(Cool) Projects

(Cool) Projects: by Carling A.W. Elder

Back in August, Ellen and I had the pleasure of meeting with Heather Weisse Walsh, Editor of (cool) progeny, to hear all about this fun, family-friendly publication, and to see why Local Color Flowers might want a dose of (cool).

Started by Heather and her husband a few years ago, (cool) progeny is an online resource for parents that is dedicated to “putting (cool) back in to the crazy, upside down world of modern parenting.” Heather told us that when she and her husband became new parents, they kept striking out while searching for information about family-friendly events and activities in Baltimore. So they took matters into their own hands, and (cool) progeny was born!

(cool) progeny is bursting with good stuff! The website is divided into seven main categories of: eat, play, learn & create, style, parents, party, and out & about. Each category features articles from guest contributors who are all experts in different fields. When Heather asked if Local Color Flowers would like to partner with (cool) progeny as “Floral Experts,” we thought it might be fun to come up with some kid appropriate floral projects. So we began brainstorming…

The first project was Halloween Terrariums.  It was easy to get the kids involved in building a terrarium. They could layer the ingredients of their terrariums (rocks, charcoal, and dirt), plant the succulents, and then have a blast decorating their terrarium vessels! The Halloween Terrariums gave the kids some of their first experiences caring for plants, and they turned out so fun! 

Our second project with (cool) progeny was a “Thankful Tablescape”  For this project, the kids got to forage for natural elements such as mini pumpkins, seed pods, and Indian corn to place on their family Thanksgiving table. They also got to write what they were thankful for on the gourds and pumpkins. At the same time, the adults could design a seasonal arrangement in a large pumpkin as a centerpiece. The kids had a great time picking out their favorite natural elements for this project, and it was an easy way to include children in Thanksgiving decorating.

The third project was Holiday Swags.  A swag (a bundle of greenery that hangs on your door) is perhaps the easiest holiday floral project you can make! I loved working with Lila (Heather’s beautiful daughter) on this project. It was so fun to show her the different evergreen and berry varieties as we made her swag, and to see which decorations she chose. I wasn’t too surprised when she chose a sparkly silver ribbon and shiny Christmas ornaments :).

In the floral industry, we don’t often get to work with children. We mostly work with Brides, Wedding Planners, and well, other adults. As is necessary, conversations are often centered around details, time-lines, and requirements. There’s not much opportunity to just play with all of our amazing plants and flowers and see what comes out of unbridled creativity.  Working with the kids and seeing the flowers through their eyes was so much fun!

What I loved most about our projects with (cool) progeny was the chance to create and have pure fun with flowers and these cool kids. I’ve worked with evergreens a million times, but I don’t know if Lila ever had. I could see her curiosity as she felt the different branches and sniffed their spicy scents. Making these floral projects was a first-time experience for these kids, and it was exciting for them. Their excitement was exciting to me.

It makes me so happy to have had a small part in these kids’ first exposure to the floral world. I’m grateful to (cool) progeny for recognizing the value in teaching children early about the world of flowers, and for creating the online space to share these teachings with others. More (cool) progeny and Local Color Flowers collaborations are in the future, and I can’t wait to play some more!

LoCoFlo Bouquet featured in the new edition of Eco-Beautiful Weddings

We were super excited to see one of our fall bouquets in the new edition of Eco-Beautiful Weddings!

Eco-Beautiful Wedding is a great resource for couples that want to have an amazingly beautiful, eco-friendly wedding. It’s full of ideas for creative decor, fashion, floral…as well as loads of gorgeous photos.

Speaking of gorgeous photos…we are so grateful to be able to partner with like-minded, green vendors such as our friends at Balance Photography. We worked with them on a fun photo shoot back in October out at Thorpewood, one of our favorite, green venues. The bouquet above was commissioned for the shoot and complemented the woodsy, mountain venue perfectly. It was filled with locally grown magnolia, eucalyptus, amaranth, wheat, dahlias and monkey balls. It was wrapped in a simple burlap wrap.

Thanks to Balance Photography and Eco-Beautiful Weddings for including Local Color Flowers  in the Winter/Spring 2013 edition!

Thanksgiving is coming! It’s Time To Order Flowers!

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is just two weeks away! If you’re like me, you’re already planning your menu (with loads of local food), strategizing about what the farmers markets will have and feeling hungry (and grateful) throughout the process.

Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving yourself or spending the day at a friend’s or family member’s house, local flowers are a wonderful addition to any celebration.

Local Color Flowers is excited to offer a variety of locally grown Thanksgiving centerpieces, wreaths, door decorations and more. In the spirit of the original thanksgiving, we’ll use the best flowers, branches, berries and fruits that are available locally to create a unique, seasonal addition to any Thanksgiving dinner.

If you have a large dinner table, maybe you’d like this 12 inch long centerpiece (could be made in a vintage wood box as well) filled with seasonal flowers (colors may vary depending on availability), ornamental cabbage, seed pods, veggies (can you find the brussel sprouts in there??) succulents and more!

Or maybe you’d like to wow your guests with an adorable centerpiece made in a locally grown pumpkin or gourd.

Don’t forget to decorate your door or mantle with a naturally styled wreath made with local berries, greens, branches, pine cones and more. (berry colors will vary depending on availability)

Door swags are super cute too!

Finally, if you want to bring your hosts a great little gift, how about Baltimore only ALL LOCAL gift basket! Filled with some of Baltimore’s favorite “stuff”, the basket is a great way to celebrate the goodness our region has to offer

Buying local this Thanksgiving! To order, fill out the form on our website and someone will be in touch with you to go over the details (pricing, delivery etc). Or you can call me (410-262-1494) or email me ellen@locoflo.com

A Trip to the National Arboretum

On Tuesday, while my dad was in town visiting, we decided to take a ride to the National Arboretum. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the ride down the BW Parkway was just gorgeous.  I’ve ridden by the entrance to the National Arboretum on New York Avenue almost once a week for 2 or 3 years on my way into DC to pick up flowers. You’d think I would have stopped…just once even…to check it out.  But nope…I just kept driving right on by.

What was I thinking??? The National Arboretum is awesome! It is a truly beautiful space that would be enjoyable for anyone to visit. You can walk, run, picnic, explore and more!

The first thing we went to see was the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. I don’t know anything about Bonsai (I cant wait for the winter to read books about Bonsai!) or Penjing (which I think is the Chinese version on Bonsai). Right now, the Autumn Bonsai Exhibit called “Beautiful Transitions” is in full “bloom”. It was incredible to see dozens of miniature trees and landscapes, some over 100 years old,  in full Fall color!

Next, we walked around the perennial gardens and herb gardens. Even though it was late in the season, there were so many things blooming-I could have spent hours just touching and smelling things…and writing down things I want our growers to grow!

As we were touring around, from a distance we could see a huge field of purple and gold flowers with large …columns.

The National Capitol Columns were the original columns from the East Portico of the Capitol building in Washington DC. When the Capitol was renovated in 1958, the columns were removed and put in storage. In the 1980’s, the columns found their permanent home on 20 acres of open meadow inside the arboretum. The view was stunning.

We finished our visit by driving around and looking at some of the other permanent collections (dogwoods, boxwoods, ferns) and making plans for a many more return visits!

Real Weddings: Molly and Steve

Molly and Steve’s late Fall wedding was our last of the season. It was beautiful and fun-filled in so many ways. Molly is from Buffal0 and was referred by a friend of my cousin. I loved working with a fellow Buffalonian-especially one that wanted to include lots of ORANGE in her wedding.

Molly was an absolutely beautiful bride. Her joy was evident in every photo taken of her. She carried a naturally shaped bouquet filled with dahlias, snapdragons, eucalyptus and rosehips.

The girls carried similar bouquets with a touch more orange. The bouquets looked great against the girls blue dresses.

The reception at the beautiful, rustic Elkridge Furnace Inn had a mix of centerpieces. My favorites were the local gourds and pumpkins. Adding non-flower elements is a great way to fully embrace the season.

The cake was stunning and classic on it’s own. We added a few flowers, herbs and berries for some pops of seasonal color.

Thanks so much to Epic Photography for these beautiful photos. Special thanks to John McKeown of Locust Point Flowers for going above and beyond to help me locate local pumpkins and gourds (apparently there was a shortage this year because of all the rain we had!).

Congratulations to Molly and Steve! Wishing them much love and happiness!

Real Weddings: Jodie and Roddy

This Fall, I was excited to be able to work with Jodie and Roddy on their wedding flowers. Their style and creativity were inspiring. They both were excited to use succulents throughout the wedding and we had loads of options from Plant Masters to work with.

Jodie carried a bouquet filled dahlias, succulents, herbs and a variety of greens. It was a beautiful, natural look for October.

Jodie also added succulents to her hair for a creative, natural touch.

The centerpieces at the Pete Rawlings Conservatory in Druid Hill Park had a botany theme.

 

We used test tubes and chemistry beakers as the “vases”. We filled them with hydrangeas, herbs, dahlias and sweet smelling tuberose.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Thanks to Wollam Gardens, Locust Point Flowers and Plant Masters for the beautiful flowers.

Thanks to Carl Gunhouse for sharing a few of his gorgeous photos with us.

Congratulations to Jodie and Roddy! Wishing them a lifetime of happiness together!

October’s “You Deserve A Bouquet Today” Contest Winner: Karl

This month we celebrate Karl! I was especially excited to deliver Karl’s flowers because he was our first male winner!

He was nominated for the contest by his wife Jenny. Jenny wrote:

Karl is not only a great husband and father, he is a great teacher. He has spent the last 16 years teaching at Roland Park Elementary and Middle - helping every child achieve. He gives unselfishly so that the children he teaches feel a sense of accomplishment and achievement.

I image that teaching 7th grade can be rewarding-but challenging. (I remember what I was like in 7th grade!).  Karl seems to be up to the challenge!  Being a positive role model for young people is one of the most important roles a teacher can play. I know that there are families all over Baltimore that are grateful to Karl for his dedication and commitment to the kids at Roland Park Elementary and Middle School!

The kids in the hall agreed that their teacher was pretty great and definitely deserved flowers.

Congratulations Karl! Thanks for all you do for the young people of Baltimore!

If you know someone that deserves to win flowers, nominate them today for November’s “You Deserve a Bouquet Today” contest.

Local Love for your Thanksgiving Table: Order Thanksgiving Centerpieces Today!

This Fall, we made a boat load of pumpkin arrangements for weddings and other events. We loved them them so much that we decided to make some more and offer them for Thanksgiving centerpieces. What better way to decorate your table than with local flowers!

We’ll be offering two sizes of pumpkins: smaller and bigger.

A smaller pumpkin will be about this size and will cost $35 (plus tax)

A larger pumpkin will be about this size and will cost $50 (plus tax)

If available from the growers, we’ll offer both orange and white pumpkins. They will be filled with local flowers (fresh and dried), foliage, berries and other non-flower goodies like branches and produce.

Pumpkins will be delivered within Baltimore for $15 on Wednesday, November 23 between 8am and 2pm. Pumpkins can be picked up at our workshop behind 4001 Falls Road on Wednesday November 5th between 3 and 5pm.

Orders can be placed by emailing me at ellen@locoflo.com All orders must be received by Friday, November 18th at 4pm.

Thanks in advance for your order!

Real Weddings: Leslie and Michael

I love clients that love flowers! Leslie was a joy to work with leading up to the wedding day. She was super excited about the flowers – and so was I…which is the perfect combination!

Leslie looked stunning at her wedding. She carried a garden style bouquet filled with dahlias, lisianthus, salvia, beauty berries, eucalyptus, lavender and mint.

We lined the center aisle with these overflowing chair hangers. They were filled with mint, lavender, eucalyptus, tuberrose, ageratum and dahlias. They were perfect for adding great, natural fragrance to the ceremony.

 

Leslie collected an eclectic assortment of glassware for us to use for the table centerpieces. They ranged from a vessel that looked like a disco ball to a vintage measure cup. While each table had the same types of flowers, they were each unique as a result of the beautiful selection of vessels.

 

We had such fun working on Leslie and Michael’s wedding. Thanks to the great folks at the Josephine Baker Parks Center and to Chris at Ridgewells Catering for making set-up so easy!

Thanks to our amazing growers for always working with us to get just the right selection of flowers for each individual client! Flowers this week were provided by Wollam Gardens, Locust Point Flowers, Talmar, Farmhouse Flowers and Belvedere Farm.

Thanks to Erika Freber Photography for these beautiful photos!

Special thanks to Leslie and Michael for choosing Local Color Flowers! Wishing you much love and happiness in the years to come.

Spreading the Buy Local Love to the Homeland Garden Club

Speaking to local garden clubs is a great part of “job”. Garden club members are so much fun to talk to. They love flowers and flower arranging and they are always up for a little fun!

This month, I was excited to be invited to he Homeland Garden Club to speak to their members about LoCoFlo, what’s available locally in the Fall and how they can purchase locally grown cut flowers.

The members were enthusiastic and had lots of questions about HOW we do what we do!  I think they especially liked seeing all of the flowers/foliage/non-flower fun stuff I brought with me.

Of course, I couldn’t come empty handed! I brought some great fall flowers for the members to raffle off at the end of the meeting. They said they were going to use the proceeds to start saving for a road trip to Wollam Gardens! Woo hoo!

If you’re interested in having Local Color Flowers come speak to your garden club, you can email me at ellen@locoflo.com