{ Archive for the ‘Garden’ Category }

flower arranging class

 

arranging flower arranging class

A huuuuuuge thank-you to everyone who came out to the Norwich Library on Saturday for my flower arranging class! We had a great turnout, and I think everyone stopped by at their local nursery on the way home to pick up some fresh greens for the garden!

Here I am with the showstopper arrangement that I created during the seminar –

an easy, breezy arrangement of simple daisies and pink carnations in a rather unusual vessel… Yes, that’s a watermelon!

 

watermelon flower arranging class

 

I simply shaved about an inch from the bottom of the melon so that it would sit stable, and then carved off the top third. Using a melon baller, I emptied most of the fruit (about two-thirds deep), and dried out the remaining interior with paper towels. After lining the interior with floral cellophane (clear cling-wrap would work wonderfully as well), I inserted pre-soaked floral foam, secured in place inside the melon with floral tape. Pop in a few of your favourite summer flowers, elevate on a cake stand, and you’ve got a quick and easy centerpiece that will have your guests talking at your next al fresco soiree!

Photos courtesy Rose-Le Studio.

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bringing the outdoors in

greenvest1 bringing the outdoors in

I’m goin’ home!

Join me in my hometown of Norwich, Ont., on Saturday, May 2, for an afternoon filled with gorgeous flowers, fun and fabulousness (I always feel like I owe a nickel to Steven & Chris whenever I use that word now).

I’ll be dropping in at the Norwich branch of the Oxford County Library in Norwich, Ont., at 1PM for “Bringing the Outdoors In” — tips, tricks and the latest trends in bringing spring and summer’s bounty indoors. Find out what kind of container suits certain arrangements best, the trick to floating blossoms, and how can a banana improve the health of your potted plants. Potted, cut or pressed, nothing beats greening up your home with fresh florals from your own backyard!

Bring mom and make it an early Mother’s Day outing! There’s actually a lot going on in on May 2 in this idyllic slice of southwestern Ontario, with the Oxford County Studio Tour. (Make it a point to drop in to see my fave, Shane Norrie!)

RSVP with Lynn at the Library by calling 519-863-3307 – there are just a few seats left! See you there!

daylesford organic

daylesford daylesford organicJust got back from London and am suffering serious jetlag, but wanted to let you know quickly about a fabulous organic shop/bakery/food shop I found while there.

Daylesford Organic not only has amazing food products, but also absolutely lovely home and beauty products. So if you’re heading to the U.K., it’s a must-see for organic fans. In the meantime, check out the website at www.daylesford.com. Cheers!

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fave finds at the one of a kind show

Even the hurricane-force gusts channelling through the streets of Toronto couldn’t stop me from getting to the One of a Kind Show on Saturday. And to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Canadian artisan-o-rama’s Spring 2009 installment would be an understatement. Even though a lot of the vendors were the familiar friendly faces, the merchandising was so fresh and inspiring, and there was just a really good vibe to the whole event (unlike the other show I attended this weekend — more on that later!). There’s never been a more important time to buy Canadian and support our own artisans!

And, seeing as how I’m an incorrigible list-maker, let’s break this down into a…

TOP FIVE FINDS at the One Of A Kind Show!

(In no particular order.)

 

show1 fave finds at the one of a kind show

5. Porcelaines Bousquet, 866-445-8696; St-Jean-Baptiste, Que., 450-464-2596

Louise Bousquet’s hand-made porcelain dishware, vases and accessories are truly timeless pieces. I love her floral “frog” (in the image above) that slots directly into the mouths of her vases, making arrangements of items like tulips totally hassle-free. Louise is always adding something new to her collection, and this year it’s a gorgeously textural band around the rims of her bowls. Simply stunning.

 

book fave finds at the one of a kind show

4. Margi Laurin’s Altered Books, Morrisburg, Ont., 613-543-2835

Here’s a real trash-to-treasure success story! Margi Laurin breathes new life into discarded library books by replacing the original book pages with blank note paper, creating unique, one-of-a-kind journals. I’m a total sucker for vintage books, and seeing them repurposed in this way is right up my alley. I love how Margi leaves select pages from the original books — especially illustrations — randomly scattered throughout the journals. Charming! 

 

embracelet fave finds at the one of a kind show

3. Schleeh Design, Montreal, 514-762-3720

The “Embracelet” designed by internationally renowned Canadian artist Colin Schleeh caught the eye of my friend Lisa. Sculptural, stylish and substantial without being chunky, this hand-painted wood bracelet with a resin coating was certainly one of the show’s standout pieces.

 

timidglass fave finds at the one of a kind show

2. Timid Glass, Toronto, 416-893-3052

You might recognize these glass “Imagery Bowls”, as the One of a Kind Show promoters (understandably) used the dramatic designs of Timid Glass’s Sally McCubbin and Aaron Oussoren to promote the show on CityLine and other media outlets in the weeks leading up the event. Contemporary, cool and colourful, Timid’s pieces are a very refreshing addition to the One of a Kind Show’s offerings.

pillows fave finds at the one of a kind show

1. Judy Black Acid Sunset pillow in Cyan

Run by two sisters — Jennifer does the design and Valerie handles the number-crunching, Judy Black’s booth was positively screaming for attention. The graphic prints and colours grabbed my eye from afar, but also bear close scrutiny. There’s a great attention to detail on the pillows (a hidden zipper on the pillow cover for full washability; and the use of cotton with a remarkably soft hand finish), and as all of their creations are hand-printed with waterbased ink, there’s a great green component as well.

Did you make it to the show? What did you think?

 

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go outdoors with gluckstein

daybed1 go outdoors with gluckstein

It’s gloriously sunny, a balmy 14-degrees, and there isn’t a trace of a breeze… I think it’s safe to start thinking ahead to summer. At last.

What better way to begin than with some great-outdoors inspiration courtesy of Brian Gluckstein? His new Gluckstein Home Summer 2009 collection for Home Outfitters is a dreamy outdoor extension of the comfort and style we expect from his interiors, and is surprisingly affordable. The day bed above is one of my fave pieces.

Gluckstein Home Bali Day Bed

Price: $600

 

Gluckstein also serves up some stylish smalls, including an incredibly detailed series of hose guides. (Just because it’s a garden doesn’t mean you can’t accessorize!)

 

prong21 go outdoors with gluckstein

Gluckstein Home Hose Guides

Price: $10 each

 

And he hasn’t ignored us urban apartment/condo dwellers, either. We may not have the luxury of a garden, but we can still have some “green”! Simply plop this cute boxwood spiral in a pretty planter, and you’ve got a balcony worth taking breakfast on.

boxwoodspiral go outdoors with glucksteinGluckstein Home four-foot boxwood spiral tree

Price: $140

All available at: Home Outfitters, 800-521-2364

must have: spring gardening gear

tubby 26l red must have: spring gardening gear

No one will ever mistake me for a greenthumb, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate great gardening gear. No — let’s rephrase that. If I WERE to take up gardening, I know exactly what I’d want in my toolshed.

At the top of that list is The Tubby. The lightweight and flexible design has made it a hit in Europe, and this spring, it’s hitting the Canadian market courtesy of gardening gear giant Garant. Great for holding leaves, dumping soil, or mixing fertilizer, it comes in a riot of fun colours. I’ve actually had the chance to try this baby out (it doubles indoors as a laundry basket, I’ve found!), and feel like I’ve only tapped the beginning of its potential. (Moms with kids, take note — this may very well be the toy stash to end all toy stashes!)

I’ll be giving one of these terrific totes away at my latest talk on “Bringing the Garden Indoors“ at the Norwich Public Library in Norwich, Ontario, at 1:00PM on Saturday, May 2! Ask for Lynn at the library (519-863-3307) to RSVP.

The Tubby (26- or 40-litre capacities available)

Price: From $12 each

Available at: Garden centres, hardware stores, nurseries and home building centres across Canada.

eco friendly valentine’s bouquets

bouquet eco friendly valentines bouquets
Who would have guessed that cut flowers were fraught with so many environmental concerns?? From the pesticides used to grow them, to the fungicides used to keep them from rotting, to the fact that they’re often shipped thousands of kilometres across the planet to get to you, they are so many factors in why asking a few simple questions of your florist before buying your bouquet make sense.

Are the flowers  organic or certified*? What is the certification? Do you use locally grown products where possible? Are your vases made of recycled glass?

In Vancouver, Amoda Flowers specializes in eco-friendly, sustainable, organic bouquets, and more (one of their lovely bouquets is pictured above). They also factor in the following to ensure that as many aspects of their business are as natural as possible.

  • Cellophane used for wrapping and packaging is compostable and non-GMO
  • Tissue paper is made from recycled paper
  • Ribbon is biodegradable, and coloured with soy inks
  • All printing is done on recycled or tree-free paper

So when you visit or call your florist, ask about eco-friendly flowers. More and more florists are offering them. The selection might be small, but the more people who ask, the bigger the selection will become!

Available at: www.amodaflowers.com

* If you want to know more about eco-certification for cut flowers, check out this post from Amy Stewart’s blog, Dirt By Amy Stewart. Amy is the author of Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers and really knows all there is to know about not only the environmental concerns behind the cut-flower industry, but also the gardening industry in general. Plus, her blog is just plan fun and informative! For more on Amy, check out www.amystewart.com.

The third winner of a Go Green Works Starter Kit, including the following products, is Rebecca Vogan of Toronto! (To see the original post announcing the contest, click here.)

  • Green Works Dishwashing Liquid, Green Works Natural All-Purpose Cleaner, Green Works Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner, Green Works Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Green Works Natural Dilutable Cleaner, Green Works Natural Bathroom Cleaner

You still have a chance to win the fourth and final kit. All you have to do is be a subscriber to my blog. If you’re not a subscriber already, sign up to have the Natural Chic blog delivered directly to your e-mail inbox for a chance to win. To do so, just click this icon: emailfeedicon eco friendly valentines bouquets

I`ll pick one more winner next week. Good luck!

Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email me at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

canada blooms contest

canadablooms canada blooms contest

Nothing says “Happy Valentine’s Day” like a bouquet of fresh flowers, and thanks to the folks at Canada Blooms and Pick Ontario, you have a chance at winning a spring-fresh arrangement just like the one depicted above through this very blog!

The perfect pairing, this give-away includes a lovely hand-tied bouquet of Ontario-grown flowers as well as four tickets to Canada Blooms, Canada’s largest flower and garden festival, with an approximate value of $125! Canada Blooms, hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from March 18 to 22, celebrates the best of Canadian gardens, exploring the tradition of gardening and horticultural excellence from across the country. 

How to win?

Simply answer me this: “What’s your favourite cut flower?”

What florals work best in your interior spaces? How do you arrange them for maximum impact? What vessels work best with that particular type of flower?

Post your response as a comment on this blog, and I’ll choose a winning response on Tuesday, February 10, 2009. Canada Blooms will ship the tickets and arrangement to the lucky winner just in time for Cupid’s arrow to strike. icon wink canada blooms contest

 

*Contest closes February 9, 2009. Open to all residents of Canada, except those in Quebec. Not open to any Transcontinental Media employees, their families, or any other persons with whom they reside.*

cachepots for christmas

cachepotforblog cachepots for christmasI’m always on the lookout for showstopping seasonal greens, and I love these cachepots in a gorgeous warm metal finish. Hand-made by artisan Ron Dier, and available in an array of 22K semi-precious finishes, they’re fantastic festive floral vessels that could just as easily work year-round, switching out your fave potted plants.

 

Webster Cachepot 

 

Price: $850 each ($945 each with planting)

 

Available at: Joan Eiley, Toronto, 416-968-0778

grow an indoor garden

ecogarden1 grow an indoor gardenMourning the passing of summer? Extend the season a little with these indoor growing kits.

From mini peppers, tomatoes, sprouts, herbs and basil to more simply decorative flowers, you’re only limited by the amount of space you have to devote to an indoor garden.

And when summer rolls around again, transplant your garden outdoors into bigger containers on your deck or balcony! People at the Montreal offices where these kits originate say the moonflower vines will grow endlessly and wrap themselves around anything they come into contact with!

Available at: www.seracon.ca

Price: $20

Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email Laurie at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

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