Recently, while browsing around my favorite florist shop, I noticed a clump of rare blooms dusted in a wintry heather gray. I picked one up. "Silver brunia," the floral expert informed. "Aren't they lovely?"
"Yes," I agreed as I reached for a blushing hydrangea nearby. "And what about this unusual cocoa-pink Queen Anne's Lace?'
"It's called 'Chocolate,'" she said. I smiled, and thus my Valentine's Day bouquet was born.
Photographs by Justine Hand.
Above: Taking advantage of the wide selection of unusual plants at Winston Flowers in Boston, I selected wintry hues and textures for my "homage to winter" Valentine's bouquet—adding just a touch of pink, of course.
Above: Though it reminds me of a snow-covered evergreen forest, Silver Brunia Nodiflora is actually native to South Africa. Available for purchase online at McMinnville Wholesale Flowers; $14.95.
Above: Creamy David Austen roses (which have an intoxicating smell) and false cypress also embodied the feel of the winter woods.
Above: To soften the spikier aspects of my arrangement and to add a bit of Victorian- era romance, I chose the soft, snowflake forms of pink hydrangeas and chocolate Queen Anne's Lace.
Above: Brunia does not require any special treatment, but as with all woody stemmed flowers, a long diagonal cut will allow it to draw more water. (This is also recommended for the hydrangeas and roses.)
Above: So as not to obscure the dynamic forms of the flowers—and to capture something of a wild feel—I left my winter romance bouquet loose and a little unruly.
Above: The heathered tint and ball-like structure of the silver brunia lend an enticing texture and contrast to the bouquet.
Above: A bit of hanging cypress and a reindeer antler found by my stepfather on the Alaskan tundra complete my wintry scene.
Above: With fresh water everyday, my bouquet should see me through to Valentine's Day.
N.B. Want something more classic for Valentine's Day? Lindsey's find, the Bouqs Company's Roses are among the best I've ever seen. Or if my winter romance arrangement is too traditional, try Janet's look featured in The Un-Pink Bouquet.