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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Amazing Amaryllis

Posted in Adult Education, People on December 17 2013, by Joyce Newman

Joyce H. Newman holds a Certificate in Horticulture from The New York Botanical Garden and has been a Tour Guide for over seven years. She is a blogger for Garden Variety News and the former editor of Consumer Reports GreenerChoices.org.

AmaryllisNancy White, owner of The Flower Bar in Larchmont, N.Y. is a graduate of NYBG’s Floral Design Certificate program and current instructor. But that’s not the real reason we’re talking about her. Recently, White created a beautiful and unique seasonal floral design that deserves highlighting.

“One of our customers asked for a holiday arrangement including amaryllis,” so White put together a “living garden” consisting of amaryllis, frosted fern, and cyclamen, accented with red dogwood branches, pine cones, and holiday evergreens. “We didn’t expect to get such positive feedback, but it really took off.”

Since the original design, White and her staff have created quite a few more of these beautiful holiday displays. The plants are housed in plastic pots, and then placed in wooden or tin window box style containers to create the garden effect. White says that the popularity of these arrangements proves that, sometimes, “People just want something different!”

Amaryllis and other seasonal plants make a wonderful gift. If you are a talented amateur floral designer, you can try recreating White’s look for yourself. Or you can just order your own “living garden” from White, who credits “offering something you can’t get anywhere else” for this year’s great success.

nancyIf you aspire to become more than just an amateur floral designer, you can learn from White firsthand in March. Registration is now open for her upcoming NYBG Adult Education class, “Practical Planning for Designers.” The class runs 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 21. White, a savvy business woman as well as a talented floral designer, will talk about the practical, business and planning skills needed to work with clients and suppliers, as well as discuss hands-on methods for obtaining the right materials and tools for your business.

All students currently enrolled in the Floral Design Certificate program are encouraged to email FDNcoordinator@nybg.org and learn more about the NYBG Floral Design Alumni Facebook Group.