As a hospitality and wine expert at the Wine Garden Inn, I am constantly inspired by the lush, vibrant garden that surrounds our winery. From the explosions of color in our perennial beds to the intricate textures of our estate-grown herbs, the natural beauty that graces our property is a never-ending source of wonder and delight.
One of my favorite aspects of working at the Wine Garden Inn is the opportunity to incorporate these gorgeous, locally-sourced ingredients into our floral arrangements. Whether crafting a centerpiece for our celebrated gourmet breakfasts or designing a stunning bouquet to welcome guests to our tasting room, I strive to capture the true essence and seasonal spirit of our estate through my floral creations.
Floral Design Principles
When it comes to assembling these artful compositions, I adhere to a few key principles that help me achieve the perfect balance of color harmony, textural contrast, and eye-catching symmetry.
Color Harmony: Ariella Chezar, a renowned floral designer, once said, “Color is my daylong obsession, joy, and torment.” I couldn’t agree more. Selecting a cohesive color palette is critical, but it’s a delicate dance. As Ariella advises, the “main mistake people make is putting too many different colors with too many different values together, and this always ends up looking like an argument, not a beautiful melody.” I strive to layer complementary hues, playing with the interplay of warm and cool tones to create arrangements that sing.
Texture and Contrast: Equally important is incorporating a diverse array of textures. The lush, velvety petals of our garden roses pair beautifully with the airy, feathery fronds of our wild fennel. The glossy, architectural leaves of our hostas provide a striking counterpoint to the delicate, wispy stems of our Queen Anne’s Lace. I love to experiment with these unexpected juxtapositions, creating arrangements that are both visually captivating and a delight to the senses.
Composition and Symmetry: While I often take an organic, free-flowing approach to my floral designs, I also believe in the power of intentional, balanced compositions. Whether creating a lush, cascading centerpiece or a tightly structured bouquet, I pay close attention to the overall silhouette, ensuring a harmonious flow and pleasing sense of symmetry.
Estate-Grown Ingredients
At the heart of my floral designs are the bounty of ingredients we cultivate right here on our estate. Our organic garden is a treasure trove of seasonal delights, from the vibrant blooms of our dahlias and zinnias to the fragrant, textural foliage of our salvias and lavenders.
Seasonal Variations
As the seasons shift, so too does the palette of flowers and foliage available to me. In the spring, I revel in the delicate, ephemeral beauty of our flowering cherries, magnolias, and narcissus. Summer brings an explosion of color, with the jewel-toned hues of our sunflowers, cosmos, and marigolds. As autumn arrives, I turn to the warm, earthy tones of our chrysanthemums, rudbeckias, and the stunning red* and gold* foliage of our trees.
Locally-Sourced Flowers
But it’s not just our own garden that informs my floral designs. I also have the privilege of collaborating with a network of local flower farmers and foragers, who provide me with a wealth of unique, seasonal blooms and foliage. From the field-grown peonies of Blooming Acres to the wild, fragrant honeysuckle that my friend Josephine gathers from the nearby woodlands, these locally-sourced ingredients add an extra layer of authenticity and vibrancy to my creations.
Organic Farming Practices
Equally important to me is the way in which these flowers and foliage are grown. I am deeply committed to sustainable, organic farming practices, and I’m proud to work with producers who share this ethos. By sourcing ingredients from small, regenerative farms, I not only ensure the highest quality and freshness, but also support a more mindful, eco-friendly approach to horticulture.
Vine to Vase Process
Crafting these floral designs is a true labor of love, and I relish every step of the creative process, from harvesting the ingredients to arranging the final composition.
Harvesting Techniques
When it comes time to gather my materials, I approach the task with the utmost care and attention. I move slowly through the garden, meticulously selecting each stem, blossom, and leaf, mindful of the plant’s health and longevity. For delicate blooms like our peonies and ranunculus, I use a sharp, clean pair of bypass pruners to make a clean, angled cut, ensuring the flowers will continue to thrive in the vase. For more robust materials, like the branches of our flowering quince or the seedheads of our native grasses, I rely on my pruning saw to make precise, careful cuts.
Floral Arrangement Methods
Once back in the studio, I begin the intricate process of assembling each floral design. I start by creating a sturdy, balanced framework, using chicken wire or floral foam to provide structure and support. From there, I layer in the various elements, mindful of creating dynamic, asymmetrical compositions that capture the natural, untamed beauty of our estate-grown ingredients. I might tuck a sprig of fragrant rosemary beneath the cascading blooms of a dahlia arrangement, or weave the arching, ruby-red canes of our wild blackberry vines through a bountiful centerpiece of zinnias and cosmos.
Preserving Freshness
Maintaining the vibrant freshness of my floral designs is of the utmost importance. I employ a variety of techniques to ensure my arrangements remain lush and radiant throughout their lifespan. For delicate, water-loving blooms like peonies and ranunculus, I carefully condition the stems in a nutrient-rich solution before arranging. For more robust materials like eucalyptus and curly willow, I use a floral preservative spray to lock in moisture and prolong their lifespan. And for the finishing touch, I always wrap the stems in damp paper towels or florist’s foam, nestling them in a shallow tray of water to keep them hydrated until the moment of display.
Essence and Vibrancy in Floral Designs
At the heart of my floral design philosophy is a deep reverence for the natural world and a desire to capture the essence and vibrancy of our estate-grown ingredients. Whether crafting a centerpiece for our renowned gourmet breakfasts or arranging a whimsical bouquet to welcome guests to our tasting room, I strive to create compositions that evoke a profound emotional connection with the land and the seasons.
Capturing the Seasonal Spirit
By drawing upon the bounty of our estate and the broader network of local flower growers, I am able to create floral designs that are truly in tune with the rhythms of the natural world. A springtime arrangement brimming with the delicate, fragrant blooms of our flowering cherries and lilacs speaks to the renewing energy of the season, while an autumnal display featuring the rich, earthy tones of our dahlias and chrysanthemums conjures a sense of cozy, harvest-time abundance.
Highlighting Natural Beauty
But it’s not just about the flowers themselves. I also revel in the opportunity to showcase the inherent beauty of our estate-grown foliage and botanicals. The architectural, silvery-blue leaves of our sea kale, the delicate, feathery fronds of our wild fennel, the gnarled, twisted branches of our curly willow — these unexpected, often overlooked elements are what truly bring my floral designs to life, adding layers of depth, texture, and visual intrigue.
Evoking Emotional Connections
Ultimately, my goal is to create floral arrangements that not only delight the senses but also forge a deeper, more meaningful connection with the natural world. By drawing upon the bountiful, vibrant ingredients of our estate, I aim to transport our guests to a place of wonder and appreciation, sparking memories, emotions, and a renewed sense of awe for the beauty that surrounds us. It is my sincere hope that with each arrangement I create, I can share a piece of the profound joy and inspiration I experience in tending to this remarkable garden.