Botanical Inspiration: Dahlias And Dates

When creating a botanical arrangement I'm often inclined to work with a lot of different foliage, not necessarily with an array of flowers.  However, while visiting the SF Flower Market last week, I was attracted to the amazing selection of late summer dahlias.  To be honest, what first got my attention were the clusters of date branches.  Their rich and earthy orange color inspired the tones of the dahlias I decided to work with.  Together they seemed to bridge the seasonal change that's happening now in California.  

I had fun photographing my latest composition against our newly painted guest room's black wall.  Take a look at how it all turned out:

Late Summer meets Autumn and they live happily for a brief moment in time...

Botanical Inspiration: Cattails And Pomegranates

On a visit to the SF flower market earlier this summer, I came across bunches of cattails.  Clearly they were put on my path to become an inspiration for a botanical arrangement.  I balanced the velvet-like plumes with pomegranate pods, pistachio berries and seastar fern stems for added softness.  My bedside table never looked this good.  Sometimes, a girl needs to treat herself.  Right?!

Take a look:

Botanical Inspiration: A Place For Them

There is an area in our kitchen that is somewhat sacred to me.  It's a decorative spot where there's always a vase with botanicals in it.  Recently, I put together a few of my favorite plants for a special occasion.  Creating an arrangement is meditative for me.  I enjoy the process from its onset, whether it means walking the SF flower market or foraging our garden.  I never really know what will inspire me until I spot a material that moves me.  This time, a bunch of grevillea first caught my attention, followed by bright pink peonies that called for some poppy pods for textural contrast.  Once I got home, I added twigs from our very own smoke tree.  The result was at once bold and sweet.  I enjoy having this spot in the kitchen which I treat as a little sanctuary.  Effigies of the goddess of compassion, rock salt vessels and a black and brass box accompany the botanicals, setting the mood for morning, day or night.  Take a look at one of my latest compositions and remember to treat yourself to cut foliage or flowers whether there's a special occasion or not.

Botanical Inspiration: A Foliage Arrangement

When asked to donate a few botanical arrangements for a fundraiser benefitting our children’s elementary school, I knew foliage would play a predominant role in their composition.   I wanted them to feel very lush, textural and cascading.  With 6 different types of leaves and a vine, these came together:  somewhat feral, but, nevertheless, beautiful arrangements.  I do love a pretty flower, but there's something about combining different shades, shapes and textures of leaves that I find very appealing. A blooming passion vine was included for its interesting tendrils and to add another color to the mix.  Take a look:

Favorite "of the moment" foliage:   Gleichenia dicarpa, Sea Star Fern,

Botanical Inspiration: Dahlias

Last week, Natalia and I ventured to the San Francisco Flower Market for a much needed botanical inspiration.  While she checked out seasonal pods and interesting objects for her Pod Art, I became immersed in the rich colors of the Dahlias that are ever so bountiful this time of year.  Although I'm most often attracted to foliage plants, I couldn't resist the deep burgundy hue of this season's petalled beauties.  After selecting a perfect sampling of them, I added some sedum, eucalyptus branches and weeping celosia to create a weekend arrangement for our home.  There's something deliciously self-indulgent about creating something beautiful for oneself, and that's precisely why I highly recommend you try it.  Here's how: