flower festival to celebrate Australia’s bicentenary and Canberra’s 75th anniversary back in 1988. It was so well received that the festival has been created year after year since; this year is its 30th year, so I imagine it will be extra special. Floriade is comprised of more than a million bulbs and annuals planted across 8000 square metres.

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For something a bit different, head out to to Western Sydney’s Cabramatta on Sunday September 24th for the Moon Festival, an annual event celebrating the Southeast Asian culture and cuisine. Some 90,000 people from across Sydney join the giant street festival on John Street.  The festival runs all day long from 9am and well into the evening with entertainment, rides, cooking demonstrations, gourmet foods, market stalls and fireworks closing the evening at 8pm.

Spring has many other activities happening over the coming months, and it is also an ideal time to get out into your garden and finish up any work you may have been avoiding. Fairly soon we will start to see the temperatures soar and we all know that makes outdoor manual labour FAR more taxing, so make it your mission to get your pruning, weeding and planting done throughout September.

Florist With Flowers tip; Enjoy fresh cut flowers now while the temperatures are still moderate. Spring is a great time to enjoy the fragrant blooms that are in season whilst still getting great vase life. Flowers deteriorate with excessive draughts, heat and bacteria. Remember to change the water regularly and re-cut the stems when you do so.

Fwf x

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Xanthorrhoea- The Story of the Black Boy Plant

The Xanthorrhoea plant is uniquely Australian. It grows in the South East of Australia thriving in well drained, aerated soils with low nutrient content. It is a plant that can suit most gardens, and being endemic to Australia means it is ideal for our climate and environment.

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Image; Xanthorrhoea_drummondii via Australian Seed

All species of Xanthorrhoea are very slow growing BUT they are also long living; some elderly specimens are among the oldest living plants worldwide. They live for hundreds of years, some have been found to be up to 600 years old. A plant with a metre long trunk for example may already be 100 years old!!!

Xanthorrhoea plants are also known as Balga Grass Plants.  ‘Balga’ is the Aboriginal word for black boy and for many years the plant was fondly known as a “Black Boy”. It is thought that the Aborigines called the plants Balga because after a bush fire had ravaged the land, the blackened trunk of the Xanthorrhoea would be revealed beneath the burned lower leaves, and would resemble a child like black figure. Others believe that the plant, with it’s bush fire blackened trunk and long flower spike resembled an Aboriginal boy wielding a spear. Whatever the case, as the years have passed, it is seen as an extremely racist name, and is thought to be very offensive to the original custodians of the land, so the plants are more commonly known as Grass Tree, because let’s face it Xanthorrhoea is a bit of a mouthful.

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Image; Xanthorrhoea_preissii via Australian Plants

The Xanthorrhoea was invaluable to the Aborigine people. It was a source of food, drink and building material.

Food; Fleshy white parts of leaves and the succulent roots of the plants were frequently eaten. The seeds were collected, ground into a powder and used to make damper. They also collected grubs from the base of the plant.

Drink; The flower of the Xanthorrhoea was soaked in a trough of water extracting a thick sweet nectar which could be enjoyed as is or fermented for  3-5 days in order to produce an alcoholic brew.

Material for tools; The leaves of the Xanthorrhoea produce a hard waterproof resin, which is liquid form when warmed, but sets hard when cooled. The Aboriginals used the resin as a super glue type of material to attach blades to spears and as a waterproofing material for canoes.

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Image; Flower Spike going to seed via Anpsa

There are 28 species of grass trees in Australia. Xanthorrea Johnsonii is just one of these species, but is a popular variety in Australian gardens due to it’s singular trunk which can grow up to 5 metres tall. When you see a grass tree where the trunk changes direction, has major bends or even multiple heads, this is generally caused by new growth after the plant has flowered, or if the tree has been involved in an accident (another tree falling on top, or pushing against the grass tree). So essentially, the survivors turn into architectural masterpieces; each trauma, and struggle spurs them on, making them ever more interesting and beautiful. Each tree is totally unique and proudly displays its history in its shape.

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Image; Xanthorrhoea Australis Flower spike in bloom via Gardens Online

These plants often flower as a direct result of fire, quickly bringing an essential food source to the surrounding birds, insects and other wildlife. It is often the first spurt of colour in an otherwise blackened environment. The flower spike of the Xanthorrhoea is the growth point; after flowering, you will notice that the tree will remain dormant and cease producing new leaves for months or even years. Many people panic, but there is no need. The plant does not require extra water or fertiliser- it just needs your patience. This is the way of nature, and the Xanthorrhoea has survived just like this for hundreds of years; this is a defense mechanism. To encourage continuous growth, you will need to remove the flower spike as soon as it appears.

Fwf x

 

 

 

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Garden Inspirations- Palm Springs

I love conceptualising; Looking at ideas, researching a theme or a design concept and then building on it from there. Currently, I am finding inspiration from the gardens of Palm Springs. These gardens best suit the quint essential mid century modern home, however can be appropriated to work with modern day architecture where garden spaces are sleek, grouped, and focus on the balance between planted and empty spaces.

Obviously it is always important to look at the environmental factors, such as aspect and exposure to the sun within the garden and make appropriate plant choices. What is the soil quality like? Is there good drainage? How often are you prepared to water the garden? These are all factors that need to be considered when designing a garden.

Gardens that take inspiration from the South West of America focus on the intricate differences in colour, shape, size and most importantly texture. These gardens are often defined by the absence of grassy areas, and with the inclusion of rock beds, large feature rocks, stone pavers or gravel. These are appropriate options that have been considered, and make sense for the original environment; a hot, desert climate.

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Australia’s natural environment is often compared to California, and so many of the choices would be appropriate for our climate also. Instead of using mulch, or bark to retain water within the garden beds, a rock layer is a popular choice.

Get the look;  Cactus, Prickly Pear, Agaves and other geometric Succulents, Palms, Vertical plants like Mother in Laws Tongue, Shapely feature plants such as the Joshua Tree. There are hundreds of Palms available, and it all comes down to personal choice, but the Ponytail Palm will give you that special Palm Springs inspired look. It has a bulbous trunk and crazy head of leaves. You could also consider including a Australian Grass Plant, Xanthorrhoea- which for many years was known as the Black Boy. These plants often last for hundreds of years, require little water, and are striking in their appearance.

Joshua Tree, California Desert, Desert flora, desert cactus, desert plants, desert landscape, photography by Jim Caldwell Redondo Beach
Joshua Tree, California Desert, Desert flora, desert cactus, desert plants, desert landscape, photography by Jim Caldwell Redondo Beach
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Xanthorrhoea Grass plant via Trek Nature
Southwest Garden Designs | Great Southwest Landscape Design Ideas
Via Pinterest
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Amazing bulbous Ponytail Palm via Gardenia
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Besser blocks and feature rocks finish this garden design Via Kelly Go Lightly

Accessories; Gravel, Stone Pavers, Besser Block feature walls, Large feature rocks.

Colours; The gardens within this style tend to feature green, grey and white. Often the buildings are stark white, with strong coloured features (walls, entry doors, lounge/pool furniture etc). You can also include orange, red and chocolate coloured foliage plants for extra colour.

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Rock features and stone pavers in a neutral colour palette
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Pavers and rocks complete with a linear design of cactus= awesome Palm Springs garden via Kelly go Lightly

The Palm Springs inspired garden is not for everyone, but if you like low maintenance gardens, it could be a good fit. The rock layer reduces the watering, and as the plant choices tend to be hardy specimens which favour a more arid environment, they do not require daily watering. This garden style will complement formal settings, and sleek, modern architecture as well as vintage styling.

One thing to note is that many of the plant varieties that feature in this garden style are costly. Golden Barrel Cactus for example are hard to come by, and are slow growers, so even small plants will set you back a bit. You also need to consider that for the cluster plantings and linear plant work in this design style, you will require substantial numbers in many plant varieties. On the upside, choose wisely and this garden design will be low manintence and have great longevity.

Fwf x

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FLORIST COVER

Life of a Florist; A life of Danger

Many people think floristry is the dream job. The idea of being in a small shop and playing with flowers appeals to many people. I have always joked that people don’t understand just how ‘dangerous’ life as a florist can be, and how it can quite literally be risky business!

You think about it, many florist businesses are small owner operator set ups, where you usually find someone is working alone the vast majority of the time. What does that mean? Well, you are opening and closing up a shop, each and every day where the work is laborious; heavy, hard, repetitive and back breaking. Add to that the fact that florists are usually at work long before anyone else is awake, starting the market run around 4 am and they are still around once the other businesses have closed their doors. This leaves them in the most vulnerable position; at risk to armed robbery, fatigue, OH&S incidents/accidents and more.

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Image; Jonny Weeks for the Guardian

Just last week a small florist business at busy Sydney Central Station was the scene of a very sad, and disturbing series of events that unfortunately saw a 30 year old man shot dead. NSW Police were called to the Eddy Avenue Florist at approximately 6:45pm on Wednesday 26th July following reports of an armed robbery.

The florist, who was working alone at the time has said that he was attacked by a man wielding a broken bottle however that the man did NOT attempt to rob the store at any time. Instead, Emmanuel Theoharas explained that he was attacked from behind, and threatened with the bottle before the man demanded that he call the police.

From many reports it seems that the man, since identified at 30 Year old Danukul Mokmool, may have been a drug user with some mental health issues and it is a sad end to his story. But my heart goes out to poor Emmanuel Theoharas who has been running the florist for some 46 years. I’m sure that this was not what he thought his day was going to look like, but he turned up to open the store again Thursday morning and will do each and every day that follows. That would have been some scary stuff and I’m not so sure that everyone could bounce back so quickly.

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For operations that are bigger, yes there will be others there to share the workload and have your back, but maybe you will work off site in an unfamiliar situation. You may be up a ladder hanging things from a ceiling, or lifting large pieces up into the centre of a a table, repetitively straingin your lower back. Long hours, particularly in event work will see you existing as if you are constantly jet lagged, making your response time slower. And remember we work with scissors and knives all day every day (with the occasional hammer, saw, pliers and power tools thrown in too)- sounds like a recipe for success doesn’t it?

The retail world has changed dramatically over the past decade. As a whole, we are a society that relies less on cash, and more on credit.  In years gone by, a florist basically survived on cash transactions, but like any legitimate business, as time has passed, technological advances and society’s demand for conveniences has seen us adapt. In some ways it probably lured us into a false sense of security. I mean, anyone who works within our industry knows, it wouldn’t be worth the risk to rob what cash you would find in the till these days! In some ways we probably don’t feel as though we need to be as wary or hyper vigilant as we once did, and I guess in some ways, because there is less cash, the risk has lessened.

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But back in those days, the cash florist was selling posies and box arrangements…..These days we are in the business of construction with no formal certification; creating huge wall hanging arrangements, working through the night on little or no sleep, a concoction of caffeine, chocolate, lollies or cigarettes (depending on your preference).

Let’s think about that for a second….a Jet lagged Construction worker, operating machinery at heights while wielding scissors or a knife…..

Told you floristry was a dangerous job!

Fwf x

 

 

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