Green Scene: Eco-Friendly Flowers You'll Fawn Over

It seems that many couples today, including just-marrieds Prince William and Kate Middleton, are seeing green when it comes to planning their weddings. Those stately trees that lined the aisle in Westminster Abbey were all replanted afterwards at Kate’s request. The couple also chose local, in-season flowers and the majestic wedding cake was made from organic and fair trade ingredients. Obviously, eco-conscious Prince Charles has had some influence on his son!

Green is in and right here in the good ‘ole USA many florists, event planners and bakers are also incorporating eco-friendly values. One such wedding and event stylist is Kim Foren of Geranium Lake Flowers in Portland, Oregon. Kim purchases locally-grown, organic flowers and even grows many of her own. She uses a biodiesel van for deliveries and recycles leftover wedding and event flowers for donation to hospitals and nursing homes. I love this idea and any couple can easily arrange this.

Here are some of Kim’s eco-friendly creations to get you inspired for your own big day:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This lush bouquet in grey, white and pale blue includes a cutting that can be rooted and planted after the wedding is over. Other blooms include white hydrangea, dusty miller, white roses, blackberries, bridal blush, tweetia, rosemary, basil, berzilla berries and ergium, chocolate fern curls and oregano. (Wow, this almost sounds like a meal…)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And in this whimsical bouquet, Kim has fashioned flowers from recycled newspaper to give it a fresh, unique look. Other flowers include Sahara roses, rosemary, pussy willow branches, heather, leptospermum and a few textural herbs and sticks.

Another sustainable trend in wedding décor is to incorporate fruit in bouquets and centerpieces. Here, Granny Smith apples are used as place cards with recycled paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out this beauty in deep purple and chocolate hues with peacock feathers, berries and cones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t you love these birch flower girl baskets filled with orchid blooms and roses from Kim’s garden? She also fashioned ring bearer pillows made out of kermit mums here. So adorably eco-chic!

 

—Diane Forden