Still fiddling with flowers!

Yes, it has been a very long time since I posted anything about flowers - but yes I am still playing with flowers -  designing and gardening....the flower designing is almost entirely at the shoppe lately though.  The gardening is an ongoing process:)  With my children's help we have cleaned up several spots in the gardens, laid bark, planted roses and pulled out creeping vines and flowers that are attempting to take over the yard.  I never thought I would yank out flowers but I can only handle so much wild geranium and when it crowds out the calla lilies it simply has to go.

We are actually working on preparing the lower yard for a lawn and sprinkler system and the first step was to complete the rock retaining wall that we had professionally built two summers ago.  This time we are doing it ourselves - actually Ryan is doing the building, I am shoveling gravel out of the truck bed and offering encouragement.  He is one-third done and doing a great job!  He let me place two blocks but I think he moved them :)  Alvis would be very impressed and proud of Ryan for taking on the job - making our yard a more beautiful place to spend time in (and for little grandchildren to run in!)

I continue to learn more about flower design and trying to not be stuck doing similar things - some days it is hard when nearly every order that comes in is similar to the last but sometimes we (my co-workers and I) actually get to break out and do something big and creative - this usually involves a customer with a larger budget and directions to be creative!  Fun times!

Once in while, Ryan brings home flowers from the hotel after an event - and this week we were graced with gorgeous displays of roses from an "Alice in Wonderland" event.  Each "mushroom" was created from beautiful red roses.  I counted the smaller one - 72 rose buds!!!!!  The larger one I am sure had well over a hundred roses!!!!  There were also table centerpieces of roses, orchids and dahlias.  It is fun for me to not only enjoy the arrangements, but to see what another designer will come up with for an event theme. I certainly was impressed with the "mushrooms!"

Alice in Wonderland roses!

Daisies have always been one of my favorite flowers - they just seem to say "cheery."  Recently I made several table arrangements for a GriefShare dinner (the ministry I am involved with).  I ended up bringing several back home and rearranged them into two larger ones.  The greenery all came from our own yard - and the jasmine added a nice sweet fragrance - especially since daisies are cute but not so sweet to put your nose up to!

Even though I face lots of weed pulling in our yard - I am so very thankful for all the flowers blooming - a sweet blessing from my heavenly Father to me.