Waratah

Waratah. Think Gorgeous! They’re a diverse group of flowers that are part of the Protea family. The name Waratah, an Aboriginal name for “beautiful” comes from the Eora people, the original inhabitants of the Sydney area. The botanical term for this flower is perfect, seeing that the blooms are big and visible from far away... Telopea which comes from the Greek word “Telepos” literally means “seen from afar”. Anyone who has seen a waratah in the field would agree with the suitability of the name.

The large red blooms stand out amongst the green of the bush, and the shrub stands tall, strong and erect with long, leathery leaves. Each waratah flower is actually comprised of a group or cluster of flowers. Exactly how many depends on the species… ranging from as few as 10 to as many as 240 individual flowers, surrounded by a circle of floral bracts.

For those who believe in the special healing power or essence of flowers, Waratah represents hope where all seems hopeless, offering the necessary life support and courage needed during dark times. It offers strength and courage to cope with crisis and will bring survival skills to the front. Whatever the Waratah’s magical and spiritual properties maybe… there’s no doubt these beautiful flowers will bring cheer and joy to anyone’s day.

Protea Lady Di

Lady Di, a wonderful, ‘newbie’ here on the farm. This stunning hybrid queen is a blend of Protea magnifica ‘queen’ and compacta. With a medium-to-large size bloom, Lady Di plays off more of the soft, velvety appearance of compacta and lacks the woolly beard of the magnifica. Its long floral bracts are pink, plush and tipped in delicate white fur, then shading to cream at the base while surrounding a silvery-pink central dome. Lady Di is a bloom with plenty of charisma that will keep you enchanted for weeks.

Lady Di typically blooms winter through early spring, helping us beat the cold weather blues with its gorgeous color and fabulous texture. In the field it's sensational, but from there the designing ideas started flowing through my mind and mixed in a bouquet, there’s no doubt this protea ranks among the royal.

When Protea is the Way to Your Heart

If you really want to melt hearts this Valentine’s Day, you might want to think outside the vase. Perfect for besties and sweeties alike, these gorgeous protea wreaths make for thoughtful, long lasting gifts.

A one-of-a-kind handmade gift designed for your one-of-a-kind Valentine.

Serruria Florida Blushing Bride

Without a doubt one the most sought after and best-known of the South African Proteas. Lost to cultivation and believed to be extinct for nearly ninety years, Serruria florida was rediscovered in 1891. The common name, Blushing Bride, was embraced because of its traditional use in bridal bouquets and through the custom of young men wearing the flowers in their buttonholes when courting. Breathtaking blush flower heads about 1 ½” long with papery-white bracts flushed with pink develop during winter through spring. The blooms grow in clusters of up to eight on long stems with soft needle-shaped foliage which gives each branch a light, feathery appearance. 1997

Blushing Bride has become quite popular with designers and florists, particularly in view of their illustrious vase life. They also dry beautifully, which extends their life for an infinite period of time.

Pictures taken in Citrusdal, Western Cape, S. Africa

Flowers on Your Head

One of my favorite spring floral accessories is the flower crown or halo. There’s something very sensual and romantic about wearing flowers on your head. And, it’s not something that should be exclusive to weddings, they’re perfect for most any occasion - birthdays, baby showers, garden parties - the possibilities are endless.

There’s no doubt the floral crowns fashioned by our friend, Mud, for our Field to Vase Dinner were not your typical accessory but they were fun none the less. The gorgeous flower crown above filled with leucadedron, isopogon and serruria was just one of many flaunted by guests. “Flowers on Your Head” created a wonderful photo op that was quite entertaining, and in the end provided guests with a fabulous photo souvenir. Keep scrolling down to see more!

“I must have flowers, always, and always.” ― Claude Monet

Leucospermum Erubescens

Springtime is the most beautiful time of the year in our flower fields. Not only do we have a rainbow of colorful filler flowers, the leucospermum or "pincushion" fields are breathtaking! From yellow to coral and orange to red these gorgeous flowers are a sight to see. But have you seen leucospermum Erubescens? This stunning pincushion has blooms that are bright yellow & orange with red ribboning. The flower head is typically 4 to 8” wide and in clusters of 4-8 small pincushions at the tips of the stems. Each individual flower starts out yellow, gradually opening to reveal a bright crimson-red inside surface, and as the flower ages the yellow hues deepen and change to a reddish-orange. Erubesecens is harvested late winter through early spring.

Other common names for this fabulous leucospermum are Fruit Salad, Langeberg pincushion, orange flame pincushion and Oudtshoorn pincushion.

Farm & Flower Guide: 2017

The 2017 Farm & Flowers Guide is hot off the press and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with you. It’s a spectacular publication that celebrates the various flower and foliage varieties grown in America and the flower farmers who grow them. We hope this farm guide will help you plan your next event and let you know if the blooms you’ve been eyeing will be available!

Throughout the pages, you meet the farmers who are working hard to bring these gorgeous varieties to market… like our favorite farmer, Mel!

Enjoy a peak at several beautiful designs to get your inspiration flowing! And, you can browse the Botanical Index, a handy resource for details and images of a wide range of American Grown flowers and foliage… like beautiful protea and leucadendron from which to select.

If you haven’t received your copy in the September issue of Florists’ Review or Superfloral - Right this way to see the complete Guide.

Enjoy!