Author: Jill Brooke
With a Flower, Italy Comes Back to Life and Gives It
By Jill Brooke Who would have thought a primrose, the first flower that blooms after the winter, would be a source of controversy. In an effort to get Italians comfortable with taking a Covid vaccine, authorities turned to the urban planner and architect Stefano Boeri who created pavilions with a primrose motif theme. Great idea …
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Decorate Your Home with Both Classic and Modern
A flower arrangement just for you. Doesn’t this first image evoke memories of a 17th-century Dutch painting with its use of tulips, anemones and the ivory lily? This work was crafted by Penny Karvounis and is so pretty and festive. Instead of greenery, she used a garnet-colored which adds more mystery. And yet I can’t …
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Beloved Holiday Poinsettias Plagued by False Rumor
The December flower continues to have a bit of a problem. Rumors persist that poinsettias are harmful to pets and young children. This is why the Society of American Florists (SAF) sent out some ammunition to combat a prevailing myth to flower shops around the U.S. In the past few years, research at Ohio State …
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Celestine Morel’s Floral Balls Bring Cheer and Whimsy
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” Since this is a holiday filled with many emotions, thought I’d share this sentiment by Lady Bird Johnson as well as these lovely holiday balls by the talented Celestine Morel, who runs what she calls a poetic floral studio in Paris. You can personalize the floral balls with different …
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Beethoven Comforted by Flowers While Battling Deafness
By Jill Brooke Staying positive is never easy when combating outside forces that bring you down. However, considering it’s Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday this week, perhaps we can learn life lessons from him while enjoying his music, which was instrumental in shifting from the classical approach to a more romantic genre that celebrated the …
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Nutcracker Ballet Inspires David Austin Roses’ At-Home Fun
By Jill Brooke Are you missing going to the Nutcracker as an annual holiday tradition? Whatever your outside holiday traditions, bring them indoors. Use your imagination as the talented team at David Austin roses just did by imagining what a “Nutcracker” inspired dinner and environment would be like in your own living room or for …
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Will Blooms Last at Philadelphia Flower Show’s June Date?
By. Jill Brooke The famed Philadelphia Flower Show will move outdoors for the first time since its debut in 1827. Not only is the nation’s largest and world’s longest-running horticultural event showcasing floral talents outdoors at the historic Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park, but now it is moving its show dates from February to June 5-13, …
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5 Decor Ideas to Celebrate Hanukkah and Spark Storytelling
By Jill Brooke Hanukkah is the festival of lights, a feat of the Jewish people to prolong one day’s worth of oil to eight, which secured a victory over Syrian rule and prevented their faith and temple from being diminished and destroyed. For 2023, the Hanukkah festivities start on December 7th and I wanted to …
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Christie’s Reveals How Women Empowered Botanical Art
Women have often been the unsung heroes of history rarely getting the credit they deserve. As Christie’s revealed in a fascinating story, women also played a major role in the early days of plant science and botanical art though didn’t get the credit. Until now. A rare album of 18th-century drawings by Lady Maria …
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Your Holiday Wreath Ideas for Every Christmas Style
By Jill Brooke Laura Dowling is an award-winning florist and designer, known for her signature French garden-style flowers, spectacular wreaths and innovative floral decor. From 2009 – 2015 she served as the Chief Floral Designer at the White House, where she managed flowers and decorations for both official and private events, including state dinners, receptions, …
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