Processing Tropical Blossoms

Summer School with Holly Chapple and Hitomi Gilliam

A two day workshop with Holly and Hitomi covered business, social media, floral mechanics and hands-on sessions on how to create "Tropical Nouveau" bouquets and tablescapes.

Holly beginning her demo on her special version of a bridal bouquet.

The ladies of Grace Flowers, Honoka'a, taking pics of their bouquets.

Group project - tablescape.

Hitomi showing the mechanics behind quick garland making.

The finished tablescape moved outdoors.

A few close-ups.

"Tropical Nouveau" at its best!

Selfie time with SuV Expressions.

Some of the gorgeous product at the workshop.

My first attempt incorporating Holly's new technique with tropicals from Green Point Nurseries and temperate flowers from Florabundance.

Ron Morgan at Halekulani 2012

Ron Morgan entertained the Honolulu Garden Club at the Halekulani Hotel on Wednesday with his wonderful designs using Hawaiian tropicals, his signature "produce" and his favorite flower, the white tulip.

Here he is showing the crowd the fingers of ginger root which he found in Chinatown.  The lichen was epoxy-d to the outside of the container.

A variegated monstera leaf was gold leafed.

Ron found a smashed bird cage and scooped it up to use in a tropical  arrangment.

A banana leaf was swirled around a glass cylinder and inserted  into another for this arrangement.

Spider lily foliage was the start of this crescent arrangement.

Ron added taro leaves as well as the white anthuriums from Green Point Nurseries.

Bromeliads created the "fire" in  this red arrangement.

Bathroom tile from the hotel room next door was added  to this metal vase.

Produce of choice in this piece was gobo, which matched the color  of the candle stands which were placed horizontally.

Banana rosettes, star fruit and "bobba"  drink straws found in Chinatown were used in this unusual arrangement.

Banana leaf was the basis of this green and white arrangement.

An inverted plant stand was the basis for this green foliage filled arrangement which also incorporated green butterflies  which were glued to stems of willow.

Completed "tile"  arrangement.

Completed bird cage  arrangement incorporated lotus root, fuzzy heliconia, anthuriums and ti leaves.

White bird of paradise, gobo and alocasia leaves.

Green arrangement pairs produce with tropical foliage and flowers.

Oncidium orchids,  with Calathea and gilded, variegated monstera leaves.

Ron's favorite white tulips with ginger root and jicama.

Tulips petals were reflexed.

Crescent arrangement of spider lily foliage,  taro leaves and white anthurium.

Close up of hidden lily buds.

Another tropical arrangement using the lily buds.

"Fire" arrangement.