Beautiful Blooms

I’ve now owned my house for almost three years and love it but the best part of my home is the yard!  When I first bought my house, my real estate agent (Deborah Solo of Solo Realty)  told me the lot next to my house was owned by the city and that if I was interested I’d have to start talking to the City immediately.

I immediately knew that I needed some outside space besides my small piece of cement in the back. I have a huge Bernese Mountain Dog and I knew there would be some evenings when I would be too tired to make it to the dog park.  After sending sketches and many letters to the City, I was finally eligible to buy the lot and attach it to my house.

I worked with Jim Campbell of Havertown’s Grassworks on the landscaping and stone work to create two seating areas. I also wanted one area that was all plantings and another area where I could do container gardening (all from City Planter). I love to garden and entertain whenever I can even though I don’t have a lot of free time. I find it so relaxing.

This arch metal structure had been purchased 4 years ago when I went to one of my first gift shows. I thought I could use this structure as an arch for events. Well I did use it for a few but this piece is just so heavy that I retired it to the garden. Now I have lovely clemantis and passion vine growing up it.

These succulent wreaths shown on my garden gates are available at the Beautiful Blooms Boutique. I keep them outside all spring, summer and fall and then in the winter bring them indoors and hang them on a wall.

I love this small vase filled with scabiosa, rosemary and lysimachia it makes the perfect napkin accent. Beautiful Blooms creates florals and decor for weddings, mitzvahs, corporate events and we always say…it’s all in the details. Here is another example of how to finish a table….add a small vase on top of the napkin.

Well here I am welcoming the guests into the garden!

Kendall Brown came over in the am to help me get things organized and brought some great things for our brunch.

If you can see if the photo of the centerpiece, you can see the beautiful arrangement of amazing hydrangea and veronicas that my team at Beautiful Blooms made up for the brunch.

Thank goodness for good friends. They are always there for positive support and you can always be yourself around them. I am so lucky to be surrounded by an amazing group of friends.  Samiyyah Staten owns Spa East in Northern Liberties and they have the most amazing massages, facials and so much more.

Jennifer Savica is a dear friend and creates amazing events for TD Bank. I love when we get to work together.

Kendall Brown is a great friend.

Candy Chang was present but not featured here.

Claudia Seyler of Tu Belleza was also present and she keeps me looking good for tv appearances and press photos. She always knows how to add body to my hair and do my makeup so I look like me.

Yum Yum! Talula’s Table did an amazing job with the food. It was delicious.

I love this piece that I found on a shopping trip with Jennifer and just had to have it to make this large blank wall look more interesting. The once bare wall now has wisteria growing up it and I can’t wait to see it fill in.

Bill and the team thought it would be a great to drill holes into the wood planks and add some of the test tubes we have for events and then fill them with flowers. I loved the idea so we did it.  The test tubes were filled with a mix of scabiosa, ivy, smokebush, beargrass, rosemary, lisianthus, lysimachia and hanging amaryanthus.  I also took an old metal basis and filled it with a mix of coleus (I love them) and grasses to add additional texture).

I love these bundles of dried lavender to give out as gifts. We buy these from a local farm and sell them at the Beautiful Blooms Boutique.

So glad I could spend the day with my dear friends and of course special thanks to Lauren, Michael and Zoey from Philly Mag and Jason who always takes the amazing photos and Barbara for wonderful styling.

Now let’s see some Spring Weather!