Air Plant 101

Air plants are all the rage these days in bouquets and centerpieces. They seem to be the new succulent of choice — their quirky forms are dramatic and beautiful at the same time, and they have a delicate ethereal quality to them. I’m a big fan of them.

Recently, I worked with a bride who was similarly enamored of air plants. She wanted to put them at each guest’s place setting and have them also double as favors to be taken home. She had a box of them shipped to me so that I could make sure they arrived at the wedding happy & healthy. I take my job pretty seriously — exhibits A and B are below.

Yes, I carefully unwrapped the different species of air plants and gave them a nice soak in my bathtub. I let them air dry, then spray-misted them a few days later. Who knew air plants needed water? Good thing the instructions from the Air Plant Supply Company were crystal clear. The air plants thrived & looked beautiful on the dinner tables. Photos coming soon!

Yes, I have a 50s pink bathroom!

www.amykaneko.com

Reconsidering Tulips

Tulips are the quintessential symbol of spring.  They are one of the most cheerful and sweetly simple flowers I can think of — was I the only kid who finished off crayon drawings of my square red house by drawing some grass and a bed of tulips?  (And a chimney with curly smoke, of course, regardless of season).  But I’ve never taken tulips very seriously.  For my own spring wedding, I ruled out tulips from the start.  I imagined the perky stalks and bright purple, yellow, and red tops of the tulips from my childhood drawings — somehow they seemed too cutesy for my offbeat urban wedding.

I’ve since seen the light on tulips.  While the iconic tulip has an undeniable sweetness to it, tulips have an amazing range of personalities.  White or light pink tulips, bunched together and placed high in a tall cylindrical vase, are incredibly graceful.  Their stems bend softly with gravity like a ballerina stretching.  Parrot tulips, with their fringed texture and variety of colors, have a wild, edgy look.

I adore the way tulips are used in the centerpieces below.  Clockwise, starting from the upper left: White tulip parrots can play a supporting role, like they do when paired with green hydrangea.  Or, they can make a strong sculptural statement with burgundy peonies.  White and green striped parrot tulips are my favorite; they can really make all the difference in an otherwise simple white centerpiece.  Orange parrot tulips make a striking bouquet that is both romantic and unusual.

Images from (clockwise, starting at the top left): 1-Art & Artifact, 2-Unknown, 3-LMD Floral, 4-Real Simple

www.amykaneko.com