Flowers Redolent of Romance and Charm
No wonder, brides opt for spring nuptials! The season packs its own velvet-gloved punch. In the fleeting beauty of the next few weeks, we will see a plethora of sweet-scented flowers redolent of romance. The parade includes peonies, Canterbury bells, lily-of-the-valley, lilac, blossoming apple, cherry, peach, pear, quince, and plum, grape hyacinth, sweetpea, mock orange, daffodil, lilac, tulips, iris, and more wild flowers than space allows to name.
It’s that time of year the medieval Unicorn Tapestries (www.metmuseum.org/explore/unicorn/unicorn_splash.htm)
celebrate – that season of rich abundance, of nature naturing (Lat: natura naturans)
Colors, too, take on new allure. Only with great rigor can one escape the seductive pinks, lavenders, whites, and infinite shades of green. Not to mention the yellows and piquant oranges of daffodils, narcissus, and tulips springing up in gardens and lawns. Add ferns and pussy willow to a cluster of daffodils, and a touch of blue scilla, grape hyacinth, or iris to complement the sunny colors.
Twist of Lime
Speaking of making things pop - try mixing lime green hydrangea or viburnum, or delicate frothy lady’s mantle with a range of pinks and whites. Silvery seeded eucalyptus whose tiny berry clusters have a pink blush add a softer note. And just a week or two from now, use plump green amaranthus spilling from tall vases and urns to evoke Italy’s hanging gardens – a look that goes well in an outdoor weddng venue such as Fruitlands in Harvard, with its stone fountain and statuary, or the courtyard of the Fogg Museum in Cambridge. Green puts a jazzy spin on blue and white arrangements, too. A spiral or twist or several mesh balls of thin silver wire steps up the tempo.
Chocolate
A dash of chocolate or espresso, if you prefer, lends depth to pinks, lavenders, whites, and greens. Where to find such notes in nature? Look to fiddlehead fern, which resembles a monkey’s tail (only ask for the brown as opposed to the green fiddle), and has a charm and wit all its own. Or be literal: One bride asked me to stand the votive candles knee deep in coffee beans.
