Farm Fresh: Spring Wedding Flowers Part 2

Just a few weeks after Annie and Erika's wedding, I was back at the market and contacting growers once again for my friend, Karina's, wedding.

I've known Karina since high school where we met working in food service at a local retirement home. She's not your typical bride as she doesn't get caught up with the excitement of flowers or any sort of elaborate wedding planning. Part of her just wanted the formalities of the wedding to be done with. While other brides choose themes, colors, and work out every detail possible by themselves or with their wedding planner,  Karina just put her trust to her friends who have offered to help and with a tight budget, it was certainly challenging, but we made it work.

When I sat down with Karina and her then fiance, Dustin, she really wanted daffodils in her bouquet. Sadly, I had to inform her that daffodils would be done by her May wedding. A few days before the big day, I had dinner with the bride and groom and our friends, Michelle and Molly, who by coincidence, are also getting married this year and have asked me to do their flowers as well. YIKES!

I was running a bit late, but I wanted to give Karina a "pre-wedding bouquet" so she would get a sense of a style that I was leaning towards. To my surprise, these were in bloom:

Narcissus 'Actaea' ( A poeticus type)

The poeticus Narcissus are the last to flower for the season and even thought they weren't the quintessential yellow many would expect from a daffodil, they still make a statement and the rich scent they exude just added something very special to a hand-tied bouquet I created utilizing various ingredients from outside the garden. She didn't believe they were daffodils, but she still enjoyed my creation. Karina is a fairly simple and straightforward gal who, much like Annie and Erika, don't want to go overboard with decorations and such.

 

As I presented her this bouquet, I had something else in mind for her eventual bouquet that would, once again, utilize the wonderful Ranunculus field fresh from Everyday Flowers at the Seattle Wholesale Grower's Market! Her colors are buttered popcorn yellow, navy blue and  ivory.

Vivian delivered the most wonderful Ranunculus and her Anemones were absolutely stunning! I was telling Karina about these and she will now and forever call them "REDUNCULUS"!  When I went to the grower's market, I was treated to a surprise and saw the same Poeticus Narcissus being offered by the bundles from Choice Bulb Farms in Mt. Vernon as well!

So, I went right to work just as soon as I got everything I needed. I'm getting better at being organized when I do my flowers; it helps to really lay them out individually so one can just grab a stem with ease as they bring it all together.

My last stop for flowers and greens was my own garden where Lily of the Valley was in peak bloom. I harvested as much as I could.

So, here's what I was able to pull together. I actually made three bouquets for Karina to choose from:

Michelle holding a bouquet as one of the bridesmaids

The corsage for the parents

And the boutonnieres for the groom and groomsmen.

The venue was at the infamous Museum of Flight in one of their conference rooms that needed a bit of sprucing up so I took my leftover flowers and foliage to create a few more pieces.

 

It's such a great feeling to see a beautiful bride walk down the aisle with something you created specially for her.

Farm Fresh: Spring Weddings Flowers Part 1

Since Katharine and Scott's wedding last summer in Seabrook, WA. I've been inspired more than ever to help friends with their wedding flowers and I've been gaining the confidence to churn out creations that people enjoy and are amazed by as long as they're okay with me using what's in my yard, their yards, what's in season and in a valiant attempt to visit and support local specialty growers, their remarkable and interesting crops, I hope, to use as well!

My first wedding flower gig this season is for my co-worker Annie and her longtime partner, Erika. With the passing of Referendum 74 here in Washington State that allows same-sex couples to finally be married and have it be acknowledged by the state, it was a HUGE honor to have been asked to do their flowers.

One of the biggest trends in weddings these days is the whole DIY concept in keeping costs down. It can be affordable, but the time and labor involved can easily stress and frustrate those who take it on. Knowing Annie and Erika, they're not at all about extravagance, they simply wanted the very basic and they wanted to use plants and flowers from their own garden that they grew. So, my challenge was to stay true to their simple requests: a bouquet for Erika, a boutonniere for Annie, their son Anders, and corsages and boutonniere for the parents and center pieces for the tables and just a few random arrangements here and there to decorate and enhance the venue.

Having been playing around with arrangements all winter, the spring push opened up a whole new palette of wonderful garden plants that would be wonderful for their wedding. With Annie being an avid gardener herself, "Why not just cut from the garden?!".

So I went at it with buckets and just gathered as much material that I thought would hold up. Fantastic Solomon's seal (Polygonatum sp), Helleborus x hybridus just reaching the stage where they're best cut, assorted greens, and even the horribly weedy spanish bluebells inspired some color and held up alright "as a cut"

The Seattle Wholesale Grower's Market in the Industrial District of the Emerald City has been such a delight to visit each and every time I come in. Having made many contacts and close friends and colleagues through the likes of author Debra Prinzing, photographer David Perry, and Diane Szukovathy of Jello Mold Farms, I'm as giddy as a kid in a candy store looking forward to what the growers have brought in and to be greeted by smiles and hugs when I visit just makes me realize how much I love what I do. Floral designer and aspiring cut-flower grower, Nicole Cordier, is the main woman behind the desk handling orders and greeting customers. I adore her enthusiasm for unique plant materials and it's so easy to just hang around and chat flowers and the future of the industry. Not only is she a next generation gardener, she could be a next generation GROWER! The beauty of all this is the fact that we're not alone in our endeavors. I've met three other young ladies in just the past year who have their sights set on growing cut flowers and I'm anxious to see if their strong interest carries them through the ups and downs of a very challenging industry.

So, for Annie and Erika's wedding, I proposed that we use soft orange Ranunculus and blue grape hyacinths. As for arrangements, they were very open to ideas and expressed their love of lilacs so I grabbed a large bunch along with some fantastic, young snowball viburnums that were still a light moss green that contrast with the deep violet color. These were grown by Oregon Coastal Flowers who have a regular stand at the Seattle Wholesale Grower's Market.

For the orange ranunculus, Nicole directed me to Ms. Vivian Larson of Everyday Flowers who was their Ranunculus and Anemone specialist and I was able to get in touch with her to place a special order for 50 stems of orange ranunculus. By coincidence, her Standwood farm was actually on the way to the wedding venue in Camano Island and I has asked if I could pick up my order and also see her growing operation!!!!!!So yeah....good times...good times!! She was so kind and enthusiastic and I admired her work ethic and remarkable quality flowers as she toured me through her hoop houses and her fields in the picturesque Skagit Valley

I couldn't help but marvel at the incredible and painstaking work involved in producing these cut blooms. I also had to get some fabulous Cerinthe purpurescens, which she cut for me right then and there! Talk about fresh from the field!!

With my floral-mobile set, I gave Vivian a hug and gave her my sincerest thanks and off I went to Camano Island to quickly put wedding flowers together.

I was actually surprised that the scent of lilacs wasn't too overpowering. Combined that with wonderful lily-of-the-valley, it was simply heaven! It felt so good to have had the opportunity to gather all these plants, meet the people who tended and raised them and now comes the part where it all comes together to celebrate a union that's been a long time coming!

 

With the help of the family, they arranged the centerpieces and did a great job!

After a wonderful and emotional ceremony, I was greeting with compliments and "thank yous" from so many people and I was so thrilled that they were pleased with the result. Probably the most meaningful comment someone said to me was, "You did a great job. This is so Annie and Erika!"


Riz

Losing a member of our PNW gardening community

I've written and raved about Steamboat Island Nursery near Olympia, WA a few years back when I came down to pay the lovely Laine McLaughlin a visit. It was with great sadness, however, to learn that her partner in crime, Duane Heier, tragically passed away a few weeks ago in a light rail-train accident in Seattle. 

I didn't know Duane very well, but he was the kind of man that was obviously hard-working, very kind, and would do anything for Laine and the work involved keeping up with one of the most prominent specialty nurseries in the Puget Sound region.

Duane was the delivery guy, the re-stocker, the waterer; all the things that needed to  be done, he did and he did so with kindness and patience. One of my colleagues had said that he was easy going and so much involved in the business of growing and selling plants, yet he wasn't a plant-person at all.

It has been awhile since I saw Laine and to hear the news of his passing was just unreal. I'm so used to seeing Laine so upbeat and bubbly and she has the biggest smile each time she says "Hey, ________! How ya doin?"

I just hope that working in her garden/nursery again provides some therapy, while, I'm sure, it brings back a flood of memories of her and Duane. 

Ian Barclay of Desert Northwest blogged about Duane's passing and provided some links and numbers for us to possibly help out Laine during this very difficult time.

Donations directly to Steamboat Island Nursery:
8424 Steamboat Island Road, Olympia, WA 98502.

An account to cover funeral costs was created at Twin Star Credit Union, 
P.O. Box 718, Olympia, WA 98507-0718.
Checks should be made to “Laine McLaughlin” and the memo line should say “Duane Heier” and account #411133-00.”

If you want to talk donations, or donate cash, talk to Jay Higgins at 3heartsas1@gmail.com You can also send messages to Laine directly to the nursery email: steamboat@olywa.net

 Rest in Peach, Duane. Do watch over Laine and trust that we're all looking after her.


Riz

My Infatuation with PCIs (Pacific Coast Iris Hybrids)

Pacific Northwest gardeners are able to brag about a lot of plants that most of the rest of the country could only see and admire in photographs and Pacific Coast Irises seem to be one of those that are such workhorses in the garden, but they're rarely seen outside of California, Oregon, and Washington.

Iris x 'Native Warrior' offered by Xera Plants

Now why is that? As you'll see with the mouth-watering color forms that I've obtained and grown for several years now, they've been highly praised for their shade and drought tolerance and a few select forms have excellent evergreen foliage!

To start, let's look at what's comprised as a PCI:

There are about 11 wild, native, species that make up the PCI's. They are considered a "beardless" type of iris that grow as rhizomatous clumps and thrive in our wet winters, dry summers and moderate temperatures.
Some species hybridize on their own and, of course, selections are made and numerous crosses are done to enhance the size of bloom, improve habit and vigor and diversify the color range that exists.





Often you'll see them offered as seed-grown plants in local garden centers, but specialty nurseries will carry named selections that can be quite extraordinary.

My first exposure to them was when I was in college and doing a planting plan for a design/build project I was involved in. I did some research and found that these irises would be perfect for curbside plantings and the specs emphasized the use of natives. Naturally wanting something more extravagant and more memorable thanks just sword ferns or salal, I found 5 plants at a local garden center with the full intent of using them for this project, but we were over budget and knowing that they probably wouldn't reimburse me if I used them in the garden, I decided to keep them and plunk them in my garden. The result were 4 vigorous plants (one just died randomly), three of which I donated to use at the Center for Urban Horticulture and one that simply took my breath away so I decided to keep and propagate.

An unregistered selection named 'Ami Royale' offered by Far Reaches Farm

With a handful of named selections, PCI hybrids are still difficult to come by. I still find that a lot of Northwest gardeners really don't know them so the push to really propagate and offer them in large quantities just isn't there. The plants are also somewhat temperamental about WHEN they're divided. I've been taught that once new roots are beginning to form at the base of the rhizome, they're ready for division.

A hybrid with unique coloration - could possibly already be named

Ideally, they start putting down new roots before winter sets in allowing the roots to reestablish so the plants are immediately replanted in the beds or potted up and overwintered in a cool, unheated polyhouse over the winter.

Iris x 'Drip Drop' was offered by Cistus Nursery

So why aren't these stunning plants found in other parts of the USA? According to Iris growers in the mid-west and east coast, hardiness seem to be the downfall of these extravagant blooms. While they easily withstand frosts a deep freeze in the single digits may do some of these varieties in.

The unique coloration of Iris x 'Baby Blanket' I got from Dancing Oaks Nursery

Check out the stunning contrast with a gold leaf red-flowering currant at the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon's Spring Plant Sale!

This one was just labeled as "blue-violet", but looks stunning enough to be a named selection.

Again, another unnamed selection that caught my eye so I grabbed it

So, what did happen to that one that was left from the original 5 plants I first got:

I've observed it, divided it, and shared starts with various friends and colleagues, who, I hope will keep it going.

Cheers,

Riz

Oh Marcia, Marcia, Marcia...

I've certainly heard of the name, but never really thought it would be a person I'd ever get to know or meet. Ken Druse persuaded and convinced me that this was a garden worth visiting since I was in the Berkeley area. Having seen some of her artwork in private gardens here in Puget Sound and also in Portland, the name Marcia Donahue seems to come up again and again and I thought, "I better see what the fuss is about."  Also, I got the feeling that I Ken might be mighty upset with me if I didn't meet her.

So hauled ass on a taxi from the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden to arrive at a home that almost reminded me of Sean Hogan's home in Portland. Densely planted with some really cool plants, I knew I was in for a treat and with 10 minutes to spare, I could at least say "hello" and introduce myself.

But then:

 

I was a bit bummed, but I did peak around the front and admired what I could see. At every corner, not only did you see her remarkable plant palette, but the artwork was whimsical, unique, and you can see the incredible attention to detail and inspiration from the wonderful plants she's surrounded herself with integrated into her sculptures and compositions. Even this note attached to what looks like bamboo, but uniquely isn't, was very eye-catching and blended with the dense plantings so well.

I left her a note and my card and walked back to the BART station to head back to Fremont, where I was staying. I started getting upset at myself again for not having planned ahead, yada yada yada, but then it wasn't really part of the plan to see her garden. The fact was, I DID see Marcia Donahue's garden, but I just didn't get to meet her. I told myself that I'd make the effort the next time I came down to the Bay Area.

As I waited for a ride from the station, I get a phone call and IT WAS MARCIA DONAHUE!!!   She had apologized for not having the garden open as she was out in Sonoma camping with her family and that she did hear from Ken Druse about my coming to visit and she had offered to show me her garden if I was free the next day. So I made it happen and I was back on the BART back to Berkeley to meet the infamous MD!

Walking through her jungle of a garden with art was really quite something. I'm normally not a fan of garden art, but somehow, it all works together in its own special way. I think it's because of her ability to capture the essence of a plant part whether it be the culms of a bamboo, the bracts of a Disporum or the spathe of an Arisaema, she understands these elements internally and expresses them in a very clever and sophisticated manner that's tasteful and can truly be appreciated by a plant geek such as myself.

The muscularity of this simple sculpture resembles a crape myrtle, but with the segments of bamboo and the pale pink and grays pick up the coloration of the young Begonia foliage.

One gangly plant caught my attention which lead to a phone call and a ride in her car to a nearby nursery that a colleague of mine actually recommended I visit as well!!!!!!

She insisted that I grow this fabulous member of the carrot family, Mathiasella bupleuroides:

So she whisked me down just a few blocks to The Dry Garden and introduced me to Richard Ward. The nursery itself was small, but the offerings absolutely mouthwatering! I kept reminding myself that I was only after one plant and it had to be a size I could pack in my suitcase. 

Of course, that all changed when Richard pointed out a most striking variegated Bromeliad that we all just gawked that for a moment and then I simply couldn't resist it.

This is Aechmea 'Aztec Gold'. Totally not hardy, but I convinced myself that it's too freakin' aw

So awesome that even Richard wanted to take a photo!

Two other plant purchases later, including my new baby Mathiasella and a Pachystegia insignis I've been lusting after since ours at work died a few years ago, we went back to Marcia's where I continued my tour and admiration of her remarkable and interesting garden. 

The chickens were a lovely surprise and each them were a work of art!

Mulching with bowling balls!

Not gonna lie, I want these!!

I can't tell you how honored I was to meet Marcia and see this remarkable garden. She is passionate about her work and so incredibly generous with the wonderful gifts she has as not only as an artist, but as a person as well. My thanks to Ken Druse for making the introduction. 

Until we meet again, Ms. Donahue:

I found this little video on YouTube of Marcia sharing her work at a local gallery: