The Garden Path

Red Rose Composite Bouquet

2011-10-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

This is a practice piece for a wedding later this month. The actual bouquet will be white. Red was what I had for practice and I thought it would be very dramatic. What do you think?

Thanks to Cori Cook for the inspiration and some how-to information.

I can't wait for the real thing. Olivia the bride will love it.

Tour d'Brides

2011-09-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

It was so fun to take part in the Wine Country Wedding Professionals' wedding show last Sunday. What a great concept! Brides and friends were shuttled by limo, trolly and party bus to four wonderful venues in Yamhill County. It was especially fun to be at Hotel Oregon which was set up in cocktail party format.

Hotel Oregon's uniqueness inspired a Gentleman's Library theme, which was also carried out by Renae of Custom Cakes. Her liquor-infused mini-cupcakes were displayed in shot glasses surrounded by flasks and other "gentlemanly" things.

Hopefully brides took home some fabulous ideas and had fun touring some of the best wedding venues in the area.

Pretty in Pink

2011-08-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

The gazebo overlooking the valley at Wine Country Farm was the setting for Sara and Jesse's Sunday wedding.

Mokara orchids, fern curls, purple cezanne roses and waltzertraum garden roses from Peterkort Roses made a stunning bridal bouquet. We added just a tiny bit of hot pink feathers for a touch of whimsy.

A light strewing of flowers accented the table under the gazebo - ready for the sand ceremony, a symbolic merging of two lives into one.

Another Summer Wedding

2011-07-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

Andrew and Teresa had a '40's-themed wedding at the Evergreen Aviation Museum. The ceremony was in the lovely shaded oak grove behind the museum, but the reception was in the museum itself - under the wings of The Spruce Goose! What a memory!

It turned out to be a beautiful day, and this arch swag really stood out against the summer sky. The gorgeous little kales were one of my favorite finds for this wedding.

Bridesmaids carried cream and green mixes, and the Bride got my all-time favorite Piano Frieland rose grown right here in Oregon by Peterkort Roses.

Circus Roses at Wine Country Farm

2011-07-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

Gail created this beauty for Joy and Cody's Sunday wedding at Wine Country Farm. Hopefully they beat the heat with an early afternoon ceremony. Circus roses are one of my all-time favorites. So full and open, and such a gorgeous color combination. I love the unique touches on this bouquet - the ti leaf wrap and the cluster of flowers hanging out the bottom. Congratulations Joy and Cody. I hope you had a wonderful day!

Early June Wedding

2011-07-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple more photos of an early June wedding - from Jenny Hill Photography. Beautiful!

June Wedding at Wine Country Farm

2011-07-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Angelique and Kyle came from Colorado to be married in Oregon Wine Country. They were so lucky! It rained every day for a week around their wedding - but not on the wedding day. It was a beautiful day. The wedding was at one of my favorite venues, Wine Country Farm, and the photographs were from Jenny Hill Photography. Thanks, Jenny! There is nothing like professional shots to make flowers look their best.

It's a Winner!

2011-04-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

This simple - and simply wonderful - little arrangement was a prize-winner for Garden Path designer Gail. It won first place in Teleflora's March design challenge. The challenge, called "Sticks and Stones", was to make something using sticks that were toss-aways from other floral work, stones of any kind, and no more than three flowers. Gail calls it "Hole-istic". Congratulations, Gail. We love having an award-winner on our design team.

Beautiful Birthday Bouquet

2011-03-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

Lois made this today for a lucky lady's birthday. Smelled wonderful!

Summertime Pink

2011-03-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

How about a little dose of summertime pink to combat the grey Oregon sky?
This sweet little wedding at Kelty Estate in nearby Lafayette was all about vintage and romantic touches.

I especially love the button detail on the heirloom handkerchief in the bride's bouquet.

The ceremony was in the estate's cool and inviting backyard, with the reception on the big front lawn.

The peonies perched in their little nests were a "must have" for this bride, and I can see why.

They looked adorable gathered on the shady front porch.

They looked even cuter on the tables.

Inspiration!

2011-02-23T21:36:00.001-08:00

I found this beautiful little Victoria's Secret box at a thrift store the other day while I was looking for inspiration for table designs for our Sunday wedding show. At that point I was trying to be open-minded and think outside-the-box for a floral container. As it turns out, inside-the-box was just the ticket. Here's what I did with it! And it looked great on the mock reception table at the wedding show.

Wine Country Farm

2011-01-24T09:01:00.001-08:00

I realized recently that I have never posted pictures of one of Yamhill County's lovliest wedding venues - Wine Country Farm. It sits high up on Breyman Orchard Road in the Dundee Hills and overlooks the beautiful Yamhill Valley - wine country! They have this picturesque spot to say your "I do's", as well as at least one other outdoor site: a charming well-established gazebo, covered most of the wedding season with a gorgeous blooming trumpet vine. There's also an indoor area for intimate ceremonies or receptions plus a great under-the-stars dance floor.

Joy, one of my 2011 brides told me she knew it was her site the moment she saw it.

January 1, 2011 Wedding

2011-01-03T16:29:00.000-08:00

A bouquet of veronica, flawless lilies and peacock feathers started the 2011 wedding season in dramatic fashion. This might be the most unusual bridal bouquet I've ever created. Samantha loved it, and I had a huge desire to be a wedding-crasher just so I could see her carry it down the aisle. She promised me some pro shots which I will share when I get them. The peacock feather boutonnieres were also stunning. I'm guessing their life together will not be boring! Congratulations, Samantha and Anthony.

Cattleya Orchids!

2010-09-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

Cattleya orchids - absolutely stunning! You don't see them often anymore, but at one time the cattleya was the most elegant and romantic wedding flower. These were grown by Peterkort Roses and beautifully arranged by Lois at The Garden Path. Congratulations to Nicole the bride! Beautiful choice for your wedding bouquet.

I Love the Portland Flower Market

2010-09-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Early to rise on Flower Market day! I like to leave early enough to miss the traffic and be back to the shop in time for morning deliveries. The flower market always inspires me - and today the sales staff at Billingsley Wholesale gave me the (unofficial) award for prettiest selections of the day. I can't wait to start creating beautiful wedding arrangements out of them! Check in later this week to see what we do with the pretty red flowers I bought today.

Amazing Lace

2010-09-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

Here's one more dried flower arrangement. This one, created by Dena, was inspired by the beautiful Queen Anne's Lace - perfectly dried along with the blue hydrangea in silica gel. This piece is being donated to the Give A Little Foundation, a local foundation supporting local people with small grants to help them get back on their feet. Their fundraiser "Amazing Lace" is September 18 and 19 at McMinnville's historic First Baptist Church.

I Love Dried Flowers

2010-09-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

I love working with dried flowers! I love the smell; I love the textures and variety; I love the colors. They are definitely getting harder to find though. Some of these were dried by us and some were purchased from the wholesale market. I think they are not as in-fashion as they once were so fewer places are carrying them. And they really are not "everlasting". They deteriorate over time - especially when pawed through on market shelves!
This piece is on its way to a private dining nook at McMenamin's Hotel Oregon. The McMenamins establishments are always a bit quirky, so being "in-fashion" is not necessarily their cup of tea (or more precisely their glass of Terminator ale).
Just as a side note: my first flower shop was located in the Hotel Oregon in the pre-McMenamins days. I loved being downtown, but I also love my present busy site. And McMenamins has infused a whole new energy into downtown McMinnville. It's a win/win!

Wedding Networking Event

2010-08-24T09:00:00.001-07:00

Here are a few more shots from an event at Youngberg Hill a few weeks ago.
This is the event where we went "all local" on the flowers. All flowers and greens came from within 15 miles of the venue and of the shop. It was fun! Many flowers came from 4-T Acres, commercial flower growers near Dayton. Others came from my gardens and - I confess - roadside ditches. (That would be the wild Queen Anne's Lace. It's having its best year ever thanks to the wet spring and summer.)
Thank you to the wonderful Continuum Photography for the beautiful photos.

Hot Summer Wedding

2010-08-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Carolyn's color palette was from the warm creams through peach and orangey shades and into a strong red. Good summer colors! For her bouquet she stayed in the creamy and peachy tones - a beautiful compliment to her hair and complexion. Carolyn and her mom Linda were wonderful to work with.

The centerpieces tended more toward the red shades, featuring some of the lovely garden roses Carolyn loves so much. The Romantik Antike rose above opens just like a peony. So beautiful!

Temperatures in the mid 90's and a strong breeze made it a tough day to be a flower. A few tricks of the trade helped them get through the day. The arch detail above features the beautiful Piano Frieland rose with red dahlias, white dendrobiums and a charming gloriosa lily.

My New Favorite Rose?

2010-08-11T15:06:00.001-07:00

This just might be my new favorite rose - Piano grown by Peterkort Roses. It's a peony type garden rose with a delightful subtle fragrance. Sandra at Peterkort says that garden roses are very popular this year! You have to appreciate a rose with giant thorns all up the stem! Look for this and other garden roses in Dave and Carolyn's wedding at Youngberg Hill Vineyard and Inn this weekend. Hopefully the thorns are staying on the design room floor!

Free Bridal Bouquet

2010-08-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

The Garden Path has a deal for couples getting married in Oregon Wine Country in 2011 (or even later this year). Book your future wedding flowers with The Garden Path this month, our 15th birthday month, and you may get your bridal bouquet for free! If your flowers total more than $500 (and that's easy!), we'll provide a $100 wedding bouquet at no charge to you. It's an offer that doesn't come around often, but you need to complete your reservation by the end of August. That doesn't mean we need to finalize all the details. Just get your reservation in, and we can fill in the blanks - exact colors, number of corsages, etc. - later if you wish. Call us for a consultation time.

Networking at Youngberg Hill

2010-08-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

How gorgeous is this as a place to get married? Youngb erg Hill Vineyard and Inn is a working vineyard with eight guest rooms in the inn. And a wedding-day view you will never forget!

It was the site of our July meeting of Wine Country Wedding Professionals. Absolutely delicious tasty treats were provided by Virginia Murphy and staff of Cafe Uncorked. I could have made a full meal of the hazelnut custard topped with fresh local raspberries!

The flower arrangements were provided by The Garden Path. It was a fun and creative process. We pulled the containers from our personal collections of vases, and used only completely reusable mechanics (no wet foam!). All flowers were held in place by their own stems, or by glass frogs or metal pin holders. (Remember them?)
The flowers were "all local" - coming from within 15 miles of the venue. It was a trip back to my flower-arranging roots - back to the days when I used almost exclusively flowers from my own yard and gardens.
Many new contacts were made, and a wonderful afternoon was had by all.
Thank you, Continuum Photography, for the beautiful photos. There is nothing like pro shots to show off the site, food and flowers!

It's Our Birthday!

2010-08-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

August 1995 to August 2010.
We're 15 years old!

We're celebrating our birthday this month, and invite you to join us. Find us on Facebook, and become a fan of The Garden Path. All during August, there will be weekly Facebook specials - one of which will be a dozen roses at the 1995 price of $40!
We also invite everyone to stop into the shop and enter our drawing. Someone in our local delivery area will win a beautiful bouquet of flowers each month for a year. Just drop your name into the bowl at the counter. We'll draw the name of the lucky winner at the end of the month. We also have a very special offer for wedding couples. You might get a FREE wedding bouquet. Call the shop for details and to see if your wedding will qualify.
Happy Birthday to Us!

Wedding at Kelty Estate

2010-07-20T09:54:00.001-07:00

Kelty Estate in the little town of Lafayette was the perfect setting for Rachel and Robert's vintage themed wedding. It is a lovely old home turned Bed and Breakfast, located in the heart of Oregon's Wine Country.

Rachel's favorite flower, the peony, was brought in from Holland. But the roses, sweet peas, succulents, Kent Beauty oregano - and even the baby's breath - came from nearby growers. You can imagine how wonderful it smelled! Take a look at the handkerchief detail in her bouquet

The estate's shady backyard garden served as the ceremony site, with vows being said under the iron arch.
Reception tables were set up on the front lawn with these cute little birdnests as the centerpieces. It was a beautiful day, and I hope everyone had a great time!

Monica's Cool Blue Wedding

2010-07-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

The campus of Linfield College was once again the backdrop for a summer wedding. I thought Monica's cool blue shades were the perfect counterpoint for the hot day. We tucked the arch into the shade to protect the flowers from the heat. It was later moved to the head of the aisle and vows were said under the arch.
Monica's bouquet used blue hydrangea, lady's mantle and nigella from our gardens. Nigella is also known as love-in-a-mist. Great name for a wonderful little flower! (Some people are familiar with it's seed pod, used a lot in dried flower arrangements. When dried, it's know as old-man-in-a-beard!)

Kristin's Garden Wedding

2010-07-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

The rain finally cleared and Kristin had a beautiful sunny day for her wedding in her dad's garden. The garden was lovely, and featured some of the same local flowers that I had used in Kristin's bouquets.
There was a bit of a vintage theme, brought out in the use of her grandmother's handkerchiefs. Kristin told me she remembered wrapping her dolls in these hankies when she was little. What a nice way to bring fond memories of Grandma to your wedding day!
In addition to an all-natural garden look, Kristin's inspiration was the colors of the sunset. She loved the idea of pods and berries mixed in. I was especially excited about finding the sea holly and the scabiosa seed heads. You can see both in the bridal bouquet. And - yes - that's another handkerchief in the bridal bouquet!
One of the unique things about Kristin's wedding is that our first meeting was only three days before the wedding! It was all done via pictures and through her wedding coordinator. She was really happy that we had hit her look so right on!

Peony Season!

2010-06-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

Gail created this charming piece in a ceramic dish to celebrate peony season. Oregon-grown peonies are beautiful!
Unfortunately, local peony season is coming to a close. They're a prized wedding flower (currently "in vogue") and will continue to be available imported from outside the local area. We love them wherever they come from, but feel especially blessed to live where we have access to such lovely locally-grown flowers.

A New Tradition?

2010-06-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

Orchid leis are becoming a must-have for local high school graduations. I know this tradition is imported from Hawaii where leis are layered many deep for special days. Is this something that is happening elsewhere - or just on the West Coast?
We have leis available for graduations this weekend. They're made from white orchids and sonia orchids (a purple/white bicolor) - and are really beautiful!

2010-06-02T08:48:00.000-07:00

For many years I have created large garden bouquets for the graduation ceremony at Linfield College. I believe it's my favorite job of the entire year! (And the bonus this year was watching my daughter graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.)

Some of these flowers came from my own garden. The foxglove is almost a tradition in these arrangements since it seems to bloom for full show on graduation day. The tall irises and hot pink centranthus are also from my yard.

This was the second showing for these pieces, having been used the previous evening for the Baccalaureate Service. It rained for the Commencement, but no one expected otherwise from the rainiest Oregon spring in years. The flowers didn't mind the rain, and the graduates and guests all brought umbrellas!

2010-05-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a close-up of last weekend's bridal bouquet, "hot pinks" ordered by the bride's mom. For this wedding we did only the bridal bouquet and the groom's boutonniere, and it came in at a very affordable $80. You can spend a bundle if you want, but you don't have to!

2010-05-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

I love the greenhouse-forced hydrangeas we're seeing now. However, being from the greenhouse, they're not as hardy as those from the garden centers.

I've had good luck transplanting them to my yard, but I do baby them a bit. After the first blooms fade, I transplant them into a large enough pot so their roots have room to stretch. The pot goes into a shady outdoors spot where I can give it lots of water. By this fall or next spring the new roots will be established enough to plant into a shady or semi-shady spot in the ground. Hydrangeas are thirsty plants, so be sure to give them plenty of water during their first years in the garden.

2009 Weddings in Review

2010-01-06T13:37:00.000-08:00

With a thank you to Tracy at Park Place Design for the idea, I'm posting a couple of collages of the past season's wedding work. It was an exciting year for us in the shop, with fun wedding venues and brides with great ideas!
Green and green with variations was clearly one of the trends of the year. Hydrangeas, green orchids and bells of Ireland found places in many of our designs.
Surprisingly, the other trend we noticed was a return to very traditional bouquets. Red and white roses and white calla lilies were very popular - with occasional black accents thrown in.
We're looking forward to another successful season.

Wine Country Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T08:44:00.000-08:00

We collaborated with No Ordinary Affair to provide a table display at Zenith Vineyard over the weekend. Thanksgiving weekend is one of two all-out wine tasting weekends here in Oregon Wine Country. (The other is Memorial Day.) Hundreds of wineries host open houses - even those whose tasting rooms are usually not open to the public. Although the wine tasting is a casual affair, Zenith uses the opportunity to showcase their beautiful wedding venue. We were happy to be included in the plans this year.

Networking

2009-11-18T08:32:00.000-08:00

Last evening we were at the beautiful Mansion at the Bayou for a meeting of our wedding professionals networking group. Bayou owners Greg and Irmi Brown have done a wonderful job of restoring the historic mansion and gardens as a wedding and event site. Check it out - it's beautiful!

Becky from No Ordinary Affair coordinated the events of the evening and is the energy behind promoting this great group of wedding and event vendors. We all know that Oregon Wine Country has a lot to offer. It is our group's mission to spread the word throughout the area - and across the nation! Wine Country is fast becoming a choice wedding destination, and we want everyone to know that everything you need for a fabulous event is right here.

Delicious and hearty appetizers (dinner!) were prepared by Haagenson's Catering (aka Ribslayer). Indulgent and intensely flavored chocolates were presented by locally produced Majestic Chocolates. The evening culminated with a series of entertaining and artistically arranged video clips put together by Ryan Chaney of Focal Point Digital Media showcasing their extraordinary ability to capture the essence of a wedding experience on video. (Oregon Bride Magazine has just given Ryan the 2009 Wedding Videographer of the Year Award!) Altogether a fun evening, and a great opportunity to get better acquainted with fellow wedding professionals.

Musical Tribute

2009-11-05T08:58:00.001-08:00

My very talented floral designers, Gail and Dena, created this amazing piece for a celebration of the life of a local musician. I don't usually post funeral pieces, but this one is very impressive.

It was requested by the man's daughter, and of course I said "Yes, we can." After she left came the "How?"
The piece is beautiful. I have the best staff ever! I hope the daughter finds this a fitting tribute to a father who probably sang and strummed to her all his life.

Things I Love About My Job - #1

2009-10-16T11:36:00.001-07:00

The flower truck from Salem Wholesale Flowers is definitely on the list! It's a "wet" truck - which means the flowers are in water and waiting for me to select my favorites. The selection is not as good as the Portland Flower Market of course, but the Flower Market is an hour away. Salem's truck arrives at my back door twice a week! I've been doing business with them for several years, and appreciate their attention to quality and customer service.

I can always pre-order flowers I need for special purposes, but I also love making my selections from the pretty things on the truck. Sometimes I can hear the flowers saying "Pick me! Pick me!" And they're usually right - those are the ones that fly out the door!
Look at this gorgeous selection of fall mums. We'll be getting orders for fall flowers from now until Thanksgiving. I love this time of year. And apparently a lot of other people do too. Thanks Salem!

Fall Wreaths

2009-10-02T08:51:00.001-07:00

I just want to post a couple more pictures of our dried creations. These have a fall look. All dried and silk pieces are on sale through October. This wreath is made of real oak leaves, dyed and preserved. They are pliable and long-lasting. They're not for outdoors in Oregon though. Our drippy weather causes the dye to drip onto porches! So keep them indoors and enjoy the little bird who forgot to fly south. Pack them away when you put up Christmas decorations and bring them out again next September.

Change of Pace

2009-09-30T16:20:00.001-07:00

It's a slight change of pace from the busy wedding season - and not yet into the busy "Holiday Season!". To bridge the transition we feature all of our dried and silk flowers on sale during the month of October. "Love" is just a sample of the twiggy words we can make. "Relax" was an instant hit, and "Joy" last Christmas was purchased by a charming artist who made a watercolor reproduction for her Christmas cards.

The three-pot piece on the right was made a few weeks ago from kangaroo paw we dried ourselves when it was so spectacular mid-summer. It makes a cute little kitchen piece. Almost all pieces are made in our upstairs dried-flower workroom. We are shameless copiers, gleaning many of our ideas from upscale catalogs. We also will custom-create whatever you want. So bring in your table linens or couch pillows - we'll make pieces to complement them.

The wreath is made from newly harvested hops. Not just for making beer! They are twined onto a grapevine while still fresh and dry quickly. Hops are known for their relaxing and sleep-inducing qualities, so hang the wreath over your bed and nod off to its gentle fragrance.

We ship wreaths and other pieces that are not too fragile. Let us know if you want your own genuine Oregon hops wreath!

Red Roses . . . Beautiful Day!

2009-09-01T17:15:00.001-07:00

It was a beautiful day for a wedding at Youngberg Hill Vineyards and Inn, one of Oregon wine country's best sites. The little buckets helped define the aisle, and were transferred to the tables for centerpieces later. Becky, the lovely wedding coordinator from No Ordinary Affair, added red rose petals under the buckets to outline the aisle just before the ceremony.

You get only a glimpse of the view in these photos, but it is enough to tantalize. If you're planning a wine country vacation, you'll definitely want to check out Youngberg Hill.

Lissa's bridal bouquet was a very clean and compact bouquet of just red roses. The other ladies carried smaller bouquets of cream roses. Everyone looked beautiful, and I know they had a great day.

Wedding at Portland's Hotel deLuxe

2009-08-24T17:27:00.001-07:00

Courtney's wedding was a very elegant affair in the ballroom of Portland's wonderful Hotel deLuxe. She carried a hand-tied bouquet of green flowers and - one of my favorites - Circus roses. Her centerpieces were simple cube vases with four open roses.

This elegant piece was on the bar table in the ballroom. It looked great in the 1920's style decor of the ballroom. The green hydrangea was a focal flower, complemented by bells of Ireland, Circus roses, green cymbidium orchids and trailing amaranthus.

Danielle's Wedding

2009-08-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

Danielle chose this very colorful assortment of flowers for her wedding. The bouquets were built around some of her favorite flowers. She wanted them to have green cymbidium orchids and sunflowers, spiked with other very colorful summer flowers. We hope you had a wonderful wedding day, Danielle!

We made 8 of these centerpieces in vases that Danielle provided for us. Originally she was going to do her own flowers, but was happy to turn the job over to us when she found out how reasonable the cost would be. The boutonnieres were made of small green cymbidiums with equisetum. Very nice!

More August Weddings

2009-08-11T13:41:00.000-07:00

I love how every wedding is different, and every couple has their own distinctive taste. These are our latest wedding bouquets - plus some newly-made gerbera boutonnieres. The white bouquet was very sweetly scented, with sweet peas and garden phlox. The bridesmaids in the second wedding carried hand-tied bouquets of white gerberas to complement these boutonnieres worn by the groomsmen.The groom's boutonniere was a burgundy gerbera to match these in the bridal bouquet. So pretty!

Wedding at Linfield College

2009-08-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

A wedding of all white flowers was the first of our August weddings. It was a beautiful - but hot! - day for the ceremony on the lovely campus of Linfield College in McMinnville. In this photo our floral designer is putting the finishing touches on one of two feature arrangements. They sat atop 5' garden stands. I wish I could have photographed them in place, but it was such a hot day we opted to leave them in the relative cool of the indoors until just before the guests arrived. You couldn't ask for more perfect orchids than these white dendrobiums.Simple and elegant is an excellent choice if you ask me. This bride chose a clean bouquet of just 8 white calla lilies for herself, and 3 for each of her bridesmaids. No greens, no fluff! Flowers as beautiful as these callas make a statement all by themselves.These little arrangements were hung on shepherd's hooks to define the ceremony site. Mother of the bride designated a helper to hang them just before the ceremony, so they would be fresh and lovely despite the 100 degree day. Congratulations to the bride and groom! I know you had a wonderful day.

Tour Our Shop

2009-07-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

Your first impression when you walk into The Garden Path might be the wonderful scent. It's a combination of fresh, dried and drying flowers. We often hear, "It smells so good in here!" We love it too. It inspires us and hints at all the things that go on behind the scenes in a flower shop.
A few steps farther into the shop and you'll come face-to-face with the day's selection of flowers. We are fortunate to have several deliveries each week, so the flowers are always fresh and plentiful. We can usually make our choices right off the trucks, and we choose the best of the best!

In addition to everyday flowers like daisies and carnations, you are likely to find some unusual flowers like kangaroo paw. A native of Australia, it has been especially strong and vibrant this summer. If you've received any of our bouquets recently you may already be acquainted with it. We have enjoyed using it in many of our weekly specials the past few weeks.
We love our dried flowers and foliages. The wreath is a combination of salal, boxwood and several varieties of eucalyptus. You know it smells good! We've found we're one of the few places in the local area to carry dried flowers. Most of them are ones we dry ourselves from local and seasonal flowers and greens. Most are simply air-dried, but for certain blossoms silica gel allows us to retain the form and color of the original flower. It's a fun pastime. And drying them is only the beginning. We then make beautiful wreaths, swags and table pieces from them. Good for all the senses!
Our gift assortment is fun and unique. It's mostly things we'd like in our own homes and gardens. My one rule of thumb is that everything has to relate to flowers or gardening. Come and see for yourself!

Introducing The Garden Path Flower Shop

2009-07-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks for dropping into the blog for The Garden Path Flower Shop. You'll find our physical store at 636 N.E. Baker Street in McMinnville, the heart of Oregon's wine country.

First and foremost - we're here because we love flowers! Have you ever seen anything more perfect than these sunflowers? They're field-grown about 10 miles from the shop. We are so lucky to live where we have access to such beauties.

Other local flowers we're using now include baby's breath, phlox, stock (love that fragrance!), dahlias, glads, lilies, hydrangeas - and more too numerous to mention!

I love that these flowers use minimal energy input to get to my shop. Why buy solidaster or sunflowers from South America when I can get them locally! They are fresher and prettier, last longer and make me feel better about my "carbon footprint".