A Walk Through The Botanical Gardens
Over the weekend of the 22nd, we spent part of the day as a team walking the Norfolk Botanical Gardens! What a lovely day to see such a beautiful place! Although it wasn't peak bloom time there, we were able to see many beautiful flowers in the Winter Orchid display, and in the Bloom Competition that was going on there.
Real flowers are what inspires each and every one of us here at More Paper Than Shoes, especially our Designer and Creator Anna. Taking the time to walk through the grounds and witness the beauty of nature was both refreshing and exciting. When you make flowers for a living, nothing is more inspiring or motivating then being around hundreds of hundreds of blooms. Some were so beautiful we couldn't help but think, "How would this look as a paper blossom?"
So to share with you several of the flowers that really captured our attention, we wanted to blog about this trip and the gorgeous inspiration that can be found in nature. Our brides are always looking for something different and new. We want to be the first to give them something they've never seen before, and as a team, we feel the key to that lies in nature. In the softness of a bloom crafted in the pod of a seed we see the designs we need take our flowers a step or two further then the norm.
Orchids have long been one of my favorite flowers. I have purchased them so many times hoping to cultivate them in the privacy of my home. Has anyone else ever tried to keep an orchid alive? It is HARD! What's crazy about that is that in the wild, orchids will grow and thrive on ANYTHING! They can grow on a rock! With NO soil, no ground, just a rock! It's mind boggling how hard they are to keep alive indoors. Now I'm sure there are plenty of experienced gardeners out there who know how to keep them alive, but for me, it was impossible. Needless to say, they hold a special place in my heart because of their delicate, wild beauty. Some of the winter orchids we saw were absolutely breathtaking. I'm hinting hard to the Flower Queen that we need an orchid prototype! ;)
It seemed to be that the list flower, right above, had personality. It was like being in Alice and Wonderland and waiting for this delicate orchid to start giggling and talking in a sweet soft prissy soprano. That's one of my favorite things about orchids, that they always seem to be smirking at you. The delicate white of this flower with it's ruffled edges and soft touch of yellow was breathtaking, and inspiring.
Looking through the greenhouse, we felt a strong sense of excitement and urge to take this inspiration given to us in nature and DO something with it! Anna was deep in thought as she walked the rows of potted orchids and tropical plants. You could almost see the flower sketches dancing in her head, playfully turning from side to side. Reaching out and touching these waxy blooms, you feel the delicate molding and shaping of the petals, where they joined, how they separated. It was AMAZING to study them as Anna does.
After sadly leaving the Winter Orchid House (I never wanted to leave, it was too beautiful in there.) we went out to see the Contest Blooms! WOW! They were magnificent!!
I don't know about you guys, but I would NOT have wanted to be one of those judges. These were blooms taken from outdoor plants, both protected and unprotected, all local to the Norfolk area. It was astounding how many blooms were entered, and I honestly couldn't find a flaw with any of them! I did have two favorites however!
It was hard not to want to take up gardening after seeing these blooms! Then I remembered, I seriously lack the green thumb required. The mood of the contest was saturated with inspiration and excitement for us. Looking at the color variations, the petal shapes, the overall shaping of the flowers, the precise blend of one of tone to another, we knew we'd be thinking flowers for the rest of the weekend (as if there were ever any doubt).
We hope you've enjoyed this walk through the Botanical Gardens with us. If you love paper flowers, make your own or are just beginning to, take a cue from what's around you. Go out, explore, find a garden where you can wander and day dream. Take inspiration from what's in nature to set yourself apart. If you love MPTS' creations, keep watching the blog and fan page for the new customized flower designs that you'll be seeing over the coming months! With all the inspiration Anna gathered at the Gardens, you're sure to start seeing a whole new family of flowers at MPTS!
Best wishes girls! Get out there and discover!
Written by Ashley E. Pope
MPTS
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