gorgeous summer wedding! love all the shades of corals, pinks and greens. bouquets of hydrangea, roses, mochara orchids and sweet pea. altar arrangements of lilies, eremurus, hydrangea, roses and snapdragons.

bridal bouquet of white hydrangea, roses, sweet pea and dahlias.

i love, love the low pedestal arrangements of hydrangea, mochara orchids, roses, dahlias, lisianthus and moss.

and again, lovely photos by becca at wirken photography!

here are photos of the summer wedding i did at the madrid theater. the bride chose tall arrangements in these great iron stands with hanging candles. flowers were pink hydrangea, roses, gerbera daisies, tulips, viburnum and bush ivy. the bride's bouquet is made of white hydrangea, mini callas, roses, gardenias, viburnum and loops of bear grass. very fun and a great family to work with!

photos by the very talented becca of wirken photography.

centerpieces for a guy's 50th birthday party at brio on the plaza. rustic, masculine: brazillia berries, protea, leucadendron, rosemary, seeded eucalyptus, sunflowers, ranuculus, sumatra lilies and black magic roses.
happy weekend!

a few more pics from two summer brides taken by becca of wirken photography. forgot my camera on these and am hoping to get reception photos-they were two of my favorites!

botanica is now on facebook. become a fan today!

photo by becca of wirken photography.

january article for tastebud magazine. check it out online here or pick up a copy at area hen houses, whole foods or coffee shops!
birch branch vase filled with white hydrangea, stars of bethlehem, tulips and silvery lambs ear.

ivory throw (used as tablecloth), iron stone dishes, vintage silver and doiley covered votive holders all from the curious sofa in prairie village.

december tastebud and again, no article! i need to figure this out-oh well-pretty pics to look at.

here are some late photos from november's tastebud article. for some reason the article won't paste.

my last wedding of 2009! this sweet bride chose a palette of ivory, green, pale pink, light blue and brown. we used curly willow, antique, white and green hydrangea, magnolia leaves, green cymbidium orchids, dahlias, stars of bethlehem, seeded eucalyptus, hypericum berries, roses and spray roses.

the bride's bouquet had her grandmother's silver leaf broach attached to the ribbon-i love when personal details are included!

two weddings this weekend. the first was a fall look with leonidas, black magic and tropical amazone roses, green hydrangea, scaboisa, hypericum berries and seeded eucalyptus.

the second wedding the bride carried a bouquet of black magic and freedom roses with black mini calla lilies and hypericum berries.

the attendants carried tailored bouquets of white hydrangea, vendela and eskimo roses, mini calla lilies and seeded eucalyptus.

i had a little helper for the sunday wedding at the hawthorne house in parkville, mo.

such a gorgeous day and neat venue. i had to snap a few of lucy, too!

october tastebud article.

This Halloween instead of the standard bowl full of goodies, invite little ghosts and goblins in for a candy buffet! This can be set up on a large table or sideboard. Start with the centerpiece, a large branchy tree created by spray painting branches black and placing them in a vase or urn. Make sure to add some sand or rocks to the base along with Spanish moss to keep the arrangement secure. Hang cut-outs of ghosts, bats and spiders from the branches with sparkly green tulle or ribbon. I found these pre-made at a craft store or create your own with construction paper. The next important element gives the table its glow with candlelight coming from wrapped votives or cylinder vases. To create these cut a strip of orange or white vellum the height of the container and long enough to wrap each. Place this first layer around each glass and secure with tape. Cut another strip, the same size from black paper. Use three different sizes of hole punches and punch randomly all over the paper. Wrap this strip over the vellum and secure with tape. When you drop a tea light or candle into the center the light will shine through! Place these all around the table and your home instead of overhead lights. Fresh flowers can add an extra punch of color and for this occasion I chose flowers in shades of orange, green and purple. This arrangement includes gerbera daisies, lilies and roses in orange and cuttings from the garden of coleous, purple liriope and lamb’s ear. Now start adding in the candy! Use various size bowls, glasses, and old-fashioned candy jars to hold treats and place them on top of cake stands or in baskets. Provide small cellophane or brown kraft paper bags with labels for a signature sweet, treat mix. I used a combination of popcorn, candy corn and m&m’s for a sweet and salty concoction. (Find templates for festive labels on the Tastebud website. Just print these on sticker paper, cut out and place on bags.) Add in any Halloween decorations collected over the years for a really personal table and let the treat giving begin!

wedding from this past weekend. the bride chose pale blush, ivory and white roses accented with green hydrangea and snow berries. for the reception at the hilton president, in downtown kc, the centerpieces were curly willow wreaths with italian ruscus, snow berries and a few open roses as accents surrounding three cylinder vases with floating candles. this was my first reception at the president and it may be a new favorite. great views of downtown and a fairy tale feeling ballroom with gorgeous chandeliers and deep gold walls.

cake by sandy danner

september article for tastebud magazine!

Warming Up a Fall Table
September brings a chill to the air and just as we change our wardrobe, we also change how we dress our tables. Bright citrus and cool glass containers are replaced with warm coppers, reds, oranges, woven baskets and worn metals.
This autumn table starts with layering; a wicker charger, heavy gold-toned earthenware dishes and a red checked napkin create the perfect setting for serving a fall meal. A hand-blown glass in a copper color adds to the richness of the table. Instead of a tablecloth, the dark wood table serves as a rustic backdrop.
Create the centerpiece by piling different varieties of apples and pears, all abundantly available this time of year, in a basket. Use mason jars to hold fresh cut blooms in shades of a sunset. Long lasting alstromeria (pictured), dahlias, zinnias and berries are great choices. Complete by adding the warmth of candle light by making apple votive holders. Trace the outside edge of a tea light on the top of an apple, then hollow out a section deep enough to fit the candle. Serve a hearty chicken and biscuits or homemade mac-n-cheese. For dessert pull from your centerpiece and make an old-fashioned apple crisp.
(Dishes, charger and linens found at Ranchmart Hardware.)

Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp
By Ina Garten

5 pounds of apples
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp orange juice
2Tbsp lemon juice
½ C granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg

For the topping
1 ½ c all-purpose flour
¾ c granulated sugar
¾ c packed light brown sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
1 c oatmeal
½ pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 14 x 2” oval baking dish.
Peel, core and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine apples, zests, juices, sugar and spices. Pour into the dish.
To make topping, combine ingredients and mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.
Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for one hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm!