Berlin Flower Shop News
A Floral Designer Who Forages in the Hills of Malibu - The New York Times
Monday, August 24, 2020Indeed, Moreno-Bunge is part of a new wave of designers — among them the Berlin-based studio Mary Lennox and the New York-based Joshua Werber — for whom the term florist seems too narrow a definition; they’re artists who not only confirm the obvious appeal of blooms but also reveal the magnificence of their landscapes’ less flamboyant elements: leaves, vegetables, seedpods, weeds and humble grasses.The florist creates a wild, sculptural arrangement of plants including golden rain tree, oats, artichoke flowers and green persimmons.CreditCredit...Scott J. RossThis approach has made Isa Isa — Moreno-Bunge’s five-year-old floral design business, which creates effervescent, naturalistic arrangements and installations — the studio of choice for many of L.A.’s most interesting brands. Visitors to the Chinatown store of the clothing label Eckhaus Latta in 2018 might have noticed a single, ethereal white Iceland poppy emerging from a dense green cluster of beadlike dates, slatted areca palm leaves and the drooping, fist-size fruit of the silk floss tree, arranged by Moreno-Bunge in a pitcher on a table of accessories. More recently, she displayed three green tromboncino squash, coiled like snakes, alongside bouquets of black tomatoes, olive branches and unripened persimmons and lemons, at the women’s clothing boutique Shaina Mote... https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/10/t-magazine/sophia-moreno-bunge-floral-design.html
Feed the soul: In chaotic times, gardening becomes therapy - Sentinel & Enterprise
Thursday, April 02, 2020Those with a garden are the lucky ones,” said Heidi Schaletzky, standing on the lawn beneath a cherry tree in the north of Berlin.Schaletzky and her husband have been cultivating a plot in the “Free Country” community garden for the past eight years, growing strawberries, salad greens and kohlrabi. So far, access to garden plots remains exempt from restrictions intended to stop the spread of the virus in Germany.“We’ll be able to see other people, too,” she said. “As long as they stay on their side of the fence.”As the weather warms, garden shops are bustling as other businesses shut during the outbreak.At the Almaden Valley Nursery in San Jose, California, rose expert John Harp has seen a mix of new gardeners and regulars. Customers can’t come into the shop, so their online orders are brought to their vehicles in the parking lot.“Around town everyone is gardening right now,” Harp said. “They’re looking to be a little bit more self-sufficient.”This home-grown attitude goes back to World War II, when millions of people cultivated victory gardens to protect against potential food shortages while boosting patriotism and morale.Hollie Niblett, who lives near Kansas City, Kansas, hopes the victory gardens come back. Niblett, who has a degree in horticultural therapy, tends to a kitchen garden near her backdoor, perennial flowers, flowering trees and shrubs, and upper and lower grassy yards connected by a path through an area left in its natural condition.“There are so many things about it that feed my soul,” she said. “Right now, more than anything, my garden gives me hope, gives me purpose and provides a sense of connection to something bigger than myself.”For beginners, wonderment awaits. Just south of Atlanta, 10-year-old Ezra Gandy’s love for playing baseball has been paused. He and his grandmother, Melanie Nunnally, recently started an outdoor garden, planting strawberries, cabbage, broccoli, kale and asparagus.“I like digging in the dirt because I like to see all the bugs and stuff that’s in the ground,” he said.The nonprofit group KidsGardening.org suggests that children grow their own salads or do other activities.The virus scare could even usher in a new crop of gardeners who start from seed rather than risk the crowds buying starter plants.Kendra Schilling of Scott Depot, West Virginia, doesn’t have space for a sprawling garden, so she’s planting potatoes in a bucket and trying to figure out with her teenage daughter what to do with other vegetable seeds.“I usually go buy the plants and stick them in the dirt. But this year we’re going to try to do the seeds,” she says. “Thank God for YouTube.”___Associated Press writer Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report. https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2020/03/31/feed-the-soul-in-chaotic-times-gardening-becomes-therapy/
How Floral Arrangements Began to Take Over the Table — and the Entire Room - The New York Times
Thursday, March 12, 2020The daughter of contemporary art gallerists, Barber moved from her native Sydney, Australia, in 2012 to Berlin, where, in her studio, Mary Lennox, she often crafts monumental Rorschach-like installations that seem not merely to defy gravity but to openly taunt it: armfuls of dried pampas grass, amaranth and loopy hops that hang from hooks on the ceiling; a geyser of translucent lunaria seedpods — glinting like silver dollars — in place of a chandelier in a Paris apartment; a staircase banister wrapped with cherry and orange boughs braided with Queen Anne’s lace. While she works with fresh flowers in the spring and summer, Barber finds herself increasingly using dried materials; their stiffness lends itself to abstraction and frees her from using imported commercial flowers from the Netherlands or China in the autumn and winter. “More and more, people want something that can be reused and have another life,” she says. “I have hardly been asked to do a regular table centerpiece lately, which I think is indicative of change in the air.”At the Chorin Abbey in Brandenburg, Germany, Ruby Barber of the floral studio Mary Lennox creates a boundaryless climbing formation of dried hydrangea and dried marcela.CreditCredit...By Guido CastagnoliIt makes a certain sense that the once ubiquitous symmetrical dome of roses, clonelike in its perfection, seems to have vanished. “Let’s face it, they were like a salon blowout,” says Alex Eagle, who often features Barber’s concoctions in her eponymous clothing and furniture boutique in Berlin. The demise of conventional floristry has been hastened as well by the rejection of toxic floral foam; its replacements — chicken wire or recycled coconut husks — have spurred creativity. At a recent dinner Eagle hosted at her London home, the florist Simone Gooch of Fjura placed rose plants in large cubes of exposed soil at the center of the table, their roots fanning out in all directions. “They were so transfixing, so beautiful to look at. Afterwards, I took them an... https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/04/t-magazine/flower-arrangements-sculptures.html
David Gruman - Clarksville Now
Sunday, February 09, 2020Brookfield, WI on November 12, 1957. He graduated from Brookfield Central High School in 1975. David married Tammy in 1982. He worked for over 25 years for Gruman Construction, Inc. of New Berlin, WI. He retired to Dover, TN in 2012, where he enjoyed time with many friends. Although “retired”, Dave soon found himself happily work for Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency. “Grandpa Big” enjoyed visiting his grandchildren and was an avid sports fan.David is preceded in death by his parents Karen and Lawrence Gruman. He is survived by his wife, Tammy Gruman of Dover; Daughters: Heather Kohls (Matthew) of Milwaukee, WI, and Kristina Laurishke (William) of Sussex, WI; Grandchildren: Tierra, Dwight, Carlos and Faith Laurishke; and, Siblings Joel (Sharon) of Delafield, WI, Thomas (Gail) of Brookfield, WI, Robert (Makela) of Sugar Hill, GA, and Tricia Muesbeck (Dale) of Sun Prairie, WI.The funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at the Fort Donelson Memorial United Methodist Church. Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2020 from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service at 1:00 p.m. at the Fort Donelson Memorial United Methodist Church. Services will conclude with a luncheon at the church.In lieu of flowers, memorial contrib... https://clarksvillenow.com/local/david-gruman/
Coming to LA: Fleurs De Villes - PerishableNews
Tuesday, October 22, 2019Bowers Museum and Sherman Library & Gardens.In keeping with the meaning of Fleurs de Villes (flowers of cities), eight of the mannequins are clothed in interpretations of stylish cities such as Berlin, Copenhagen, Dubai, Madrid, Milan, Tokyo and Shanghai.“Fleurs de Villes is a showcase for local, world-class floral design,” says Fleurs de Villes co-founder Karen Marshall. “This fall, we are delighted to partner with South Coast Plaza, a renowned international destination, for our U.S. West Coast debut. Our crowd-drawing pop-up shows are stunning examples of the artistry of flowers and are unique multi-sensory experiences.”Sherman Library & Gardens joins participating florists and floral designers including Above the Stem, Bella Blooms, Bottles and Blooms, Bonne Fleur Floral & Special Event Design, Corona del Mar Florist, Couture Flowers, Fleurish, Floral Fete, Flowers by Enzo, The Flower Stand, Inessa Nichols Design, Jacob Maarse Florist, Lauren Drake Designs, Penelope Pots, Yellow Vase, and White Lilac Inc. Event & Floral Design in creating the floral fashion. Mayesh Wholesale Florist is providing the flowers for the five-day event.“We are thrilled to partner with Fleurs De Villes, participating in an event that brings luxury floral art to the public,” says Yvonne Ashton, Mayesh, Director of Marketing. “We are excited to support initiatives that cultivates an appreciation and love of floral design with the people, and showcases the talents of our fantastic California florists.” ... https://www.perishablenews.com/floral/coming-to-la-fleurs-de-villes/
New Hampshire florists see demand bloom despite event cancellations - New Hampshire Business Review
Wednesday, December 02, 2020Flowers are natural mood elevators, a fact that behavioral research from Rutgers University in New Jersey confirms. The study measured participants’ reactions to gifts of flowers against gifts of candles or fruit baskets, and only flowers elicited authentic smiles. This is all the more notable in time of coronavirus because these types of grins show up in the crow’s feet or laugh lines area of the face and are discernible behind a mask.More people are also seeking blossoms native to the area, said researcher Kaitlyn Orde at the University of New Hampshire’s Sideman Lab.The number of farms producing field-grown cut flowers in New Hampshire climbed from 64 to 101 farms, an increase of about 60%, in the decade from 2007 to 2017, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).“Cut flowers are an increasingly important specialty crop in the state,” said Orde, “and [the spike] illustrates that consumer demand is strong for regionally-grown flowers.”Despite the lack of special events, Bob Cote of wholesaler Baystate Farm Direct Flowers in Bedford says business has been brisk. However, the continued postponement of large gatherings for funerals and nuptials is not hardy news for florists powering through less than ideal conditions. “Weddings are our bread and butter for the summer,” Cote said.Floral shops, like other retailers, are adjusting their operations to address customers’ hesitancy to browse in their aisles. In addition to offering delivery and curbside pickup, Hewson encourages people to visit her open-air greenhouse where she transferred many of her ancillary gift items. She also posted that same inventory on a revamped website.“We’re still using that [the greenhouse and the website] for people who don’t feel comfortable coming into the store,” she said. “Being inventive is what got us through.”Catalysts for compassion‘We have been crazy, crazy, crazy’ busy, says Shirley Wrenn of Shirley’s Flowers and Sweets in Nashua, who recently added a third vehicle to keep up with demand for flowers. (Photo by Sheryl Rich-Kern)Community well-wishers also helped merchants withstand the pandemic’s aftermath. One customer started what Hewson calls a “flower chain.”In April, Maryanne Jackson of North Conway purchased 20 table-sized bouquets of friezes, roses and greenery from Hewson with a note wishing people “joy and color,” asking them to support small businesses and consider paying forward the gift. Many of the recipient... https://www.nhbr.com/new-hampshire-florists-see-demand-bloom-despite-event-cancelations/
Audrey Cleary Bailey, 76, advocated for military families - Port City Daily
Wednesday, December 02, 2020These last few years she had loving support from family, friends, companions and neighbors who made it possible for her to stay in her home.Mrs. Bailey was born Aug. 31, 1944, in Paterson, New Jersey, daughter of the late Edward Aubrey Cleary and Evelyn Grande Cleary.Mrs. Bailey was a proud U.S. Navy spouse, reporter for WDSU T.V. in New Orleans, worked for Admiral Rickover in his last days and she was an advocate on Capitol Hill, sometimes political, but always with the aim of improving the lives of military families. Mrs. Bailey had been active in support for military families as a young wife and mother, as only a Navy wife can be, while the ship was away at sea for six or more months at a time. As her husband rose in rank, her responsibilities to the military family grew until she was able to affect change at the national level.She was an early advocate for the Vietnam era Prisoners of War (POW) and those missing in action, wearing a bracelet with a POW’s name on it for years until his return to the United States. She was a working mother in the days when it was a rarity. She was active in the Rotary Club in Winston-Salem as well as a volunteer in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit.Her overriding passion in her life was her husband. He was her hero. After Capt. Bailey had finally retired, he was afflicted with Alzheimer... https://portcitydaily.com/obits/2020/11/30/audrey-cleary-bailey-76-advocated-for-military-families/
Sales aren't blooming: Florists adjust during pandemic - Delaware State News - Delaware State News
Wednesday, December 02, 2020I just wanted to get open and salvage the flowers we do have.”Ms. Bobola said she had to shut down the florist because wholesalers where Bobola Farms receives flowers from in New Jersey and Pennsylvania were closed. Bobola Farms will begin selling some produce in the upcoming weeks; first up are strawberries, which have started to bloom.Bobola Farms has been open since the late 1990s and Ms. Bobola said she never experienced anything like this. She hopes Mother’s Day can help bring back some normalcy but reminded that everything is limited.“It’s the longest we’ve ever been closed,” Ms. Bobola said. “You’ve got to get started somewhere, so we’re just going to do the best we can. I hope people will be patient. We’ll do everything we can to be as close to normal but there will be substitutions. I hope people understand this isn’t easy but we’ll work with them.”Florists are following all protocols recommend by the Centers for Disease Control to help limit the spread of COVID-19. This includes wiping down all vases, wearing gloves while handling flowers and disinfecting the store every night.It also includes contact-free delivery, where the driver will call the customer when the flowers are on the steps of their home.Mrs. Fries said Jen-Mor had to lay off part of its staff when the pandemic first began. She added it has been able to slowly bring back some of the staff.The loss of workers has made the busy weeks even more stressful.“It’s been exhausting,” Mrs. Fries said. “The few of us that are here are doing the work of more people. There’s only so much we can do with this staff so our inventory is smaller than usual.”... https://delawarestatenews.net/coronavirus/sales-arent-blooming-florists-adjust-during-pandemic/
Philly florists bring beauty back to voting with public installations across the region - The Philadelphia Inquirer
Wednesday, October 28, 2020So to highlight the beauty of voting and nip the negativity in the bud, they’ve teamed up with 15 other florists across the Philadelphia region, New York, and New Jersey for United by Blooms, a nonpartisan outdoor floral installation event from Oct. 14-16 aimed at promoting voting. “By incorporating it with flowers, we bring back a positive connotation to the actual process of voting,” Lam said. #right-rail .newsletter-card,.newsletter-card.hidden-desktop{display:none} Inquirer Morning Newsletter Get the news you need to start your day United by Blooms is the brainchild of farmer-florist Kate Carpenter, co-owner of EMA (East Mount Airy) Blooms. Participating florists and growers, who donated their time and flowers to the project, were asked to provide a positive public experience while raising awareness about voting. Designers were encouraged to put their installations near mailboxes or ballot drop boxes (but not on them), to highlight voting by mail and the necessity of the U.S. Postal Service, which has faced its share of heavy criticism this year, too. “It’s an opportunity to thank the postal workers, who are essential workers, and to get the community engaged about participating in our democracy,” said Carpenter, 35. “Plus, it gives growers and designers the chance to take their talents to the streets of Philadelphia and give people something to enjoy right now.” Carpenter’s design, which she created with her business partner, Courtney Jewell, was inspired, in part, by the rainbows that people placed in their windows for children’s scavenger hunts during the height of quarantine. Several rainbow-colored chalk paths lead to the installation at Green Street and Carpenter Lane in Mount Airy, where flowers crawl up a stop sign and flow out from underneath the mailbox nearby. A QR code at the site takes visitors to a map with the locations of the other installations. “Noth... https://www.inquirer.com/news/united-by-blooms-art-flowers-philadelphia-voting-20201015.html