WEDDING FLOWERS: Banksia Baxterii

Showing posts with label Banksia Baxterii. Show all posts

Autumn-toned Native Wedding Flowers

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A small, elopement style wedding in April called for just a bouquet, boutonniere and a floral crown for the bride. The ceremony was to take place in a bush setting on Mt Wellington. Very "low key and boho" with just a couple of close family members as witnesses to the event.

Inspired by the seasonal colours, and I couldn't resist the autumny tones of magnolia foliage which tied in beautifully with the creamy White Ice Protea and the Birdsnest Banksia I used as the main flowers.

A mix of great textures was important for the unstructured style of the bouquet. I used flowering tea tree, banksia foliage, and budded wattle foliage as some of the textural elements.

The leucadendrons I used were the fine, purple-tinged Galpinii, tall slender Discolour, and the rich dark tones of the Burgundy Sunset, almost black in autumn.

Other flowers used were the smaller Banksia Brownii, and a white Protea Repens. The leafy, wild look was brought together by using a limited colour palette, and making the autumn tones really stand out. I used dried leucadendron cones to repeat the brown colour of the magnolia leaves. Such a satisfying combination of colours and textures.

The grooms simple boutonniere used a magnolia leaf, a zigzaggy banksia leaf, burgundy sunset leucos, budded wattle and a leucadendron cone.

The floral crown was more leafy than floral. I used lots of budded wattle foliage, with its bluegreen colour and fabulous wayward sprigs. I added the yellowy green banksia Brownii foliage, which is a very fine zigzagged leaf. Sprinkled through was the flowering tea tree, which being lemon-scented is always a delight to work with.

The asymmetry of the crown is really flattering. I used the dark burgundy leucos and the dried cones to weight the crown to the left.

It was a real treat to be involved in this wedding, and I wish the lovely couple every happiness.

His and Hers Wedding Flowers in Autumn

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Photo by Jon Jarvela

Sometimes, I am asked to provide the simplest of wedding flower orders - a bride's bouquet and a groom's boutonniere. I find that these weddings are really memorable, because so much effort goes into making the one bouquet and buttonhole just right. In Autumn 2016, I was asked to do a simple bouquet and boutonniere for a couple who were getting married in the Huon Valley.

The bride provided some pictures of the styles and colours she loved. The inspiration came when I saw what the groom had picked out to wear.

I loved the sage green in the tie, and the golden yellow and apricot too. I decided to go for a bouquet with plenty of creamy white and green, with touches of apricot and bronzy gold.

For the bridal bouquet I used a Protea White Ice, two types of banksia - Banksia Baxterii, the Birdsnest Banksia, and Banksia Marginata, a local native. Brunia Albiflora in full flower was used along with flowering Eucalyptus Cordata, usually used as a cut foliage. The apricot came with the use of Fountain Pincushion and Leucadendron Safari Goldstrike whose new growth is tinged with a pinkish bronze.

The foliage I used includes Grevillea, again with a bronze new growth tips, flowering lemon-scented Leptospermum and the shimmering Leucadedron Argenteum or Silver Tree. You can also see, peeping out on the left of the above photo, some creamy Leucadendron Pisa cones with their outer bracts removed.

Other foliage included Eucalyptus Cordata, and some Cootamundra wattle in bud.

For the groom, I used a small Banksia Marginata in creamy yellow, Grevillea foliage with an orange bud, Cootamundra Wattle with its little buds, tea tree (Leptospermum) and Eucalyptus foliage.

Photo by Jon Jarvela

Autumn weddings in Tasmania really are special!

"Birds Nest" Bouquets for a Cradle Mountain Wedding in February

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In February I provided flowers for a wedding held at Lemonthyme Wilderness Retreat in the Cradle Mountain - Lake St Claire National Park.

Cradle Mountain

The Cradle Moutain area is World Heritage listed with stunning scenery and pristine wilderness that draws tourists from all around the globe. What a beautiful place for a wedding!

Lemonthyme WIlderness Retreat

The bride had chosen a rich strong purple for the bridesmaid's dresses and had the idea of adding some yellow as a contrasting colour to really make the colours pop.

Its called a complimentary colour scheme, using colours which are opposite each other on the colour wheel. It works to accentuate colours and make them stand out. The bride also wanted natives to go with that beautiful backdrop of the Tasmanian wilderness that the venue offered.

Banksias were the focal flowers in this wedding with each bouquet having a Banksia Baxterii as the main flower. Baxterii are a beautiful late summer banksia here in Tassie, and are often called Birds-nest Banksia because of their unique shape and the way the styles open from the bottom upwards.

I continued the Bird's Nest theme using posy holders made from natural fibrous material in a great chocolate brown. I love the textural quality they created and the addition of the deep brown which enhances the colours in the flowers. I also loved the bird's nest feel they added, with the flowers nestled into the "nest" and the foliage spilling over the edges.

Other flowers used were the beautiful rich red Banksia Occidentalis, Leucadendron Safari Sunset, a deep burgundy in late summer, and Brunia Albiflora. Little pops of purple to tie in the bridesmaids dresses were added with Hebe.

Vibrant yellow was added with Kangaroo Paw, Bronze Fennel flowers, and Leucadendron Pisa. Foliages used include the gorgeous native coral fern called Gleichenia Dicarpa, Myrtle Beech, a beautiful burgundy tea tree foliage, and some Smoke Bush leaves.

The bride requested all the boutonnieres be different designs, all with the same theme. Music to my ears! Its such fun to play with the colours and textures and find different ways of putting them all together. Banksia Baxterii leaves, deeply zig zagged and fabulous, form the backing for each Boutonniere.

In front, different mixtures of the foliages including the burgundy tea tree and myrtle, and then more of the other flowers featured in the bouquets.

The grooms boutonniere had some of the coral fern added. I really love working with the coral fern. It can be very difficult to store and work with as it tangles very easily, but the lovely angles that it sits at make it a wonderful, whimsical addition to a bouquet or boutonniere.

The colours and textures of this wedding were wonderfully satisfying to work with. I hope the bride and groom enjoyed the results!

Early Autumn Wedding in the Huon Valley

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Photography by Michelle Dupont

Early March, summer is coming to an end, and the Huon Valley is filled with orchards laden with apples. The Apple Shed, an old packing shed from earlier days, has been transformed into a cider house with an historical flavour, show casing mementos of the Apple Valley in its hey day and home to Willie Smith Cider. Its the scene for a wedding that I was thrilled to be involved in. I was equally thrilled to see the beautiful photographs taken by Michelle Dupont.

The bride was after an eclectic style with lots of colour.

Late summer provided plenty of colour choices. Leucospermum Fountain, the peachy orange Pincushion added warmth to the bouquet. Three different banksias make an appearance, the creamy Banksia Baxterii or Birdsnest Banksia, The warm yellow Banksia Praemorsa, and the red Banksia Occidentalis.

Protea Pink Mink, a Nerifolia with black fringing adds a luxurious touch. Also making an appearance is a stunning rich red Calla Lily, native to South Africa and a first for me. I was given some bulbs in a gorgeous range of colours and have been enjoying them in my garden.

Photography by Michelle Dupont

Leucadendron Jester, a variegated Leuco is in season in March. It was sprinkled throughout the floral designs for this wedding.

Photography by Michelle Dupont

The foliage used includes Myrtle Beech, a tasmanian native foliage which grows in the rain forests of western Tasmania. I also used Irish Juniper foliage, a stunning blue-green that really complimented the colours of the flowers. For highlights I used some Pittosporum berries. I like the textural effect they created.

For the boutonniere I used Myrtle Beech foliage, Irish Juniper and more of the pittosporum berries.

I just the love colour of the Irish Juniper.

Photography by Michelle Dupont

The leucadendrons are Jester, a variegated form of Safari Sunset. There rich red was great agains the blue of the suits.

Photography by Michelle Dupont

Each boutonniere had a green Corymbia Ficifolia gum nut. The green nuts are the previous years fruits. The trees also retain older fruits but they loose the green colouring and look more woody. I think the green ones really worked in this instance.

Photography by Michelle Dupont

The Mother of the Bride wore a Gum Nut corsage too, also using Myrtle Beech foliage, more Irish Juniper, pittosporum berries, Sedum, and a sprinkling of yellow fennel flower.

Photography by Michelle Dupont

I think the photographs from this wedding are some of the best I've seen. It's worth checking out the website of this talented photographer.

Photography by Michelle Dupont

No Autumn wedding in the Huon Valley would be complete without some orchard shots! These are just beautiful!

Photography by Michelle Dupont

The autumnal colours of the bouquet are enhanced in the beautiful afternoon light.

Photography by Michelle Dupont

Love this shot of the groom holding the bouquet!

Photography by Michelle Dupont

Just stunning!

Floral decorations for the Apple Shed reception venue were carefully planned by the bride who collected around 60 glass vases and vessels in all shapes and sizes to create groups of arrangements.

Large vases were grouped with smaller bottles and jars, all will a profusion of late summer colours.

I loved playing with the rich red and orange tones. The additions of juniper and pittosporum berries, and Brunia added texture.

Some of the little vases were vintage glass. This little jug looked lovely with a Banksia Occidentalis, Leucadendron Jester, Brunia Albiflora and some Irish Juniper foliage.

The vases and smaller vessels looked so gorgeous and colourful en masse. It was a pleasure to work on these.

For a cake topper, I used a Pincushion Fountain as the central flower, surrounded by Sedum, Fennel, Pittosporum berries, green gum nuts, Funiper, Hebe, and Leucadendron Jester.