Today's Bouquet Goes to Napa!

Today's Bouquet at Monticello Vineyards in Napa!

Happy New Year & Happy Gardening in 2012: My Gardening Resolutions

Roadside Cactus
from our Holiday Road Trip to Arizona

 

  Happy New Year!

I just returned from a road trip to Arizona to celebrate the New Year with our family, and I am ready to get back into the garden despite the cold. 

With our holiday decorations finally taken down; and the last load of laundry from our trip folded; I remembered the list of my gardening resolutions that I came up during the long drive home, and thought I would share them:

  

1.     Take better care of my garden tools--will give them longevity.

2.     Stay on top of weeding--plants will thrive and it will look much better.

3.     Keep Garden Diary--this will better assist in my planning and ordering.

4.     Collect more seeds from my garden--I tend to get lazy with this one.

5.     Occasionally, be still and enjoy in my garden--as I am always tinkering

 What are your gardening resolutions?

Happy Gardening in 2013!!!!!!!

Deck the Halls!

Garlands are my one of my favorite holiday decorations. I love just the way they greet and welcome visitors to my home during the holidays.  This year, I used 16 feet of cedar garland wrapped with white lights, and use ornaments to create a theme. To create a musical theme,  I tied off large golden instrument ornaments that I purchased years ago at a floral store in Florida. Bright red winter berries from my yard add texture and seasonal color to the evergreen garland.  Then, to add a layer of luster, I draped a peppermint and colorful candy glass garland. Bows are always the final touch to finish the arrangement--as anyone who knows me, knows I am completely bow obsessed and collect a variety of rich and unusual ribbon! See details in pics below!

A festive welcomes

Layering of Textures

Ornaments to Create Theme

Lights Brighten &
Warm the Dark Cold Night

Shabby Chic Christmast Tree

While holiday shopping locally with friends in Petaluma, we stumbled upon this shabby chic Christmas Tree in a shopping square in old town's theater district. I loved their choice in ornaments, a variety of painted white old flea market finds including: bird cages and ornate frames, and chandeliers. What a unique and artful inspiration for seasonal decorating! Great shopping too, especially http://www.marisasfantasia.com/.

Happy Holidays! Maya

A Seasonal Celebration: Blooms, Berries, Twigs, and Sprigs

I just added berries and a few evergreen sprigs to a locally grown flower
bouquet from Trader Joe's; then arranged them in a cool mercury glass pedestal bowl

It is hard to believe my late summer flowers are still hanging on in my garden even though it is Dec 12. With the cold monochrome colors of the season emerging in the natural open space surrounding my home, color still prevails against the gray frosty mornings in my garden. The blooming die-hards in my garden include: roses, blue bachelor’s buttons, black-eyed Susans, zinnias., marigolds, and coreopsis among other varieties.  However, it is time to prune, as most are fragile from the morning frosts, and look to bringing in the abundance of this season’s robust evergreens for bouquets and seasonal decor.

Winter in Woods near my Home

Color Prevails in my Garden
Dec 11, 2012

On your neighborhood walks or hikes take a moment to appreciate and discover the evergreen branches and bright bursts of color found in a variety of berries and fruits that hang like ornaments.  Bring these berries, twigs, and sprigs into your home to create festive seasonal decorations; and sometimes you can find them in your own backyard. Below are just a few colorful berries found in my garden:

I have already begun to gather trimmed evergreen branches from the local Christmas tree lot, and pick bright bunches of berries from my yard to create wonderful seasonal arrangements.  For centuries, evergreens branches have been gathered as garlands and wreaths to celebrate life during this cold barren season. I have been having fun using them in seasonal table arrangements.  See some of my recent favorites!

Ice Will Reveal by Julia Dvorin Book Launch Arrangements

Old Maple Syrup Tin with Seasonal Sprigs and Berries

Let It Snow Cupcake Party
for Miller Creek Middle School Library

Remember to celebrate the season with what grows locally and in abundance.  It will make your decor and arrangement seem beautifully authentic to your natural environment and home.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year! Maya xo

We are ready to celebrate the season at my house!

Celebrate Today with My Garden Bouquets!

 

First ” Official” Today’s Bouquet Made for a Parent Meeting at Marin Academy!

Today, I am so excited to officially announce my new backyard homegrown bouquet business! My bouquets offer varieties of heirloom and homegrown flowers, and are an alternative to standard generic super market bouquets.  Today's Bouquet flowers will be fresh and sustainably grown in my garden, and on local farms in the Bay Area.

Today’s Bouquet as a micro-backyard business has been an organic process that first developed through my FB posts of bouquets from my garden; and over this summer grew into my garden blog; and since, it is quickly evolving into a channel for my crazy creative energy!

Each day, I have always loved to bring in cut flowers, greens, and leafy twigs from my garden and walks in the open space into my home, no matter what season, and I hope to share this abundance and beauty with my friends and community. 

Celebrate each day with a garden fresh bouquet!

Thanks to all my FB friends for your encouragement, inspiration, and support!

Read more about Today’s Bouquet

Happy Birthday Sundae Bouquet with Sprinkles on Top!

To celebrate my dear friend's birthday  who happens to be a huge FB gal, I tried to recreate in flowers my signature birthday post, "Happy Bday with Sprinkles on Top!" My new hydrangea "Lime Light" inspired my whimsical bouquet with its soft chartreuse flowery heads that reminded me of dripping scoops of ice cream, which begged to be placed in a dessert dish for presentation complete with sliver spoon topped by sheer lavender polka dot bow!

 I just had to look to my garden to complete the details of my delectable festive and flowery sundae dessert bouquet including: white flox and white/purple lantana for whip cream and topped with a fragrant pink rose. Oh yes, don't forget the sprinkles on top: mini blooms of pink Gomphrena with orange tips!  : P

   

Let your blooms inspire your bouquet

   Gomphrena

Purple Lantana