Today's post is from expert florist Gerard Toh, AIFD.
In addition to being Teleflora’s Educational Specialist/Industry Relations, Mr. Toh serves as:
*Creative Director, Sherman Oaks Florist, http://www.shermanoaksflorist.com/;
*Creative Director, Human Resources, Century City Flower Mart, http://www.centurycityflowermart.com/;
*Special Projects Art Director, Bride and Bloom magazine, http://www.thebrideandbloom.com/.
Flowers are special. That is so serious sounding. We use flowers for serious occasions like a wedding or a fancy dinner party. We send flowers to wish someone speedy recovery or to send love to survivors of the dearly departed.
I think flowers should also be fun. Flowers’ bright and cheery nature calls for its use in bright and cheery occasions. I often take flowers home just because I can. Flowers can also be a source of joy when you arrange them just for yourself. No need to take it seriously.
Pick up a bunch of gerbera daisies at your local florist and plunk them into a tall thin cylinder vase with some bear grass. Letting them fall every which way gives them a playful look. The same goes for tulips. The taller French tulips make even more of a statement.
I am passionate about flowers. I don’t have any preconceptions about which flowers are trendy and which are not. I love them all. It is ok to pick up a bunch of carnations for the home. There are so many new varieties of these amazing flowers in so many incredible colors. Cluster a bunch of natural green ones and mix them with the new dark purple ones in a purple vase for a vibrant setting.
Teleflora's Fashionista Blooms is a mix of roses, gerberas, hydrangea, carnations and buttonspray chrysanthemums.
Some other flowers that are severely overlooked are chrysanthemums and gladiolus. Mums are long lasting and also come in several shapes. Try mixing varieties in a heaping bundle on a coffee table. Gladioli placed in a vase are impressive on an entrance table. They can be collared with a base of assorted greenery for a fuller look.
Imagine red gladiolus against a hot pink wall or green ones against a purple or plum wall! When dahlias are in, I would mix different varieties and cluster them tightly in a low ceramic bowl. They look good anywhere. A single stem of phaleonopsis orchids or cymbidiums set in a vase exude a sophistication that is unmatched.
It does not have to be a special occasion to use flowers. Pick up a mixed bunch of flowers when you are just visiting friends. Most florists will custom mix your bunch for you. Have fun picking and choosing your colors and flowers. If you know where the flowers will be placed, have the florist arrange the bunch so that it will be ready to be placed into a vase with the right mix of colors and flowers.
It is also fun to arrange them with your friends. I always recommend that the bunch of mixed flowers can be separated and placed in several different containers. That way, every room will be beautified with flowers.
A couple of roses in a bud vase for the bedroom or a stem of dendrobium orchid florets floating in a bowl on a coffee table or an assortment set in a vase for the dinning table…all from that bunch of flowers you brought.
Remember to do this for yourself as well because you deserve flowers!
