Loretta Stagen Floral Designs

Summer ended with a dream assignment, one that challenged me creatively, and called upon quick thinking. The destination was the American Gold Cup Equestrian Event, an exquisite four-day affair at The Old Salem Farm in North Salem. My part was to create 80 centerpieces of varying sizes that would match the excellence being displayed in the ring on the difficult jumping course. Container by Rustiek Container by Rustiek Artichokes, succulents, thistles, hydrangeas, hypericum berries, roses, mini calla lilies, pin cushion flowers, cock’s comb, arachnid orchids, kangaroo paws and single magnolia leaves joined forces for a veritable cornucopia of shapes and autumnal colors. Container by Rustiek And I used custom troughs of reclaimed barn wood for containers. These truly stunning assemblages added bursts of color to linens in shades of green, terra cotta and deep plum. I like to think that while the world class equestrians ma...

What a nice mix of jobs I had this summer.   I loved every bit of it, and I guess it showed. Merchants in New Preston and Washington, CT, turned to me to create window boxes and planters that would go the extra mile for the busy tourist season.   I had fun coordinating the entrance D. K Schulman Design in New Preston –with window boxes of black and papaya petunias.   This striking combination captured the eye of an Artscope Magazine photographer illustrating an article on Litchfield County.   I worked the ever-faithful angelonia, vebena, lantana and millions bells; these are the Percheron draft horses, the mainstays, and come in many varieties and colors. Needlepoint ivy and a few surprises added the finishing touches. Sometimes flowers and foliage really CAN draw pedestrian traffic, and this was exactly what happened the day I arrived in Larchmont, NY, and began creating a large planter for Sweeets, a new candy emporium. “Would you come do mine next year?’ one of...