Tucson, Arizona

I made it home to the father land...

It was so great I forgot to snap photos of the weekend, but with the help of google images I found pretty much the same thing I saw. 

Now, my dearest and nearest who's getting excited for April 10th?

When I got back to my humble NY abode look what I found. 

My Prickly Pear Cactus has a whole new growth on it! I swear it wasn't there before I left. (see upper left arm) I'm feekin' pumped up about this!!!!!

Sara Sill

I received the neatest flower order for an artist who was having her opening reception at The National Arts Club, just around the corner from me. Little did I know Sara Sill and I speak the same language! Sara's show "Nature Studies" will be at The National Arts Club 15 Gramercy Park South October 20th-31st. Check it out! 

*here she is with the arrangement I made. 

Bouquet of the Day

Fall

In my soon to be 28 years all of my best friends have had fall birthdays, except for one.

More than this being my birth season for my girlfriends and me, this is my favorite time of year.                         In New York City the whole mood changes, unlike the spring when the earth is still frozen and thawing endless days taunt. The fall has unexpected clear blue days which get you to walk on the bright side of the block. While the sun is slowing down to rise, and the thought of getting out from under last nights covers seems like an all too recent burden; the days can appear at first glance to be overcast and cold. Yet, once the sun is up the grey manages to burn off to show the most beautiful blue skies, puffy white clouds, and crisp cool air. I get excited to pull out past years jackets- my leather bomber and Barbour oh how I love you!

It’s when the weather slaps you in the face with winter and you find yourself the biggest down comforter sized coat that there is no turning back.                                                                                        

I tell myself now, I get more done during these months. So with that I brew a pot of tea and get to work on my new year.  

Ashby-de-la-Zouch

Is a town in the English Midlands near Derbyshire. I was a guest to the most beautiful wedding I have ever been to. The reception was held at Staunton Harold Hall 

A nice American boy found his match with the most lovely English girl.  

I especially loved watching the interaction between the flower girl and ring bearer. So sweet. 

The flower girl reminded me of myself when I had the opportunity to stay at Castle Ashby.  I was not much older than her when my family stayed at the castle.  My big sister and I played the most incredible games of hide and go seek and real life pretending of being princesses.

Bouquet of the Day

From a Sprout wedding this weekend at Aurora. 

My Violet Bloomed Again

and my dad is doing much better. 

England

While this marks my seventh trip to England I left feeling many more trips are needed. Generally based in London, this time I had another opportunity to go to the midlands to the town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. This was a four day packed trip seeing my wonderful girlfriends, exploration, and concluding with a most spectacular wedding. 

I have wanted to visit this spot before and this time my request was answered. Chelsea Physic Garden is often called London's 'secret garden' and is  the second oldest botanical garden in Britain.

Founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries and it's purpose above all else was to teach students the phamacological uses of different plants.  

Let's just say this place was magic. I brought the stone I found on the beaches of Rhode Island and placed it in a special spot which I hope to see again.   

My friends Anna & Meaghan were such a deilght to see and I am so excited to brag about them. Meaghan is beginning this fall at Central Saint Martins for her MFA, she is a very talented jewelry designer and I can't wait to follow her creative career path. 

...and here are snapshots from Anna's breathtaking home. 

 

With all of that I will need to dedicate another post to the English Countryside.

Bouquet of the Day

Here is my latest work from Sprout Home. 

Rhode Island

I visited the Ocean State for a wedding and also had the opportunity to see my best friend April who lovingly lives in Providence. The highlights included a boat ride around Newport and exploring the south county of Narragansett.

While April is an unbelievable photographer my few pics do much of nothing to capture its true beauty. To really see this area go to April's website and click travels to see for yourself. http://www.aprilmariegray.com/

Together we saw the deep golds of Autumn in the Goldenrod bushes  

and ate rose hip from a tree

We found feathers and magic rocks which I carried with me to my next adventure the following day to England. 

The Hamptons

I'm not exaggerating the Hamptons is a beautiful, bountyfull, mecca.

While this marks my third trip to the oasis one calls Long Island I got most sense of the place this time around, (we had a car) This one point probably marks its only unattractive quality. Being that I am still "green" to these areas it now makes sense- before the mega mansions multiplied this was farm land, and the area has done a remarkable job holding on to its roots. Driving down Montauk highway was garden center after garden center, fresh veggie stands, and flowers galore. 

One such spot is Halsey's Green Market in Watermill. This is a twelve generation farm where one can get fresh flowers especially cut for you. 

A field of zinnias and sunflowers! 

Vineyards of the most delicious wines. 

Rose wine from the Wölfer Estate Vineyard  Bridgehampton. 

Landscape & Garden design is very serious in these parts and seeing these estates shows it. One such woman is Victoria Fensterer who is responsible for restoring Grey Gardens. 

So with all of this you can imagine what I hope to be doing for the following summers!

Bouquet of the Day

Dear blog, 

I am sorry i've neglected you these past two weeks.  I had a pretty neat trip with loads of exploring! Until I am ready to muster the energy (which is prob tomorrow am) I will  leave you with this bridal bouquet I made at Sprout the other week. 

Black Book Magazine

My bouquet and I got written about in Black Book Magazine!

(mom- click on yellow "black book magazine" to read the article)

I was asked what flowers translate as masculine, and to make a dual gender arrangement.

My special lady friend Heather named it Vampire Bill. Which she later stated on her blog "I Grew This" the following statement:

"I happened to drop by Sprout Home just before the bouquet went out and I must say this image hardly does it justice. We dubbed it Vampire Bill because I pictured it’s sophistication and texture on the mantel of a gentleman with fine, seasoned and timeless tastes."

THANKS HEATHER

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

Barbara Streisand is super cute, and so are her outfits in this flick.  

Wave Hill

I took metro north up to Riverdale this past weekend to visit Wave Hill. 30 min outside the city in the Bronx a shuttle greeted us, drove us up the winding neighborhood past beautiful estates to the top of the hill where a breathtaking view of the Hudson River was overlooked. This is unlike any Bronx I was familiar with. 

I was expecting some sort of museum price admission fee-$13.00? $25.00? Nope- since we arrived before noon our admission was $0.00. 

My pictures do not do this place justice, go see it for yourself to believe it. 

Built as a country house in the 1840's Mr. Perkins, a partner at J.P. Morgan began accumulating surrounding properties and devoting his time and energy to enhancing the landscape. The land was graded and contoured and rare trees and shrubs were planted to accent the Hudson River highlands.  

In the 60's Wave Hill was formed as a public garden, being one of 33 cultural institutions owned by the city of New York. The voulnteer board hosts numerous events and activities like Tai Chi, art workshops, and farm to    table brunches. 

Now on my list are seasonal trips to Wave Hill, even in the winter the views must be breathtaking. 

Blog-lovin

My friend Jessica from the blog j-delight turned me on to this neat site that will tell you when your favorite blogs are updated. If you are like me and have growing bookmark bar, this can organize and minimize time on my growing web surfing.

Click on the side bar drawing of the blog-lovin girl to enable the widget!

An oldie but a goodie

I made this bridal bouquet a few months back. 

Architect Charles Gwathemy

The other day at Sprout I was asked to make a terrarium for a renowned architect who recently passed away,Charles Gwathemy.

While putting my plants and miniatures perfectly in place I began racking my brain back to my Architectural History days with Dr. David Gobel. Thoughts to one of the more painful courses in Architectural Theory and Criticism-then it came back to me...

Gwathemy mostly built homes for high profile clients in the Hamptons, but my favorite remains the place he built for is parents in Amagansett

His firm built the ICP

Last, and most controversial of projects was the condo he built on Astor Place.

A sense of relief over took me when I realized that not only would I never sit in another class of Dr. Gobel's, but that this architect would be unable to criticize my humble terrarium because he's dead.

Hothouse Flower & the 9 Plants of Desire

I read this really yummy summer read and so should you.

If the cover doesn't convince you click on THIS

Field Guides to Art in Nature

As a child growing up in the vast expanse of the southwest, my house rested a top of a cliff. My mother would call out onto the sun-setting desert for us to come inside after a day of roaming acres of wild land. Nature held a huge amount of mystery as a child. Weather it was an afternoon spent staring at the clouds making up songs, building secret forts in abandoned trucks, or kicking fire ant hills; the outdoors occupied a major part of my youth.

I hold a distinct a memory of getting caught in a cholla cactus bush and limping the dirt road filled with tears and covered in thorns. I was only to be found the following day with my sister and neighbor girls back in the wild expanse to explore and create more imaginary worlds.

This curiosity of nature was further spurred by a book introduced to my childhood, “The Secret Garden" I longed to have the lush green English Garden where I could un-choke big green vines and nurse a secret garden and boy back to health. This being so far from my desert landscape I savored the books illustrations.

These memories always remained, but far away. This flood of remembrance was triggered the other day when I discovered a tiny book at Printed Matter entitled, “Field Guides to Art in Nature.” Artists Karen Wirth & Chad Rurrler created this limited edition book to go with an installation for Minneapolis, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

The book is broken in four chapters- Color, Form, Pattern, and Perspective. It is also illustrated in my favorite medium, collage. When I saw this tiny weather proof book I saw my dream visions on paper. While I still do not understand the extent of what these artists are getting at, I’m happy to share my connection and story.