My Adventures

Last month I shared with my interest in the history of floral design and the influence of the Egyptian Era. Another art movement in history that inspires my design work is Art Nouveau. Art Nouveau emerged as a reaction from the strict academic art and architecture of...

History reveals how ancient Egyptians used flowers through their paintings and bas-relief sculptures.  The bounty of the Nile River provided abundant vegetation and resources for prosperity, while pantheistic belief in multiple gods, each with its own realm of nature,...

Native to Mexico and Central America our beautiful dahlia are abundant in Pennsylvania gardens in August through early October. They are a member…

The art of precious scars. Wabi sabi ,  the Japanese art of imperfection inspired the beautiful idea of repairing broken ceramics with golden lacquer.  First done in the 15th century the practice recognizes the history of an object and creates an enhanced beauty with...

Spring and early summer in Pennsylvania start with the cheerful yellow of forsythia and crocus blossoms, move through varying shades of narcissus, and later in the season some glorious pale yellow peonies.  This season has inspired me to look into the color yellow and...

The pot-et-fleur is a combination of potted plants and cut flowers which gives the lasting quality of plants with the colorful impact of cut flowers.  The cut flowers may be replaced to give the design many weeks of beauty.Steps to make a pot-et-fleur Prepare your...

Most of us are spending some extra time indoors with the virus quarantine. I am trying to cheer things up a bit by bringing some of the beautiful outdoor blossoms into the house. Sadly I cannot invite you into our home but welcome you with pussy willows and magnolia. ...

For many years I have been involved with the Philadelphia Flower Show and credit it with much of my floral design experience and with a vast number of what I call my “flower friends.”  Each year brings familiar faces of people who I know not only from their faces but...

For the past month I have been traveling across the globe including a few weeks visiting the northern part of India.  Color and chaos abound with stalls selling vegetables, fruits, and flowers line the streets. My first morning in Mumbai was a 5:30 a.m. tour of the...

I am on my way to Honolulu for a demonstration and workshops with the Garden Club of Honolulu. Since most often I work with Pennsylvania garden flowers I revel at the chance of working with some local anthurium and other tropical blooms. The latest look from Hitomi...