For several years I have used hot glue to create ‘flexible fabric’. Designing these capes was by far the most involved project that I had done.
Sisters Delphine and Azelle Chang were the perfect models to wear them for this photo shoot.
Thank you Theresa Bear for the magnificent pictures!
Digitalis is a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous perennial plants, shrubs, and biennials, commonly called foxgloves. Digitalis is native to Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa.
Digitalis is the first flower to re-emerge after undergrowth has been cleared. Foxglove is ideally suited for gardens with a moist, slightly acidic soil. They blend well with ferns, columbine and bleeding heart.
Plant in September for flowering the following spring. If prevented from forming seed, they will survive for many years. Otherwise they are exhausted after 2 years.
In the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Schreiner’s Gardens cultivate over 150 acres of beautiful iris. For four generations they have been family owned and operated; hybridizing, growing and distributing thousands of iris annually and today Oregon is the largest grower of iris in the United States.
We had the pleasure of curating a photo shoo in these stunning gardens. I designed a large botanical headpiece, a two-layered collar and a fun pair of sunglasses with a great selection of locally grown flowers and textures.
Photos: Theresa Bear
Styling: Gwen Seversen
Model: Jasmine Renae
Dictamnus is an absolute favorite spring perennial! Dictamnus albus purpera reach a height of about 4 feet tall with quite woody stems at the base. In the late spring dictamnus blooms with long, spikes of pinkish flowers with purple veins set off by glossy green leaves. Once the flowers have faded, spectacular seedpods remain. They are native dromsouthwesterns Europe through to Asia. The dictamnus is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 3-8. They thrive in full sun in well-drained soil with a high organic matter. That said, they are fairly tolerant of poor soils and even partial sun. Once dictamnus has been established, it should not be moved or any attempt made to divide it. At maturation after several years, the growing dictamnus will appear as a clump with stunning stands of flowers poking from amongst its foliage.This plant exudes a volatile gas that in hot weather can be ignited without harm to the plant. hence the common name burning bush or gas plant.
Photos of designs by Theresa Bear
I love violas and pansies for many reasons: their little faces are so cheerful, they come in so many varieties, bloom from the February til the frost in the NW (as long as they are pinched back, so they won’t go to seed), they do well as a cut flower and if treated in a hydration chamber, they will perform well out of water also.
Violas and pansies are a great choice for containers or in flower beds; a sunny or partial shade exposure is preferred and they like humus rich soil.
Thank you Theresa, Gwen and Ted for the beautiful images!
And as always Azelle, you rocked modeling these designs!
When a friend sent a box full of paper thin bark, I knew that the time finally had come that I had enough bark shavings to design a woodland dress. As simply as the dress was decorated, I decided to go all out to design the large mask/headpiece with gorgeous hellebores, mahonia berries, mushrooms, lichen covered branches, beautiful bark, pine cones and other textures.
Thank you Theresa for the fabulous pictures and Gwen for styling the shoot so well
Lalena, you were the perfect model!
The shoot took place at the beautiful venue Mt View Orchards
Earlier this month I collaborated with a group of very talented people. Here are a couple of designs that made for this project.
Thank you Theresa Bear for these wonderful pictures and Arthur Franklyn for modeling!
Creative directors: Chas Thompson Thomas, Brehan Todd, Theresa Bear
Stylists: Brehan Todd. Vision of Styles
Make up artist: Shantel Dix-Palmer
Floral Designers: Chas Thompson Thomas, Jen Rich, Françoise Weeks
Models: Even Peso, Kojo David, Arthur Franklyn
Studio: Coolhand Studio
This delightful bulb, which belongs to the lily family, is another favorite! Checkered lilies are exquisite and showy, with nodding bell-shaped blooms in shades of purple (and occasionally white) marked with a checkerboard pattern; they feature grass-like foliage intermittently spaced on their slender stems – which are flexible, just like muscari stems. Fritillaria are a true jewel in the garden and they are also an exceptional cut flower. They are perfect for woodland and botanical couture design!
Native to woodlands in Europe, these bulbs prefer rich, well drained soil. They are an excellent choice for naturalizing in a moist, shady garden and grow about 9-12″ tall. Fritillaria maleagris grows in zone 4-8; they require low maintenance and are deer resistant. Here in Portland they bloom from late March to early May.
Thank you Theresa Bear and Gwen Severson for the beautiful images!
Tillandsia xerographica is a slow-growing epiphyte. Just like orchids they grow on the surface of trees and derive their moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water. They are super easy to take care of as a house plant: submerge them in water for 30 minutes once a week, and you will enjoy them for a long time. These beauties are great for larger designs but I like to deconstruct them and use the silvery gray leaves individually. Each one creates beautiful movement in any design. And they pair up so well with these bright phalaenopsis.
For the headpiece I also mixed many succulents, small pieces of paper thin bark, sedums, seedpods, kangaroo paws and some delicate ferns.
Many thanks to photographer Ted Mishima and model Kari Pero .
Muscari is another favorite spring flower! Here in Portland,OR these small bulbs bloom in late winter/early spring. The last few years, as the temperatures are a lot milder than they used to be, the foliage starts sprouting in December; today I already noticed some tiny flower heads!
They grow well in average soil with good drainage and can be planted in partial shade or full sun. Muscari are very frost tolerant; most varieties are hardy to -25 F (-32C), but cold tolerance varies with species. The colors vary from pale to deep blue; some varieties are white or pale pink. They grow 6-9″ tall and the bulbs multiply readily. They look best planted en masse or you can plant them in pots, combined with other delicate flowers or by themselves. Another bonus is that deer and rodents rarely bother them.
Muscari in the garden a couple of years ago.
Photo: Theresa Bear
Like other spring bulbs, muscari use their foliage to produce energy for next year’s flowers. Once the flowers have passed their prime, allow the foliage to continue growing until it yellows. In most cases, the foliage will just fade away. If not, yellowed foliage can usually be removed with a gentle tug.
