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roses, roses, roses
Imaginative new ways to offer these cherished blossoms.
Counting domestic production and imports, total U.S. rose supplies
exceed 1.6 billion stems annually, outselling the next most popular cut
floral product (carnations) by more than two to one. Clearly, the
venerable rose remains America’s favorite flower. And with a fabulous
profusion of fresh new varieties on the market—with even more in
development for future production — it’s not likely that floral
consumers will tire of roses any time soon.
As a result, designers are continually challenged, especially at
Valentine’s Day, to find inventive, new ways to present America’s most
cherished blossom and to showcase the novel characteristics of today’s
most exciting varieties. With these captivating compositions, wonderful
for Valentine’s Day and beyond, we suggest creative solutions to this
common dilemma.
encased in glass
‘Latin Ambiance,’ a bicolor hybrid tea rose that opens fully, like a
garden rose, is an exquisite selection to display under glass. Although
the classically formed bunch of roses resembles a hand-tied bouquet, the
individual stems are simply dropped into the vessel one by one. No
additional mechanics are required; the elegant vase holds the balanced
blossoms in place beautifully.
MATERIALS: ‘Latin Ambiance’ roses from Virgin Farms Direct;
Simplicity Line vase from Accent Décor.
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overflowing with roses
To create this stylish two-tiered fountainlike design, a pair of
ceramic planters are nested together, with the smaller planter
resting atop floral foam inside the larger flared one. ‘Papaya’
roses are simply tucked into the foam around the perimeter of the
larger planter, and in the smaller container, additional roses are
arranged in an equally casual manner. The planters’ crisp pale gray
hue enable these gorgeous blossoms to shine brightly for Valentine’s
Day and future flower-giving occasions.
MATERIALS: ‘Papaya’ roses from Golden Flowers; ceramic
planters from Compradores.
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 field-fresh
basket
AA ceramic planter, accessorized by a
band of bleached grasses positioned both vertically and horizontally in
a loose, woven fashion, resembles an especially pretty bushel basket
filled lavishly with a bounty of ‘Fiesta’ roses. The juxtaposition of
the coarse grasses against the flowers’ ultrasmooth petals is a
fashionable trend that strongly and attractively emphasizes the
individual textures.
MATERIALS: ‘Fiesta’ roses from Benchmark Growers; bleached bright
grass from Natural Botanicals; ceramic planter from Mains Importing.
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daring hues
This quintet of stunning garden rose varieties appears casually
gathered into a bold-colored vase, the vibrant russet tone of which
starkly contrasts with the buttery creams and deep pinks of the
blossoms. Such graphic color contrasts are an up-and-coming trend
that is youthful and fresh while the superb garden roses have
timeless appeal.
MATERIALS: Meilland ‘Yves Piaget,’ ‘Toulouse Lautrec,’
‘Botero,’ ‘Quatre-Coures’ and ‘Antique Romantica’ roses from Gallica
Roses; glass vase from Meyer Imports Ltd.
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radiant rows
Within the clean, contemporary lines of
these narrow pocket vases, eye-catching variegated foliage transforms
four standard and four spray roses into works of art. Well-placed blades
of lily grass, some of which are inverted so their white tips are
visible, complete the modern display.
MATERIALS: Meilland ‘Yellow Coral’ roses from Florecal, S.A.;
Meilland ‘Yellow Follies’ roses from Passion Growers; lily grass,
variegated ti and Dracaena leaves, lime and small glass vase from
favorite suppliers; large glass vase from BX Glass Inc.
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golden grandeur
With just a small portion of their stems trimmed away, these radiant
‘Gold Strike’ roses are assembled to form a statuesque hedgelike
column that is accented by long blades of lily grass. Additional
lily grass is woven around the gathering, and even the normally
discarded ends of the lily grass are used. When inverted, their
white tips provide a striking contrast to the green foliage. Due to
the design’s height, a value-added presentation method, a weighty
container is required.
MATERIALS: ‘Gold Strike’ roses from California Pajarosa
Floral; planter from Meyer Imports Ltd.; lily grass from favorite
supplier.
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