Stonefield Wedding in March

Stonefield Wedding in March

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For a March wedding at Stonefield, just north of Hobart, the bridal party were in shades of steel grey and black.  The bride and groom had a love of natives and the outdoors and wanted their flowers to reflect that, especially using juvenile eucalyptus foliage with its gorgeous blue grey colouring. 

Steel grey, black and red are always a stunning combination so I teamed up the requested foliage with some proteas and banksias in rich reds and pinks.  

The main flowers were a rich pinky red Protea Repens, and red Banksia Occidentalis.  The bride's bouquet also had a Protea Compacta in pink and red, and a Protea White Ice.  

Other flowers include flowering Brunia Albiflora, Leucadendron Discolour, and some Safari Sunset Leucos.  

The beautiful silky Leucadendron Silver Tree was one of the mix of foliages I used.  Eucalyptus Crenulata has a gorgeous silvery grey colour and it was the main foliage ingredient.  Juvenlie Risdon Pepperment foliage was also sprinkled through.  

For the floral comb, I used a mix of foliages and some smaller flowers in colours matching the proteas of the bouquets.  I love to use Pittosporum berries and these are a light sage green and come from a variegated leaf Pittosporum. 

The boutonnieres were all in greys, and were all slightly different.  Brunia, both flowering and not flowering, gum nuts, and the purple-tinged Leucadendron Discolour. 

They always look so lovely all lined up!

The groom had a bit of colour to his boutonniere, with the addition of a Leucadendron Safari Sunset.  The new season's growth is always such a fresh, rich colour.

I loved playing with muted greys, greens and reds for this wedding.  I always enjoy the challenge of creating something completely unique for each couple who I work with, and this was no exception.  

April Flowers

April Flowers

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What is flowering in April?  I'm glad you asked!  There is a misconception that as the autumn months arrive, flower production decreases.  But with natives, there are plenty of plants that flower in autumn and into winter, making proteas and natives available all year round.   The following gives an idea of what you can expect in the month of April (southern hemisphere).  This is a guide only, as we have to allow for fluctuations in weather which can hasten or delay flower production.  

Protea Varieties blooming in April

This selection of proteas were all picked in April.  Starting from the back middle, we have Protea Pink Ice, then clockwise to the right a mini red King Protea, then the soft pink bracts and red central mass of the Protea Compacta.  The next is a waxy hot pink Protea Repens, followed by a soft velvety white Protea Donna with a soft purple centre.  Next is a warm pink with a cream central cone.  To the left is a waxy creamy-white Protea Repens.  In the centre is a Protea White Ice.  The leucadendron on the bottom-left is Jester, a variegated pinky red with a green stripe.  

Brunia Albiflora and Grevillea foliage

Brunia Albiflora is a wonderful "flower" that is picked over summer here in Tasmania.  I usually don't start picking it until after Christmas but it can continue to be picked until early April.  Depending on the weather conditions, Brunia will begin to flower in March and into April.  

Flowering Brunia Albiflora

When it is flowering, Brunia is much lighter than in its "berry" form.  The little rings of tiny white flowers with creamy stamens create a textural effect in warm white.   

The bouquet above features a flowering Brunia.   I made this bouquet for a gorgeous April wedding held on a rural property in a sheep shearing shed.  Natives are perfect for a rustic, farm wedding.

Protea Repens in red, pink and cream

Protea Repens are a Protea that flowers prolifically in Autumn.  Here at Swallows Nest Farm, they can continue to flower most of the year in much smaller numbers.  But the main flowering time is autumn.  They are picked in large quantities in April and look fresh and gorgeous.

Protea Repens Pink

Protea Repens come in a range of colour forms.  The one above is light pink, with each tall outer bract tinged in pink and the central mass light.  Deep pink ones often have a central mass tinged with pink.  There is also a creamy white variety.

You can see the Protea Repens used in the bouquet above.  The lighter pink variety is used, blending well with the pink peppercorn berries.  (more of this wedding)

Banksia Ericifolia

Also used in the bouquet pictured above is an orange Banksia Ericifolia which are flowering abundantly from Autumn and into the winter months.  

Banksia Occidentalis

Another banksia available in April is the red Banksia Occidentalis.  This beautiful pinky red banksia flowers from February through to April.  

You can see the Banksia Occidentalis in this bridal bouquet from April.  Rich red, orange and pink flowers with masses of textural foliage made this a bright and memorable bouquet.  You can see the dark pink Portea Repens, and the very last of the orange Fountain Pincushions.  These Foutains begin flowering in January and usually continue through until March, with only a few left flowering in April.  The weather conditions really dictate their availability in April.  

Acacia Baileyana in bud in April, with flowering Brunia Albiflora and flowering Wattle

Some of the great textural foliages I used in this bouquet are pictured here.  Acacia Bailyana is a favourite wattle of mine.  It comes in two colour forms, a silvery blue foliage and a purple foliage, both with a silvery bloom on the young leaves.  It is a winter flowering wattle but in April, when it is in bud, it makes a stunning textural addition to a bouquet.  

Also pictured above are some flowering wattle (possibly Acacia Retinodes) which grow wild around my local area and are often in flower over April.  Some Banksia foliage in a light green with bronze tips can be seen at the top of the picture.  It is Banksia Brownii foliage, which has finely zig-zagged leaves which are lovely to use.  Flowering Brunia can be seen at the bottom left of the picture. 

For the same wedding, this arch decoration used more of the Protea Repens, some Fountain Pincushions, flowering Brunia, Acacia Baileyana, Grevillea foliage, varieties of red and green leucadendrons, and long branches of Acacia Retinodes coming into flower.

The wreath above is made using the light pink Protea Repens, red Banksia Occidentalis, Leucadendron Safari Sunset, Leucadendron Goldstrike, Acacia Baileyana foliage in bud, and some Lemon Scented Tea Tree.

Protea Compacta

This beautiful rich pink Protea with a wine-red central mass is a variety of Compacta which flowers in the autumn months and is available in April.  

You can see the Protea Compacta used in this April bride's bouquet.  You can also see a red Banksia Occidentalis, rich pink Protea Repens, and some warm golden Banksia Brownii.  Leucadendron Jester, a red and green variegated form is also used, as well as silvery green Leucadendron Pisa foliae, budded Acacia Baileyana foliage and flowering tea tree or Leptospermum. 

Another April bouquet, including Banksia Brownii, and Banksia Baxterii.  The Baxterii, or Birdsnest Banksia, is a late summer or Autumn flower here at Swallows Nest Farm, flowering from February until April.  Also in this bouquet are the beautiful Protea White Ice, and a creamy white Protea Repens.  The wonderful foliages available in April are here too, with the budded Acacia Baileyana, Lemon-scented Tea Tree, and including a beautiful velvety brown backed Magnolia foliage.  Such autumny goodness!  Also included are some wonderfully warm-brown dried leucadendron cones. 

Protea Pink Ice in plentiful supply in April

Protea Pink Ice are in plentiful supply in April.  They love the cooler weather and flower abundantly over the cooler months with clean clear colour.  

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In this April wedding, Protea Pink Ice teamed up with other pink, green and silver colours to create a simple colour scheme rich in textural interest.  

You can see beautiful Red King Proteas, Brunia Albiflora (some beginning to flower), Leucadendron Silver Tree cones, pink Kangaroo Paw and beautiful foliages including Leucadendron Pisa foliage, Silver Tree foliage and budded peppermint eucalyptus foliage.    (more of this wedding)

Eucalyptus Risdonnii  - budded Peppermint foliage

Protea Repens, red King Proteas and flowering Brunia feature again in this bridal bouquet from April.  Foliages used are budded Acacia Baileyana, flowering tea tree and eucalyptus buds.  (more of this wedding)

These are just some of the proteas and native flowers you can expect to be available in April in southern Tasmania.   If you need more specific information,  feel free to use the contact form on the right side bar of the blog.  

April wedding at Frogmore Creek Winery

April wedding at Frogmore Creek Winery

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Picture by Kristy L Photography

Autumn in Tasmania is so pretty!  I might go so far as to say its my favourite season… The autumn showers bring green to the sun-tired landscape and the colours of the autumn leaves are so beautiful.  I think its a great time for a wedding.  And I think you'd have to agree that the gorgeous pictures by Kristy L Photography capture an Autumn wedding so perfectly.  In April, I was lucky to be involved in this beautiful Autumn wedding at Frogmore Creek Winery

Burgundy was the colour theme of the wedding, so I used some new season Silvan Red Leucadendrons, which are a lovely rich deep-red colour in April.  

The bride loved the King Proteas so they became the focal flower.  

The Red King Proteas were teamed up with some pink Protea Repens and Brunia Albiflora in flower.  I also used gum buds, white flowering tea tree, and some fine leucadendrons in green with a bronze blush on the tips.  

The bouquets were bound with a rustic chocolate coloured twine, which I think really enhanced the burgundy colouring.

Cootamundra Wattle in bud was the foliage I used mostly.  It is a beautiful wattle foliage that comes in both a silvery blue green and a purple.  The frilly fern-like leaves of the green variety shown here, are covered in a silvery bloom which gives that blue-green, eucalyptus look.  And those buds, frilly and wonderful, create a cloud of soft texture around the bouquets.  

Boutonnieres made a feature of the new season Silvan Red leucos.  They were teamed up with white flowering tea tree, Cootamundra Wattle, deconstructed Brunia, and the fine bronze-green leucos.  

I loved using the flowering Brunia.  Brunia Albiflora (meaning "white flower") grow a cluster of balls which are covered in tiny flower heads.  By deconstructing them, I've been able to use the individual balls in these boutonniere.  

The beautiful bride wanted a floral crown.  I used plenty of foliage and texture, for a rustic look.  The tea tree, gum buds, eucalyptus, and Cootamundra wattle all make an appearance.  But the richly coloured Silvan Red Leucos were the focal point.

There were a number of little wrist corsages too, continuing with the overall theme.  

They look so cute, all in a row!

Picture by Kristy L Photography

I just love this beautiful photo by Kristy L Photography.  Stunning!  So happy to be involved in such a gorgeous wedding.  

Winter around the Farm

Winter around the Farm

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The road up to the farm on a misty day

 Winter is beautiful season in Tasmania.  Each season has its own characteristics, its own activities and its own beauty.  Misty wintery days can be magical.  And the dark days make you really appreciate the blue-sky days when they come.  The Wedgetailed eagles that live in the tree tops on the slopes behind our farm seem to be more common companions in winter.  Maybe they need to work harder for their winter meals.

Wedgetailed Eagle

I am often asked if winter is a quiet time around the farm … I guess in a temperate climate the main growing times are the warmer months.  But with natives, there is always something flowering.  Always!
And it's not just the harvesting that we're busy with in winter.  There are plenty of other activities going on.

This year, we've been clearing and there are lots of piles of rubbish needing to be burned.  A clear winters day with a slight breeze is a brilliant time for a burn off. 

We are working our way through piles large and small, looking forward to having some new fences and more areas for planting soon.

New Protea Varieties

Planting is another common winter activity for us.  We have planted something new every year since we have been here at Swallows Nest Farm.  This year is our 7th planting season.  Proteas and plants from the protea family prefer to be planted out in winter, providing they can be given a little shelter from the harsher winds and frosts.  Having planted in both summer and winter, I am convinced that winter planting gives the plants a better start in life.  Our summer plantings required much more irrigation and have taken much longer to establish.  

Brunia Stokoeii

This year we have 2 new varieties of proteas, and 3 new varieties of Leucadendron going in.  We also have a new variety of Brunia and more Berzelia being planted.  

Brunia Stokoeii

The new variety of Brunia is Stokoeii.  I had planted some a few years ago but we lost them all (except  2) during the summer of 2012-13 when we had bush fires.  I was so excited about having this gorgeous pink flowering variety of Brunia and really disappointed to have lost them.  So we're giving them another go.  We bag each plant as we go, to protect from Rabbits, wind and harsh frost.  It seems to work well for us here, until the plants are bigger and can fend for themselves.

The newly cleared areas have really opened up our possibilities for planting.  It's a challenge figuring out straight rows with all the hills though!

Leucadendrons Jubilee Crown and Safari Goldstrike

And of course, there are the winter flowering plants that make winter a colourful and satisfying harvest season too.  The Safari Goldstrike that we planted in our first year at Swallows Nest are now mature and productive.  They have a rich golden green flower head in July and then bright intense yellow in August. 

Phylica Plumosa and Leucadendron Inca Gold

The Phylica Plumosa are almost ready to flower.  They seem to be straining towards the sun at this time of year.  Behind them, the lime green of the Inca Gold Leucadendron is rapidly changing into its colourful winter yellow.

Leucadendron Galpinii

Leucadenron Galpinii is commonly called Purple Haze.  It winter, you can see why.  It is delicate and softly purple with leaves that spiral around the stem.  Our Galpinii plants have taken a long time to establish but we are starting to see some harvestable stems this year which is exciting.

Banksia Brownii

A few years ago I planted a handful of Banksia Brownii which has beautiful feathery leaves that are a joy to use as cut foliage.  But this year, they are flowering too!  A delicate creamy yellow, they aren't the most attention-seeking flowers but they are beautiful in their own way.

Berzelia Lanuguinosa

The Berzelia or Button Bush is getting ready to flower, making lots of little clusters of flowers heads.  I sometimes cut it at this early stage to use in arrangements.

Protea Repens

Protea Repens start flowering in late Autumn here and carry on throughout the winter months. 

Protea Pink Ice

Winter is also a great time for Protea Pink Ice.  We have Pink Ice in good supply almost all year round.

Leucdendron Safari Sunset

Safari Sunset have a long harvest time from autumn, through winter and spring and into the early part of summer.   It's only at the end of summer that they are scarce.  When I think winter, I think Leucadendrons.  They really are the winter stars here.

Leucadendron Red Gem

 The Red Gem have gone through their glowing red phase and are starting to get a yellow tinge.  In a few weeks I'll be harvesting creamy yellow and apricot flowers by the trailer load!

So no, winter is not the quiet season on a protea and native flower farm.  Winter encompasses the full range of activities from clearing, to planting to harvesting.  There's always something to do and something to enjoy.  And then of course, there's spring to look forward to.