Last September, in a country venue surrounded by olives and vineyards on Lake Garda near Verona, I created the florals for a lovely Italian couple living in London. Since the location had that countryside vibe Greta, chose a timeless green and white palette and a natural romantic style.
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A Joyful Summer Wedding in an Italian Countryside Villa
For this summer wedding the bride told me she wanted a joyful, relaxed vibe for her big day. The couple chose a romantic countryside villa near Verona, with a dreamlike wood. The colours that expressed her vision best were: bright orange, sunny yellow, shades of pink, combined with a touch of delicate peach and white.
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5 Summer Flowers for an Amazing Bridal Bouquet
In September I created the wedding floral decorations for a sweet, young couple. The bride Siè was from Colombia and the groom Patrick, from Germany. Being an international couple with friends and family coming from all over the world, they decided to celebrate their union in romantic Italy. Siè and Patrick immediately fell in love with the location, a very dreamy estate near lake Garda, set amongst vineyards and olives.
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An Italian wedding in Verona with flowers, herbs and fruit
Last May Georgina and Freddie, a lively English couple, decided to celebrate their wedding in Verona.The couple wanted a very romantic and Italian country style reminiscent of a lighthearted summer Italian day .The dinner decoration was a mix with herbs, dried flowers, peaches and apricots.
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An amazing wine event with flowers, fruit and vegetables
At the beginning of April the well known Verona wine fair was held. I was asked to create a floral backdrop for three soirees in a magnificent Renaissant villa nestled in the Valpolicella vineyards. The palette was lively colourful mixing flowers, fruit and vegetables.
Read Morea journal on our two-day workshop
During the first week-end in July I organized a floral intensive workshop. Two days fully immersed in the floral world. The main objective was to give the theoretical and practical know how to get started in the art of floral design.
The course was held in the amazing Villa La Valverde a country house set in the nearby Verona countryside.
While I was preparing the course and deciding which flowers to use I realized that the essential element was colour. On Saturday the floral arrangements were: a classical, white bouquet of roses and a floral garden composition. While doing the classical one the group learned the basic criss-cross technique useful for the creation of all kinds of bouquets. For the floral arrangement in sponge I focused on different shades of pink.
On Sunday we started with the creation of a natural, yet romantic bouquet and a floral arrangement with flowers, fruit and vegetables. For the natural bouquet I chose flowers which aren’t often used together with contrasting colours to give it an edge. The floral arrangement in sponge was made using different shapes and materials styled together with the flowers.
It always amazes me how each of us expresses ourselves through flowers. There can be flowers that we love more, colours which don’t resonate with us, materials and shapes with which we are more comfortable. The whole journey is a continuous discovery and also a chance to get out of our comfort zone.
Over the two days while chatting over a coffee we got to know each other better and shared our ideas.
At the end of the course, everyone proudly took home not only their beautiful arrangements but a wealth of information. Throughout this intensive experience, I also learned a lot. It was a pleasure and a privilege to accompany these passionate and motivated people trough this magical and marvelous world.
3 tips for a centre-piece with flowers from your gardens
Looking at the gardens so full of blooming flowers I thought about making a simple centre-piece with what nature offers us. I decided to create the arrangement working with just one colour and its different shades and consistencies.
The hue that I chose was the glorious red of my geraniums. You’re probably asking why I started with the colour and not the flowers. The reason being it narrows down the variety available. It’s essential to stick to one shade or a colour scheme when choosing the flowers you’re going to use. Keeping in mind this rule allows us the freedom to select the flowers and focus on the variety of shades, shapes and texture. I finally decided to match the geraniums with some oleander flowers and roses all with different hues of red.
Yesterday while I was on my way home, a blooming blackberry bush caught my eye. The graceful and tiny flowers seemed to have being drawn by children and are a pleasant reminder that summer is nearly here. I decided to use these to add lightness and frivolity to the centre-piece.
Fruit is also very useful when decorating a table. Shiny red cherries were the perfect choice that echoed the essence of summer. For movement and texture I added a sprig of rosemary, vine with tiny green grapes and some airy fennel bloom.
I use 3 small vases for this floral arrangement. Why 3? As the Latin saying goes “everything that comes in 3 is perfect”; a floral arrangement composed with 3 looks more natural and less forced than an even-numbered collection. Don’t be afraid to play around with the symmetry and asymmetry. Remember to use a simple vase if your composition is of a bold colour. For this centre-piece I used simple glass vases.
In a nutshell
Decide on one colour
Create a floral arrangement with 3 vases (glass or white ceramic or terracotta for a more rustic setting)
Add fruit to give an extra special touch
Enjoy and let yourself be transported by the colours
