Flowers For A Good Cause | Floret.ca

Floret had a wonderfully unique opportunity recently to make a contribution in a way that it knows best to raise funds for a very worthy cause.  The Markham Stouffville Hospital.

Florals for every table were contrbuted as well as six feature arrangements that were auctioned off to raise over a thousand dollars!

I’ve been debating whether or not to write this, but here goes…

So in my last post,  I wrote about my trip to Museum in the Big Apple and about how everywhere I go I can’t help but noticed the flowers.

But then I remembered that I didn’t notice the flowers at the hotel where I was staying.

It’s it possible that the lobby flowers at the Ritz were so perfect that I didn’t even notice them? Apparently! Perfectly in keeping, with the understated elegance the hotel is renowed for, I didn’t even take a picture.

A couple of weeks ago, I made a trip to the Big Apple to mix a little bit of business and pleasure.

It’s hard not to notice that in New York City everything is done on a grander scale.

On a free afternoon, I made a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and of course being a florist I was immediately taken with luxurious fall arrangements in each of the four niches in the Great Hall. Of course, I couldn’t help myself…had to take a picture.

The other thing that was equally as fascinating were the little metal plaques that are found at the bottom of the urns stating that the flowers were part of an permanent endowment.

It read “These fresh flowers are the continuing gift of Lila Acheson Wallace”.

Now that’s classy if I do say so myself!

Flowers In The Great Hall At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art | Floret.ca

I’m always grateful for the notes of thanks that I receive after the wedding.

I know of the relief and sometimes exhaustion that comes after the big day has come and gone and I am always amazed that the time taken by a weary albeit blissful bride and groom to write a thoughtful note.

I received this from Lisa and David whose wedding at the Boiler House I wrote about last week.

Reprinted with their permission, naturally.

Thank You Lisa and David! It was my pleasure. All the best to you!

With the first day of spring around the corner, I think I’m ready to let it go.

Over the years, I have built up a rather formidable collection of books and magazines that contained pictures and ideas that I thought would serve as inspiration for my clients and now all this time later, I think that the time has come.

I have some of the very early editions of Martha Stewart magazine and books which I can’t bear to part with, but I’ve learned over the years, that my clients bring with them all the inspiration a florist ever needs to create something unique, beautiful and personal.

Whether it’s a binder or USB key full of ideas or just a description or a story of how they want the day to look and feel, I have always found it to be more than enough.

I wish I had my camera Monday morning. It had the makings of sweet picture.

I had made a quick run into the local grocery store to grab a couple of things and as I was walking towards the exit I saw of a line of men with a bouquet of red roses in hand standing at the checkout.

I reminded me that it is still one of the most ultimately romantic of gestures – giving beautiful fragrant flowers to the one closest to your heart.

I, on the other hand, also greatly appreciate something sweet along with the flowers. With red velvet cupcakes all the rage, it’s a great combination.

Hope you all had a lovely Valentine’s Day!

Red Velvet Cupcake | Floret

Remember, my post last week about the wedding on two weeks notice?

Well, it all worked out!

(Reprinted with permission).

I have often wondered what the flowers and foliage that I design look like in their natural environment.

Every once in a while when I can remember to ask my growers, I get the most fascinating and unexpected answers.

“Oh it grows as a vine along the ground and it’s all cut by hand.” or “It grows about 20 to 30 feet off the ground the end of tree branches and people have to climb up to get them.”

My goodness! How easy it is to take for granted when I have hundreds of orchids stems waiting to be arranged or boxes of foliage waiting to be designed.

I had a similar feeling this past Thanksgiving weekend, when my family and I went for a stroll in one of the forests just outside of the city to see the last of the leaves turning.

I saw growing out of the ground a green in the foliage world with a rap equal to carnations in the flower world (although that’s changing).

It was full and lush. Nothing like the unfortunate state it sometimes seems to find itself in arrangements.

The lowly leather fern in its natural setting in a shady lush forest was a thing of real beauty.

Lush Greens Au Naturel | Floret.ca

It’s probably quirk that comes with what I do, but wherever I go whether it’s a restaurant or a museum, my first thoughts are what it would be like to have a wedding there.

I took a little break in Chicago (one of my favourite cities) recently and did the usual tourist activities like visit the museums and try out some of the more notable places for gourmet food (amazing BTW) and everywhere I went, I thought about what a wedding might look like in there.

One of the places that found particular stunning was the Field Museum in Chicago. Not even sure if that have weddings there (I cannot imagine not), but the main hall is beyond stunning especially considering how coveted our own Royal Ontario Museum as a wedding venue.

The classical architecture has not parallel. A true magnificent place to consider having a wedding in the Windy City.