Happy Easter Ever After

Its nice to be back in touch after our busy season here in SW Florida.  Easter marks the end of our Winter season and the beginning of our Summer calm....which is nice as well. [Image][Image] Online, I found an unusual idea for arrangement to make for the Easter table center piece out of pasta.  Yes, the slanted ziti inserted into floral foam formed the 'vase' if you will, for the flowers.  The sparkly grass brought up the wow factor a bit, the glass eggs held the grass in place and then the colorful eggs just made it scream Spring!  The pasta offered so much texture and the colorful grass gave it a mysterious, hidden side.  You would never have known it was pasta unless you looked at very it closely.  Below I am showing both photos, the table presentation with the orchids and spring flowers and the other image is at midnight with the 'pasta vase' tossed in the garbage( note the foil tin under it from the Easter ham.)  The good news is I did not have to clean the vase! Spring continues to amaze me with this years wonderful Phalenopsis orchids that are in bloom in my trees! Each year around the start of the rainy season, I add a few more orchids of all types and attach them with pantyhose to my different trees. Its always so exciting to see them coming into bloom.  In this photo alone, I have 5 in bloom now and 3 more coming  into flower.  They dangle dangerously out to the side of the trees.  I see they could use a Botanistix support stake but I have yet to figure how to  attach it to the tree.  Its on my to do list! Botanistix orchid support stakes are now being carried in 3 retail stores in Naples and  1 in Sarasota.  Recently, I was asked to design some 'Lamp Decor' by Naples Lamp Shop (my newest retailer.)  I am enjoying the contrast from orchids to lamps.  Sometimes  we just need to freshen the look of the lamp by adding a pretty, decorated tassel and it  seems new again!  Soon, I will begin doing finials for this company as well.  Its nice to be  able to keep it all fresh & interesting for me.  I will be keeping you posted and I love  hearing  from you as well. The quote I would live to leave with you is so true for all gardeners. "Gardens are a form of autobiography" Until next time,  Christi