CHILLY AND CHIC!

OUR WEATHER HAS BEEN RATHER COOL AND THEY PREDICT A REALLY COOL SUMMER (WITH RAIN.)

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT SOME LAYERED LOOKS FOR THIS SPRING.

STARTING OFF WITH SOME REALLY CHILLY DAYS AND CHIC STYLE:

I LOVE TO WEAR "BERNI" SHIRTS.  THAT IS THE NAME THAT MY GIRLS GAVE THE STRIPED TEE SHIRT, BECAUSE MY SISTER, BERNI, WORE THEM FREQUENTLY!

FOR SLIGHTLY WARMER DAYS: MORE OF THE "BERNI" SHIRT:

AND THE WHEN I CAN'T STAND THE DARK COLORS ANYMORE;

I JUST BOUGHT TWO BLAZERS FROM TARGET THIS YEAR FOR LAYERING.   ONE IS NAVY AND ONE IS WHITE LINEN.  THE NAVY IS SINGLE BREASTED AND I HAVE LIVED IN IT.  THE WHITE IS LINEN DOUBLE BREASTED WITH A BELT.  TRES CHIC!

PEONIES, A FLOWER OF A DIFFERENT COLOR

THE PEONIES ARE SETTING BUDS!

“I think I’d be very happy in a house filled with roses and peonies,” says India Hicks, but on this tablescape, a lone blossom will do.  Photo by Colleen Duffley from India Hicks: Island Style (Rizzoli New York, 2015)

WHEN I THINK OF PEONIES I THINK OF BIG PINK FLUFFY FLOWERS, BECAUSE THEY ARE MY FAVORITE KIND.  THAT IS THE TYPE THAT I BUY AND PLANT.

I RECEIVED AN EMAIL BLOG TODAY FROM A MAGAZINE THAT I SUBSCRIBE TO, "FLOWER."

IT FEATURED PEONIES OF ALL SHAPES AND VARIETIES.

"Anne Vitchen is the grande dame of flowers at the prestigious Ritz Paris.  This breathtaking arrangement, created by Vitchen using peonies, roses, and a floating layer of gloriosa lilies.  Photo by Erik Kvalsvik

Amy Osaba says of this bold arrangement, "I like to use lots of different colors and textures, therefore using lots of varying types of flowers. (Here) we used peonies,ranunculus, zinnia, scabiosa, feverfew, and even some Jerusalem sage." Photo by Alecia Lauren Kowalik

Complex color combinations are key to floral designer Zezé’s style. In an arrangement from his farm, he combines peonies, beauty bush, Rosa glauca, and honeysuckles with Oriental poppies. Photo by Rob Cardillo

A mass of peonies, delphiniums, stock, and roses arranged by Jane Packer, from her book At Home with Flowers. Photo courtesy of Ryland Peters & Small 

A bright-pink tree peony nestled among Corydalis foliage and dancing blooms of blush-colored ranunculus and black scabiosa becomes a focal point in an enchanting arrangement in a garden compote. Photo by Udom Surangsophon

A garland studded with peonies looks regal in a field of yarrow at Oregon’s Hammelman Farms, just one of the locations in Erick New and Greg Campbell's Florists to the Field book. Photo by Sarah Bell of Sélavie Photography

This graceful arrangement of peonies, scabiosas, and coral bell foliage and flowers from Nicolette Owen seems to follow Constance Spry’s classic advice to “let the flowers remind you of how they looked when growing.” Photo by Gnoc Minh Ngo

In romantic shades of soft-pink and coral, tulips and tree peonies spill over the brim of a classic urn in this playful arrangement, which is also comprised of calla lilies, Mokara orchids, spirea, Heuchera, and blue muscari. Photo by Udom Surangsophon

When it comes to color, designer Tammy Connor leans toward sophisticated garden flowers such as English roses, peonies, and tulips in deep coral with purples mixed in. “When I use multiple flowers in a container, I like to keep it loose.” Photo by J. Savage Gibson

Ingrid Carozzi notes, "I try to look at the timeless versus trends as much as possible. In both floral design and as a general way of living, I like things that last a long time." She captures a timeless beauty in this arrangement of peony, ranunculus, sweet peas, and lisianthus. Photo by Paul Brissman

A stone pillar nods to antiquity while balancing the shock factor of Heather Barrie's explosion of Schiaparelli pink including ‘Felix Supreme’ and 'Paula Fay' peonies. Photo by Christopher Shane

The designers at Studio Choo in San Francisco understood that this low box is an ideal centerpiece container to hold a profusion of peonies, poppies, viburnum berries, and flowering oregano without blocking conversation. Photo by Paige Green

Alicia and Adam Rico, each with a degree in painting, share a passion for flowers. “We’re on the same page, pretty much always,” says Alicia. In the foyer of a Highland Park home decorated by Cathy Kincaid, open petals of ‘Coral Charm’ peonies have a gradation of color, which the duo prefers as opposed to materials in saturated hues that look “straight out of the tube,” says Alicia. Photo by Stephen Karlisch

Willow Crossley describes this arrangement as “an ombré peony river running down the table.” To create the effect, she clustered together numerous little milk bottles. Photo by Emma Mitchell


Peonies from Martha Stewart’s garden at Skylands, her summer home in Maine, go straight to vases for a spring dinner. She picks the flowers late in the cool afternoon to ensure freshness. Reprinted from the book, Martha's Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations (Clarkson Potter, 2011). Photo ©2011 by Anna Williams

'Sarah Bernhardt' peonies grace this lavish arrangement by London designer Rowan Blossom in her book Living with Flowers: Blooms & Bouquets for the Home (Laurence King, 2019).


Vibrant peonies atop the plates serve as place cards on tables in covered with cloths made of Lilly Pulitzer fabric and decorated with lush arrangements created by The Vine Garden Market. Photo by Julia Lynn

Here are several of my favorite arrangements from my Pinterest Board:  Beautiful Flowers.

And last, a Peony which has the same name as the town in which I call home.

The Buckeye Belle, (it's the dark red one!)

If you love Peonies, you will like this book.  I received it for Christmas from a dear friend.

For more from Jane Eastoe on the subject, check out Peonies (Pavilion, 2018), $22  You can buy in by clicking the link below.

BUY THE BOOK

IT'S LILAC SEASON!

The Lilacs are just starting to bloom in Minneapolis.  We have had cool, rainy weather.  Last night my husband picked me a sweet smelling Lilac and it brought back memories of the armloads that my mother used to bring in the house.  Then the house smelled so sweet!  I still remember her calling them Syringa.   She took Botany in school and was an avid gardener as was her mother.  I learned the proper names of  lots of flowers from her.

Now I suppose most school children couldn't identify a flower unless they had grandparents or parents who are gardeners.  However, I would guess they know the name of every Dora character or Xbox character.  Do they even teach anything about Horticulture in school anymore?

The sweet smelling Lilac.  

There are many colors named after it!

The Lilac bushes are outstanding!  They line our driveway.

Of course you know that would I love the white ones.  When my mother died two different groups of friends gave me gift certificates to the local nursery and I bought and planted two white Lilac bushes as a memorial to her.  They were outside our sun room windows so I could see them in full bloom.

I often speak of a woman whom I admire.  Her name is Carolyne Roehm and her gardens are extraordinary!

Here are some arrangements with her Lilacs that she has photographed over the years.

And here is Carolyne in lilac!

12 Facts about Lilacs from Town and Country Magazine:

1. Lilacs only flower for about three weeks in the spring.

2. ... but some varieties, like the Josee or the Boomerang, will bloom several times during the year.

3. Thomas Jefferson loved lilacs — and wrote about them in his gardening book.

4. Some varieties of lilac bushes can survive temperatures down to -60°F.

5. Want a big lilac bush? Prune them less often. (But make sure to trim them at least once a year!)

6. There are more than 1,000 varieties of lilac bushes and trees.

7. Lilacs belong to the olive family, Oleaceae.

8. The flowers are edible. (And great in cocktails, like this lilac pisco drink!)

9. In the language of flowers, purple lilacs are the symbol of first love.

10. The New Hampshire state flower is the lilac. Live Free or Dieindeed.

11. The tree lilac, Syringa reticulata, can grow to 25 feet tall.

12. Want to stop and smell the flowers? Purple lilacs are most fragrant on a sunny, warm day.

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/news/a3184/lilac-facts/

You may be wondering if you can eat Lilacs.  Yes, you can!  Here are a few links if you want to learn more:

https://www.feastingathome.com/lilac-water/

https://www.familyfoodgarden.com/lilac-flower-recipes/

https://homespunseasonalliving.com/eat-lilacs/

https://nittygrittylife.com/lilac-meringues-lemon-curd/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=656065574_25711408_106757

And a recipe for Lilac infused honey:

https://www.growforagecookferment.com/lilac-flower-infused-honey/

For growing tips:

https://www.sunnyhomecreations.com/how-to-grow-lilacs/