Loretta Stagen Floral Designs

What makes a wedding special? Sometimes it’s as simple as using flowers from the mother of the bride’s cutting garden. I thought of this recently as I filled buckets with flowers for a bridal bouquet for a summer wedding at Great Hollow Preserve in New Fairfield. Photo by Anna Beeke As it turned out, zinnias of many varieties and colors, dahlias, phlox, daisies, Queen Anne’s lace and peegee hydrangeas – made for a sumptuous summer mélange that worked wonderfully in many combinations. I loved the way the Queen’s Anne Lace mirrored the lace in the bride’s lovely gown; and that simple birch branches, topped with a spray of delphinium, hydrangeas and snapdragons, was transformed into a ceremonial arch. Photo by Anna Beeke Photo by Anna Beeke Photo by Anna Beeke The bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnières, 108 centerpieces and large stand-alone arrangements drew similarly from this charming floral palette. Antiqued metal containers and long wooden farm tables completed...

Snapdragons, baby mums, phlox, roses and asters are staples in many home gardens. But have you ever considered some ways to build upon these flowers in arrangements that are fresh and contemporary? Recently at The Smithy in New Preston I gave a workshop in which we explored some possibilities. To a bouquet of phlox and dusty miller I added stems of raspberries. For a burst of color how about purple asters. I place them in orange peppers-as-containers. Fresh herbs in a rectangular glass container were lovely all on their own, but adding a bed of river stones to the base of the clear container and several stems of colorful snapdragons upped the ante. Why not mix roses with vegetables, and onions with frilly kale? How about using aspidistra leaves to conceal the oasis in a clear container? Arranging really offers us a chance to tap into our imaginations and to play. As an aside -- I use organic vegetables and herbs in my arrangements. Why? I know I’ll be chopping them up and usin...