DIY: Winter Romance in a Silver Brunia Bouquet - Gardenista
Recently, while browsing around my favorite florist shop, I noticed a clump of rare blooms dusted in a wintry heather gray. Photographs by Justine Hand. “And what about this unusual cocoa-pink Queen Anne’s Lace?’. Taking advantage of the wide selection of unusual plants at Winston Flowers in Boston, I selected wintry hues and textures for my “homage to winter” Valentine’s bouquet–adding just a touch of pink, of course. Though it reminds me of a snow-covered evergreen forest, Silver Brunia Nodiflora is actually native to South Africa. Creamy David Austen roses (which have an intoxicating smell) and false cypress also embodied the feel of the winter woods. To soften the spikier aspects of my arrangement and to add a bit of Victorian- era romance, I chose the soft, snowflake forms of pink hydrangeas and chocolate Queen Anne’s Lace. Brunia does not require any special treatment, but as with all woody stemmed flowers, a long diagonal cut will allow it to draw more water. So as not to obscure the dynamic forms of the flowers–and to capture something of a wild feel–I left my winter romance bouquet loose and a little unruly. The heathered tint and ball-like structure of the silver brunia lend an enticing texture and contrast to the bouquet. A bit of hanging cypress and a reindeer antler found by my stepfather on the Alaskan tundra complete my wintry scene. With fresh water everyday, my bouquet should see me through to Valentine’s Day.