Ahhhhhhhhhhh....... Spring is truly here! The gardens are in bloom, busy birds chirp from branch to branch, and a fresh color palette rises from the earth as all watch in wide-eyed wonder.
My green thumb is inspired by my mother's and grandmother's gardens where height and texture variations created a natural canvas that kept admirers oohing and ahhing, begging to pick a few blooms, me included. I think they both new that a childhood me + a pair of garden scissors = total deforestation. Patience would have to be learned first.
One of my favorite floral traditions is the flower frog. My grandmother introduced me to these glass wonders when I was a little girl; when it became obvious that my wee hands could not be kept out of the garden.
My grandmother's home was (and still is) formal, as were her gardens. Cutting flowers would be a precise task with a specific end. The reward would be a table centerpiece fit for a proper ladies' luncheon. So with scissors in hand I was allowed to snip prized blooms to fit in the flower frog. I would spend hours in the garden, visiting ladybugs, and making the final cuts. Back inside, my Grandmother was selecting a fine crystal bowl for the finished frog. Once the bouquet was arranged and set in the bowl, my work was given a place of honor at the center of the dining room table. We would then sit with our lunch, note the sun reflecting prisms through the crystal bowl, and admire my work.
Now as a big girl, I fill the frog in much the same way. Color, color, and more color! Varying heights for definition, and texture galore!
I take my time to choose just the right bowl. Today I am going with a vintage country feel as this bouquet will grace my outside office space.
With today promising to be beautiful spring weather in Connecticut, I know both my Grandmother and my mother will be outside tending their gardens. Perhaps at lunch time, all three of us will be sitting on our patios, admiring the rewards of our patience.
LOVE & GARDEN TRADITIONS
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