Françoise Weeks European Floral Design » Flower Power!

Magical Begonia Carpet in Brussels

Françoise — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:33:02 +0000

For 3 days in mid August, the heart of Brussels was ornamented by a vast carpet with a colorful pattern made from more than 800,000 begonias

This biannual tradition was initiated in 1971

To learn more about the fascinating history of this event , how these magical carpets are designed, and to see images of all these previous jewels, go to flowercarpet.be

The carpet spread over 2000 sq meters (about 18,000 sq ft) was adorned by various logos intending to symbolize the Belgian presidency of the European Union

Each square meter holds about 300 begonias, individually placed by more than 100 volunteers

Trail of Texture

Françoise — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:57:07 +0000

While working on a project, we gathered a variety of texture and simply placed them on the work bench:

vines, striking foliage and seedpods from the garden; kale, mini-eggplants and some fruits; berries, nuts and succulents; grasses, lichen, moss and river rock.

What fun centerpieces these would be for long tables!

Thanks Joni for the great pictures!

the swirly seedpod from clematis: a favorite!

Majestic Foxtail Lilies

Françoise — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 13:54:44 +0000

Foxtail lilies are amongst the most stunning of all bulbous plants. The spirelike flowering stems can be 4-9′ tall. Hundreds of bell-shaped white, pink or yellow blossoms are massed closely in graceful, pointed spikes. They bloom in late spring and are magnificent in the garden. Perfect, long lasting flowers for dramatic arrangements!

Peonies!

Françoise — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:26:50 +0000

Romantic, showy, stunning, sensational, soft,…lots of reasons why peonies are so popular. They are named after Paeon, who was physician to the gods in Greek mythology.

Peonies originated in China and were introduced in Europe several hundreds years ago. Some of the hybridizing dates back to the eighteenth century in France, hence the variety of romantic French names, like “Souvenir de Maxime Cornu”, “A la Mode” and “Duchesse de Nemours”.

These gorgeous flowers are available for 4-6 weeks in May and June; the time frame varies from year to year and depends on the weather – once again, Mother Nature wins! In November, they can be imported from New Zealand.

‘red charm’ peonies are simply stunning!

white and cream peonies, sweetpeas and alchimella made for a soft, romantic bridal bouquet

long english garden arrangement

Lilacs!

Françoise — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:46:11 +0000

Another favorite! Especially the deep purple ones. Like most woody stems, they often have a difficult time hydrating. The best remedy is to use ‘Quick Dip’: pour about 1″ in a small plastic container; after re-cutting the stems, dip them for a few seconds in this product, which magically helps flowers hydrate much more easily. The lilacs will last up to a week, in a vase or foam arrangement.

David Barss

Flower Purses for Mom!

Françoise — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:07:40 +0000

A few weeks ago I found some moss covered purses; what perfect containers for flower arrangements for Mother’s Day!

As always, any types of flowers or colors can be used; the choice is yours!

To place your order, please call 503-236-5929 or send an email to francoise@francoiseweeks.com

The purses van also be embellished with leaves

adding beads , small feathers and bullionwire adds a bit of sophistication!

And some different styles to choose from:

Spring Flowers in a Cold Frame

Françoise — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 13:24:37 +0000

Cold frames are magical: they offer a perfect transition for seedlings that are grown indoors or in greenhouses, before the young plants have to face the daily elements of Mother Nature. They also are used to extend the growing season of vegetables.

My eye caught a miniature version of an old fashioned cold frame and it seemed like a perfect ‘container’ for an early spring woodland arrangement.

budding clematis, fern shoots, sedum and foliage of bleeding heart were readily available in the garden

Ice Cream Social

Françoise — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:18:25 +0000

Pastel sweetness of Spring…

Photography by Joni Shimabukuro

Flowers and Vintage Vases

Françoise — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:52:52 +0000

Vintage style, vintage dresses, vintage vases,… vintage is IN this year!

Old bottles of various sizes and types make an interesting and imaginative collection to fill with spring flowers. A few of these vases clustered in the center of a round table or a selection in the middle of long narrow tables look fabulous! And how about decorating a mantle with a variety of them?

Photography by Joni Shimabukuro

Favorite Early Spring Flowers

Françoise — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:12:34 +0000

Hellebores, fritillarias, anemones, ranunculus, tulips, blooming branches….

The Northwest offers such bounty: spring fever has been in the air for several weeks! Isn’t the awakening of Mother Nature incredibly inspiring?