Gold Coast Wedding

オーストラリアはいま秋、ここゴールドコーストもちょっと風が冷たい日もあるけどまだまだ日中は暖かい季節。海や空も限りなく青く澄んでいます。ビーチで見かけるお嫁さんのウェディングドレスがひときわ白く映ってすっごく綺麗。もし仮に海外で挙式を考えているなら是非ゴールドコーストに来て欲しい。本当に本当に素敵なところだから自信をもってお勧めします。それにゴールドコースト専門の海外挙式プロデュースHappiness PLANNER http://www.happinessplanner.com/news/index.phpにお任せすればひとりひとりの希望を親切に叶えてくれます。ホームメイドスタイルの提案をしてくれるので夢に描いていた通りの素敵な挙式になること間違い無し！嬉しい事に色んなキャンペーンを用意している様なので早速チェックしてみて。さらにGaneshaのウェブサイトから見たといえば割引があるようです。もちろんブーケはGaneshaにお任せ下さい。心をこめてひとつひとつ大切に作ります。
挙式の動画はコチラhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMj616q6llw&feature=shar

Girls Day

いつの時代でも女の子は幸せな結婚を夢見るもの。日本では遥か昔から 女の子の成長と無病息災を願って３月３日に結婚式を催したお人形を飾ってお祝いします。ちょうど桃の花が咲く季節なので桃の節句とも呼びますがレッドカーペット如く赤い布に覆われた７段飾りの人形は優雅そのもので子供の頃はわくわくしながら母と一緒に飾ったのを覚えています。雅な雛人形はもちろんのこと実に精巧に作られた小さな食器や調度品は幼いながら深く感動しいつか訪れるであろう自分の結婚式に夢を馳せたものでした。

というわけでここ南半球では季節が真逆のため残念ながら桃の花とはいきませんがピンクのスプレーバラ、ホワイト、グリーンの三色の季節の小花を菱形の器にアレンジし菱餅のイメージにしてみました。トップにはちりめんで作った雛人形を飾って、ひな祭りや初節句のお祝いに喜ばれそう。

習慣は変わっても日本人である以上日本の文化や行事は継承していきたいものです。

Valentine's Roses

いよいよもうすぐバレンタイデーです。男子諸君もうお花を贈る準備はできていますか？

オーストラリアでは男性から恋人や奥様にお花を送るのが主流ですが何故か日本では女の子から好きな男の子へチョコレートを送るのが”愛の告白”の儀式として定着していますよね。それでも近頃では女子同士で友情の証としてプレゼント交換するのが流行っている様なのですがそれにしてもデパートなどにはすごい数のチョコレートが並んでいます。どれもこれもおしゃれで素敵。チョコレートの味はもちろんのことギフトボックスやラッピングが可愛いのなんのって、さすが日本のマーケットはすごいなあって思います。やはりギフトの文化の国だけあって贈り物に対する姿勢がここオーストラリアとでは違うんだなあとつくずく思います。

さて明後日のバレンタインデーこちらの男子はどんなお花を大切な人にあげるのかというとやはり一番人気は赤い薔薇。『情熱』『愛情』『貞節』『美』を花言葉とする赤薔薇はちょっとシャイな男子にとっては格好の愛情表現なんです。女性って幾つになってもお花を貰うのはとっても嬉しいもの。特にバラはやはりお花の王道だし香りも格別。今は色も豊富で赤に限らずバラは絶対にはずせないアイテムなのです。これにちょっとしたアクセサリーや香水なんかを添えたらもう上出来！永遠の愛を勝ち取れるでしょう。でも毎年忘れず贈りましょうね。日本の男子も是非機会があったら女性に一度は薔薇の花を贈ってみて下さい。

Hey guys, Valentine's day is just around the corner. Have you organised sending flowers for your love one? Here in Australia, usually guys give some

flowers to their lovers but in Japan girls give chocolate to boys for their message of love. Although recently Valentine's day has become a very popular event exchanging "chocolate" between girl's for friendship also. Therefore so many chocolates are in the markets and all of them are extremely cute and stylish. Not only the taste, but gift boxes and wrapping technique are amazing! Such a great gift culture in Japan.

Anyhow, Australian mens No. 1 choice  for Valentines's day is red roses. The meanings of red rose are "Passion" "Love" "Commitment" and "Beauty". A perfect message for someone who you love. You should know that every girl in the world would love to receive flowers from a man. Especially the rose, which is the most elegant flower and has such a beautiful fragrance - it is such an attractive item for Valentine's Day. Roses have so many colours to choose from and if you add a little jewellery or her favourite perfume that would be perfect! You will find your way into your loves heart, although don't forget to send it every year...Well, Japanese boys you guys should try to send beautiful roses to ladies once in your life.

Clivia

Do you know Clivia? Clusters of vibrant yellow throated, orange or salmon trumpet flowers. A few choice varieties bloom in bright red, yellow or cream but these are not always available.
The flowers are held on stalks above the clump of dark green strap-like leaves.

They are just stunning. Very easily grown plants that every year  happily blossom in the shady spot and brighten up the early spring garden. For some reason I've never seen Clivia in flower markets, it's only seen in pots at the nursery. It must not be suitable for cut flowers I guess. However when I use them in flower arrangements they have great impact and last as long as general common flowers. I will show you soon how they look beautiful in a flower arrangement but just let me enjoy them a little longer in my garden looking them through the window 'cos they are just starting to blossom...

Brushing Bride

I made this bouquet today. The bride has chosen her wedding bouquet to be Australian native flowers so I selected a mix of Protea pink ice, orange Cordifolium and yellow Leucodendron, Wax, Berzelia and the Brushing Bride.

The Brushing Bride is grown in Australia, originated  from South Africa and is a member of the Protea family. Many Australian native plants belong to this same family.

The Brushing Bride is light with papery bracts surrounding feathery tufts of white to pinkish flowers. 

Many Australian natives flowers are solid, bright and dominant so I positioned some of the Brushing Bride in the centre to be a focal strength with a few scattered around. I love the Brushing Brides' texture and softness, it can combine perfectly with any type of flowers. It is however only around in Spring.

Tulip

Here it comes, Spring! A lot of variety of blossoms are available in flower markets. Beautiful colours, texture, shapes and fragrances... It's really amazing. I can't believe that there are so many types of flowers I haven't seen before. Hope I can get opportunities  to use all of them throughout my florist career!

From September to November I get pretty busy producing on gorgeous bouquets for many happy weddings in the Gold Coast. I've had a lot of wedding flower enquires during the winter season and the Tulip is one of the brides favourite. Tulips have soft fluffy plump flowers with hollowed long stems. Comes with many variety of colours that can suit many wedding theme. A lot of them are grown in Victoria and many elegant species are imported from Europe. Can you imagine walking through this colourful garden in Holland? They're simply breath taking.

Spring garden in the Netherland

Actually Tulips are quite challenging to manage into bridal bouquets. I would recommend to hold them in the winter/early spring weddings because they're delicately reactive for temperature and light. They keep growing and popping out the bundle of the bouquet so that I usually glue their petals or put some pinholes on the neck of the buds; this method can stop or slow down their rapid growth.

Calla Lily and Arum Lily

Originating in southern Africa the Calla and Arum Lilly, look very similar. They both have long tubular hollow stems uncurling into a unique trumpet shaped bloom. The main differences between Calla and Arum Lilies are their size and colour availability. Arum tend to be larger, floppier and mainly white and green, whereas Calla Lilies are smaller, more elegant and have more variety of colours e.g. deep aubergine, mango, yellow, white, green and pink with new varieties being released regularly due to popularity.

The Calla or Arum Lilies are an ideal choice for dramatic and contemporary bridal bouquets, the glossy texture and visual interest add a great impact with sophisticated slender gowns.

Arum lilies

Calla Lilies

 They make perfect fillers amongst other complementary flowers. Combined with similar tones for a showcase of vibrant colour or a single arrangement of white Lilies tied with a classic ribbon, this flower can be as simple or versatile as you wish.