Considering Nature

There are places that I travel to in my mind when I am considering flowers. Colour comes first, always always. It’s the blueprint or the scaffolding for all of my ideas actually, not just the floral ones. When I plan dinner I think of the colours first. I eat with my eyes. Aesthetics don’t matter but also you know what? Yes they do! I’m the kind of person who lives in my thoughts, my mind is the safest place to be so when I extend my consciousness outward, I want some serious eye candy. Colour can change my mood instantly. One time I went to a yoga class and the room was the most aggressive shade of red, the hallway was orange and I got the hell out of there as fast as I could. I just… couldn't, wouldn’t.

Shape comes next, shape and placement of colour within the shape. When I remember rolling hills, wild meadows of brown bracken against the cool blue sky, how those two colours feel like winter to me, I feel inspired. How can I translate this feeling, this landscape and season and place and bring it indoors, on a table or against a door frame? Texture is a finer detail. Brown flowers are available year round these days. Ranunculus, lisianthus primarily but also sometimes tulips, dried allium, bearded iris, orchids. Each variety has a different personality and each stem even more so. Flowers should bring you somewhere, transport you away from reality for a minute. I want my flowers to slow down time, connect me with the environment and with my own memories and to other people.

When I meet with a client, I love to find out about their memories of nature. Many times it’s the memory of a person that’s connected with a variety. “Grandma loved peonies.” “ My husband loves growing herbs.” “We love peach season, can we bring peaches into the arrangement?” “Thistles and heather mean a lot to our family because we’re from Scotland”. I love all of the stories. Once. Many years ago when I was first starting out, I was commissioned to make a bridal bouquet that was edible. Kale, Chard, Garlic, Eggplant, all of it. The bride apparently stir fried and ate it with her partner after the wedding. Another event included a table scape made of fruits and vegetables colour blocked in an ombre rainbow.

Any form of creativity thrives within imposed boundaries, with floral design I think its fun to stretch those boundaries to include everything and anything found in nature or reflecting nature.