Grand Magnolia

Grand Magnolia
The stunning leaves of the magnolia make for a bold statement with hydrangea and lotus pods to soften.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Jules in action


What do you get when you team a photographer, a fitness model and a florist with bouquets and amazing architecture?  Great pics that encompass all the elements each of these professionals requires to showcase their talent!  The architecture and colours of Sydney's Town Hall are the perfect backdrop to capture the beauty of a bride on her big day, and the flowers she chooses to carry.

A big thanks must go to Sonia from 'Get Fit - Fitness Training' and Sophie from Sophie B Photography for their contribution to this little collaboration.  Despite the cold and the rain, we managed to get some beautiful shots of the flowers, the dresses and the location with of course Sonia being the main attraction!!!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Maroochydore wedding

Wired cymbidiums are a treat in any arrangement, but I do love them in bouquets the most.  They add such a touch of elegance and their retro appearance, when paired with sweet pea and akito roses, makes for an eyecatching piece.  The bride wore white, the maids green.  Maroon ranunculus in the maids bouquets complimented the throat of the cymbidiums and added a striking contrast to an otherwise neutral palette.






Lily of the Valley (or L.O.V.) was a treat to find in the markets that Friday morning, so of course was added to the mother's corsages.  The sweet scent was delightful and was worth the trouble taken to get them to QLD without them drying out!!  Thankyou to QANTAS baggage handlers for reading the hundreds of 'fragile' stickers plastered to the boxes!


Tuesday, September 6, 2011

First day of spring...best time to get married!


It was the first day of spring, and two head over heels in love people decided to share their special union with a handful of friends in Sydney before the bride's first ever figure competition!  Sonia was a vision in soft pink chiffon with a floral detail ruffle on her one shoulder greek inspired gown.  What better fashion choice than one that truly shows off the hard work put in over the last three months?!  The flowers were the perfect compliment to the subtle shade of pink Sonia chose.  Miniature peach roses, antique tea roses, blushing bride, white ranunculus, white freesias (including grandmas freesias from an obliging field), fresh Jasmine (from an overgrown fence...) and flowering vibernum were the perfect flowers to create the gypsy style posy bouquet which was wrapped with peach, yellow and cream striped grosgrain ribbon and pearl pins to boot.



It was the most romantic ceremony I think I've ever been privileged to witness, and although the bride was beset with a fit of giggles, the mood never wavered.  Fun, romantic and colourful.
GLR would like to thank Kezandi Photography http://kezandiphotography.com.au/ for their beautiful photos.  You can see more of Sonia and Glenn's wedding, visit facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.272063866157008.82089.175873782442684

Thursday, August 18, 2011

St Andrews Cathedral Sneak Peak


Wednesday 17th August may have been overcast, drizzly and cold, but our delightful team braved the weather and produced a collection of photos that would rival anything Fashion Week will bring to the table!  The talented Ms Sophie B and myself came together with our lovely model (Ms S) to create some breathtaking shots that will impress and inspire.
Goddess Lilies, Forget-Me-Nots, Ranunculas, Freesias, Jonquils, Pearl Wax, Roses, Carnations and Cymbidium orchids (could it get any better? Ok, yes, Peonies would have topped it off nicely, but sadly they are not in season yet!!!)



St Andrews Cathedral provided the perfect backdrop, while the light drizzle added soft light and glistening foliage to the compositions.  A big thankyou to Sophie B for her divine photographic eye, and of course my lovely Ms S...you are beautiful, you are brave and you are an inspiration!!


More photos to come, check out our facebook page for more detail, including the limited edition Liberty of London fabric and broderie anglaise ruffle detail!

Monday, August 15, 2011

http://ilovepoppyandrose.com.au

Weddings are always a beautiful affair.  Bridesmaids, page boys and flower girls...flowers, flowers, flowers..."I Love Poppy and Rose" have discovered the secret to breathtaking flower girl attire...tutus!  In beautiful colour combinations, eccentric and quirky patterns (try black polka dots or mint green for a different spin on traditional...).  The tutus and exquisite matching tops from Poppy and Rose will give your special day that girly, carefree and intoxicatingly sweet aroma of happy, bygone days; where summer mornings were filled with watermelon and pink lemonade (for the pink tutu enthusiast) or mums Chanel perfume and iridescent opals (for the polka dot lover).
Give your little flower girls a day to remember, and present them with a Poppy and Rose tutu for your big day...they'll probably float down the aisle in sweet rapture with blissful happy smiles!!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Keith Wallace Cymbidium Nursery - NSW


I will NEVER get sick of Cymbidium Orchids.  I know that I tend to ramble on about these majestic, long lasting and colourful beauties; but really, can you blame me???  The other week I had the immense pleasure of travelling out to Keith Wallace's Cymbidium Nursery, and was met with more than just a couple of handsome men!  Keith and his mentor Gordon have been at the helm of cymbidium propagation for over 50 years.  The lengthy process was explained in such detail that I now have even more appreciation for the stems that miraculously appear every winter in the flower markets.  While you may be able to buy a cymbidium stem for your vase from a florist for say - $36 or thereabouts, the actual cost and time taken to produce that one stem is surely justified.
The flowers are actually 'artificially inseminated' (pardon the lack of verbal expression...) and are then painstakingly removed and nurtured until they form a seed pod (1 year).  From this, the seed is taken to a lab where it is grown in liquid agar (another year) until it is a small seedling.  It is then transplanted into a pot and nurtured until maturity (2 - 3 years) when it will produce a single stem (or two if you're lucky).  For those of you who have had the pleasure of seeing a MASSIVE, multi-stemmed cymbidium orchid at a lush hotel or gala event, please, bow in appreciation...it is at least 15 years old!!  The hard part is accepting that once it has stopped flowering, it is most likely 'disposed of'...sad.
This is just one lengthy process of propagation.  The hardest part is combining two plants in the hope of having a certain trait expressed in the offspring, only to find that there is a 1 in 250,000 chance of a single trait being acknowledged by the gene pool selection of the cymbidium orchid.
Hats off to Keith and Gordon...wowzers is all I can say!  A labour of love, and dedication to a true art.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Our Logo is ready!

After much anticipation and many alterations, additions and subtractions...our logo has finally emerged, and we couldn't be happier!  Designed by James at Red Rag Media, the logo is fresh, elegant and timeless.  Tell us what you think!



The second half of the year is proving to be quite busy, with a couple of exciting ventures coming up...including set design at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Fefu and Her Friends opens 6th August and promises to be a thought provoking production which explores gender roles, sexuality, love between women, and insanity - it revels in the theatre of the absurd, slap stick and surrealism.  Come along and enjoy the set design (as well as the acting!!).

Weddings also abound, with two interstate adventures coming my way, and a wedding that promises to deliver some very intriguing photos due to its rather bizarre and very cool reception venue (sorry, can't say anymore than that on pain of death!!).  Stay tuned for some great photos.

Sophie B Photography and GLR are teaming up for a bridal/wedding photo shoot at St Andrews Cathedral in Sydney.  It will be a fun day full of coffee, beautiful flowers and stunning photography from one of Sydney's newest talents.  Models required, so feel free to recommend or submit yourselves!!!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Winter Lovelies

Winter comes to town every year, and try as we might, it's hard sometimes to bring ourselves to take off the ugg boots, swear off the hot chocolate and marshmallows, and start drinking luke warm water infused with sliced lemon...
Maybe that's a bit far fetched...bottom line is, mustering the motivation is not always easy!  I find my mind more alive and inspired if I have fresh flowers in the house.
There are two things I love most about winter in Australia...cymbidium orchids, and peach/pear/cherry (fruit) blossom 'en masse' and placed in a sunny part of the house to maximise the life of the branches.  Cymbidiums can last up to 2 or 3 weeks, blossom branches...sometimes even longer!!!
If you are having an issue with the weather, bring the garden inside, and look forward to a view of flowering blossoms every morning - in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in the dining room.  Go nuts, it doesn't take much!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Lest We Forget


The last week has seen our nation lose three of it's finest young men.  It brings to light the vulnerability of our warriors, as well as the strength shown by both friends and family when the person they love dearly is KIA (Killed In Action).
Today I attended the memorial service for Brett Wood, and try as I might, was still moved to tears despite willing myself to "be strong for her...be strong for Elvie".  For the first time ever, the wife of a fallen brother stood up and spoke of her thanks for the support of her family by defence personnel and Brett's mates.  Until this moment, I thought I was pretty strong myself!  But to stand in front of a crowd of soldiers and close family members and express your thanks in a voice that is screaming pain and sorrow, takes more guts and courage than I could ever muster in such a circumstance.  I have been taught a valuable lesson today.  No matter how far you think you are sinking in sorrow and despair, there is always enough courage inside your vulnerable exterior to stand up and do the right thing.  I know Brett would have been immensely proud of his wife.  She is a true inspiration.
I was given the honour to create the wreaths for this service, and the funeral on Friday.  Here are a sample...Lest We Forget.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

If it's broke, sometimes it pays to fix it!


A friend of mine was moving house, and as you do, decided to throw out the old, unused items that she no longer wanted to keep 'just in case'.  We all do it, the opportunity to clean out the soul (as well as the house) is sometimes a huge factor in the success of any move.  You get the chance to 'spring clean' your house and can be ruthless where before you might have been 'careful'.
I was luckily there the day my darling friend decided she no longer wanted these antique keys.  She used to collect them, and has kept hold of them for many years.  My favourite is the tiny little key that demonstrates the perfect shape, age and story that any old key must have.  Where did it originate?  What was it's purpose?  Did it hold the secrets of a small diary or safe? This is one of the things about antiques that I love...the possibility of romanticism is hard to resist.  Thus I have become a collector.  A collector of unwanted small furniture items (furniture restoration opportunities!), jewellery (valuable or not...), garden furniture/pots (I draw the line at gnomes) and even old fabrics or shoes.


My husband is rolling his eyes and gritting his teeth.  His prized garage and 'tool shed' is about to be converted into a restoration studio for ambitious projects undertaken with fabulous flowers to match.  Look out world, Jules is on the prowl for curb side chuck outs...If anyone lives in Balmain, do let me know when yours is next!!  Ta

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Sugar Bee Flowers: Pink David Austin bouquet

Sugar Bee Flowers: Pink David Austin bouquet: "I can't believe I haven't shared this one on my blog yet! sugar bee flowers - pink rose bouquet Although this is from a while ago, this..."

Studio Impressions « Bringing photography to life

Four out of the top ten photographers in the world are Aussies! Wonderful news, and testament to our blooming bridal industry - flowers, photography, food and wine...it all produces a fantastic environment in which to fully enjoy your special day...even ten years down the track!

Studio Impressions « Bringing photography to life

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Modern elegance


The beauty of orchids (especially in winter), is that they can last for up to two weeks in a vase!  Team just one stem of phalaenopsis with some lush tropical foliage and natural fibres, and you have a stunning arrangement that showcases the crisp, clean lines of the beautiful blooms.

old world charm

A trip to the markets last week yielded some amazing phalaenopsis orchids and some very lush, romantic Pieris...the tree with old world charm and a tonne of romance.  Also known as Andromeda, it is an eternal favourite in the flower world for its display of weeping bells and lush green leaves.  Carefully arranged, a bridal bouquet can be fashioned entirely from the Pieris shrub, and will display an old world, 'freshly gathered', romantic shape.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Musings on mothers day

The following is a excerpt from my little notebook, which kept me company the very cold morning of sat 7th May while waiting for customers to arrive...the things we do...
"Clear day, crisp morning.  "...that indescribable feeling of my inner mantra chanting - "I will succeed in selling today!" - is going off in my head, and the temperature, the fresh smell of coffee, coupled with admiring glances of my 'wares' is giving me a sense of belonging - this is my calling.   Time: 8:45   Coffees: 2"
OK, so as poetic as it all sounds, it really did turn out to be a good day, and although I packed up at midday to go home and spend some time with my family, I left feeling a little tense about whether or not the rest of the stock would go on mothers day.  Completely unfounded as it turns out, I sold everything except one stubborn bouquet and a vase arrangement...lesson learned...stock is HARD to move when there the display is somewhat diminished due to excessive sales...haha...I'm not complaining!
So here is my fave photo of the day...more to follow.
Julia ~ GLR x

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Mother's Day!

To celebrate mothers day this May 8th, Julia from GLR is hand stitching lots of little floral buttons to adorn the bouquets for sale at TJs Coffee House in Penshurst.  Drop in for a coffee and some flowers for your mum/wife!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

French Champagne

I've done it.  I've actually eaten fine french food in a fine french restaurant in Woollahra, Sydney.  I am officially a HUGE fan of french food!!  Julia Childs watch out, I'm starting the experimental french cooking for my kids immediately!!
Aside from the degustation menu (that totally blew my socks off), the champagne was something else altogether...at least the bottles were.  Yes, french champagne is divine, and doesn't even compare with Australian (it's FAR better), but the enchanting bottles this luscious liquid came from were even better (at least from the eccentric, creative types point of view...)
I actually asked the waitress whether she would mind parting with a few empty bottles.  My only defence at the total lack of class was that I was 2 glasses into the degustation...and LOVING it...happily, she agreed, and even disguised them for me in an old Myer bag so that I wouldn't look like a complete tosser walking out of a VERY high end French restaurant with three empty champagne bottles.
The idea is to use them somehow in an installation at my friend's cafe in Penshurst "TJs Coffee House".  Keep you posted, but in the meantime, enjoy the pic...
~JGLR

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

A moment in time


Sometimes beauty can surprise us when we least expect it.  I was rearranging furniture in my lounge room, and moved these beautiful flowers outside so as not to knock them over.  Yellow and purple is an all time favourite colour combo, but this simply blew me away.  Imagine my delight when I came outside to bring them back inside, when the clouds cleared and the sun shone down at just the right time so as to display these beauties in all their glory...just the way nature intended.  I was lucky to get just one picture before the clouds rolled in again.  What a treasure.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

FLOWER OF THE WEEK

FLOWER OF THE WEEK:  Cymbidium Orchid
This flower is truly a winter wonder.  Available during autumn, winter and spring, it comes in large, medium and miniature varieties, in ALL colours, except blue!  The perfect flower for jazzing up a tired room, all you need are some exotic leaves and a few stems of cymbidium and you have a long lasting, vibrant addition to your home.  Perfect in bouquets, and gorgeous as single flowers floating in crystal clear water amid a sea of table settings...the diverse cymbidium is a lover of entertainment!!

Friday, March 18, 2011

In the Raw

The first of many arrangements is up in TJs Coffee House (Penshurst).  Come in if you get a chance!  I have opted for sunflowers, yellow vandas and paper daisies. The vase looks spectacular, and the whole thing gives the shop a sort of 'rustic'/french provincial look.  I'm loving it!!  What's more, Trent likes it too, so I'm hoping to keep the arrangements coming - a different, more interesting one each time.  According to Trent, there have been some great comments from customers, which is great to hear!
If you get a chance, drop in for an exceptional brew from Trent, and sit quietly so that you can enjoy the ambience, and inhale the aromas of coffee and floral art together!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The creation of a vase using raw materials and a hot glue gun!


I was wandering along a footpath (as you do), and came across some very abandoned palm trees that were begging for a trim...
I'm sure any florist (or remotely creative eccentric) would find the same excitement I did-the possibility of creating a raw, textural floral piece that echoed the sounds of nature.  The fabric these husks displayed represented a fine opportunity to enhance a glass vase (one of many) I had hanging around at home, and has given me some inspiration for the creation of a piece that is to take pride of place in a coffee shop around the corner...TJs Coffee House in Penshurst (do drop by if you get a chance!)
After a quick evaluation, and some hot glue, I have found a masterpiece in the making.  This design piece offers so many opportunities for raw, colourful floral material, that I cannot wait to skip to the markets this Thursday morning for a look-see.  It's been too long since I've had the opportunity to 'play'.
More photos to come of the evolution of "In the Raw" - a florist's journey to the creation of beautiful, soulful floral design.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Lipstick pink


For those of you after an art deco wedding...go the lipstick pink anenome...how can you replicate this colour?  The black centre, the ragged petals...it's so sublime, all in one package...a flower that delivers it all.  Enjoy!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

A bowral wedding

Bowral is the antique, country hub of the Southern Highlands, and if you're looking for old, well tended gardens, vintage chic shop fronts and great coffee, then it's the place to go on a Saturday or Sunday...at your leisure!  Just an hour south of Sydney, it's easily accessible, and buzzing with energy and industry.
It's also the perfect place for a wedding, or two or three...it's hard to keep up with the number of cars headed down the main street.  However if you want privacy and elegance, and space...then take a look at the private houses available for lease for just such an occasion.
Saturday's wedding started with a long driveway framed in birch (whose stained glass window leaves are hard to ignore), maples, oaks and camelias.  Lamp posts with a single cream ribbon showed the way towards the house...the old lawn visible through the branches of the old sycamore (boy was that a treat) gave way to a tennis court, pool house and gabled path covered in wisteria.
Then there was the house...sandstone and brick, plate glass windows and a red tiled roof.  The whole scene was set for a romantic day, even before I set foot in the house and beheld the bride's dress, and the busy family members keeping children entertained, while the bridal party prepared speeches, eyelashes and bottles of vodka.







The flowers were delivered, the bride was enthralled, the venue was set and the petals were scattered.  Time to get out the camera.  For more great photos, visit my photostream at Flickr! GLR xx

Thursday, March 3, 2011

The doors go up...

That's it, the Myer/David Jones mid year sales are now no longer a threat to my sensitive shopping persona...5am at the markets, the roller doors go up, and EVERYONE is either running for the David Austins (which are at the end of their season) or the mini phals, and I'm STRUGGLING to get through the mass of bodies elbowing their way to the rare and unusual batwing orchids and imported cymbidiums...
It's one of the reasons I go to the markets in the morning (whether I've had 2 hours or 6 hours sleep the night before) with a heart full of butterflies and a pocket full of 'play money' nearly every week.  When the poppies are in season, I grab bunches of them and stick them all over the house...cheap, and soo colourful.  If I'm feeling lonely, or blue, it's the Oriental Lily that takes my fancy, as they last forever, and the star shaped flowers always bring a smile to my face...even if I'm hungover or in a wretched mood!
Tomorrow it's my beloved David Austins taking me to the markets, and a wedding in Bowral on Saturday that is sure to be simply sublime, and full of 'rose petal aisle' romance...and possible rain...but I'm trying not to think about that...

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Glorious Gloriosa or Flame Lily


These beauties are a treat to work with.  Their shape, colour and texture offer up a plethora of opportunity for use in floral design, and give a rare uniqueness to any arrangement that will always have the viewer looking closer!  These daring flowers originated in Africa and Asia, where their flower may well have been a warning to those intending to eat the corm that nourishes the plant!  It was used as a method of suicide...(nice).
The flowers range from greenish yellow to bright red (my favourite).
Keep your eyes open for these, they are a treat to have in your garden, but even better to have in any floral design.

Ref: "Cut Flowers of the World", p. 201, Maree, J & Van Wyk B-E.  Timberpress, 2010.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

The little gems...


These little wonders are all the rage at the moment, and it's no wonder why.  Click on the link below to get the info on these amazing little gems!


www.florainternational.com.au/our-flowers/orchids/little-lady-orchids

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

O Lily!


The modest Rose puts forth a thorn,
The humble sheep a threat'ning horn:
While the Lily white shall in love delight,
Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright.  - William Blake

Of all the flowers I adore, the Lily is one that never fails to impress me.  So much so, that my daughter's middle name possesses the name that brings sunshine to our home on a weekly basis.  Whether alone in a tall vase, or as the focal flower of a large arrangement of magnolia leaves and lotus pods...Lily's possess the most inevitable presence of peace and purity.  There are many colours to choose from of course, but if you are after elegant simplicity, then the pure white O Lily is for you.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

ribbons ribbons ribbons!

I know I've always ramped on about how much I love flowers...I do.  I love them so much I sometimes leave the washing machine lid up and walk away while pondering the latest floral creation...hyacinths en masse is the latest obsession...but I have to say, I may have discovered a new avenue to explore.  The wonderful world of ribbon!  Printed grosgrain, natural fibres, stitched satin, raw silk (which, to my delight, can be dyed!!!)...oh the creative possibilities are endless.  I am itching to try dying my newly acquired silk ribbon (had to get it from the states...does anyone know someone in Australia who sells nice wide lengths???).  My bouquet handles are to get a new look, and will be wrapped with yards of lace, silk, grosgrain and pearl pins...watch out brides...I'm feeling 'eccentric' and very daring.  Don't worry tho, I guarantee that they will be eye popping!!!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Cooler winds

Ah, the cooler winds have drifted up from Tasmania, and we are feeling a lot more comfortable!  Time to get out those long sleeved tops and leggings!  Time to have warm mornings with cups of tea, honeyed porridge and fruit toast!  This cooler weather also brings my faviourite beauties to the marketplace...erlicheer daffodils, forget me nots and cymbidium orchids.  Yay!

Monday, January 31, 2011

Autumn is on its way

We all yearn for summer in the winter months, when the air we breathe is exhaled in a plume of frosty steam, that only a hot coffee at 5am will make truly memorable.  I speak of course, of the weekly splosh around the flower markets at 5am.  I say 'splosh' due to the unavoidable wet feet you will endure should you decide not to wear your wellies.  With summer now in full throttle, we of course  are yearning for the cool afternoons and soft autumnal breezes that accompany that change of season.  With the cooler nights comes the change of colour and the inevitable change of fresh flowers available, but not to be forgotten is the amazing array of autumnal foliage too...maples, oaks, chestnuts, berries...coupled with rusty David Austen roses or rouge red orchids (for a textural delight).  I LOVE this time of year, it heralds the need for all to be more creative with their beauties...