This past month I have had several opportunities to visit New York City and have found lots of floral excitement.
The Museum of Arts and Design madmuseum.com curated a Floral Craft event featuring floral designers from across the country, several who have stared in the HBO Full Bloom show.
Kristen Alpaugh www.hausofstems and #FLWRPSTL from LA uses painted and dyed materials including exquisite hand painted anthurium blooms which she calls irithurium #irithurium. I’m now experimenting with this technique and the blooms seem to last even longer than when not painted and have an electric look.
Noritaka Noda www.norinodanyc.com from the Ikenobo school created a dramatic, angular bamboo structure.
Lufti Janania #rosalila.nyc displayed dried materials and showcased a fascinating display of Honduran vases.
It’s impossible to celebrate flowers in NYC without an early morning trip to the 28th Street flower district. Multiple store fronts are filled with a vast variety of flowers from across the globe.
On the block of 28th Street between 6th and 7th set up of the stores begins at 6 a.m. Plants and flowers are carted to the sidewalk and soon it is lined with greens and glorious colors.
Brightly colored pincushion protea line the outdoor window of G Page www.gpage.com and welcome you into an amazing assortment of flowers from Holland, Japan, Australia, and other exotic places. This is the first place I go when at the NYC market because of the varieties and quality.
A vast display of roses creates a mosaic of color while opulent hydrangea blossoms move from blues and purples to pinks and burgundy hues.
Next door at Caribbean Cuts www.caribbeancuts.com tropical abound with heliconia, gingers, birds of paradise and enormous anthurium plus an array of foliage, some painted gold.
Dried materials are making a come-back in the floral design world. Their long- lasting quality makes them appealing for today’s ever- changing market. Suppliers are working on making a wide variety of very appealing colors and textures.
Dutch Flower Line www.dutchflowerline.com, another favorite, has an entire wall of grasses and blooms in a delightful ombre of colors. My hope is that with the Dutch attention to environmental care, that they are dyed and painted without damaging the environment.
An upstairs entrance (look carefully) for Abra Floral Inc. reveals a fabulous display of dried flowers, grasses, and greens. This is an overwhelming display of materials and it was difficult not to want to bring too many of these beautiful blooms home.
Now I’m back in Pennsylvania enjoying my little garden and local flowers but remembering what is out there for purchase, just in case. There’s still nothing better than picking from the garden for my home arranging.
Happy June!!
