"Friday Flowers:" Dazzling Dahlias

Good morning, McLean. As a professional flower designer and the owner/founder of McLean’s Flowers by binaifer, I am continuing my blog with a post every other Tuesday. Last Thursday, my Mom and I went to Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens (where I volunteer as a flower designer) to see the Pret-a-Papier exhibit. Inspired by a Hillwood flower design, created from flowers from the Hillwood cutting garden, I created a design of dazzling dahlias and cute cosmos for my "Friday flowers" at Temple Rodef Shalom. All the flowers in this design are local-sourced, from Lynnvale Farms in Gainesville, Virginia. The dahlias were gorgeous ~ Thanks, Andrea! Questions: If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail me: info@flowersbyb.com. Visit my site at flowersbyb.com. About Me: One of 12 semi-finalists for the position of chief flower designer in the Obama White House, I was recently selected as one of McLean's two favorite florists by McLean Patch readers.  My unique design aesthetic ~ elegant, contemporary, and minimalist ~ has been enhanced by training at the renowned Judith Blacklock Flower School in Knightsbridge, London.  My flower designs have been influenced by the work of artists such as O’Keefe, Miro, and Calder.  As an award-winning fine art photographer, I have an eye for line, form and presentation resulting in exquisite flower designs. ~ In July 2009, I was selected as one of twelve semi-finalists for the position of Chief Flower Designer at the White House! ~ In March 2010, I was honored to design THE centerpiece for Rabbi Amy Schwartzman's 20th Anniversary Champagne Dessert Reception at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church. ~ Now, I design the flowers every week for the Friday night & Saturday morning services of this temple with a congregation of 1,500 families, a significant number of them from McLean! I incorporate lovely vases and flowers to make even a traditional triangular design exquisite and gorgeous. ~ In July 2010, I designed THE centerpiece for the Atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center. The centerpiece, incorporating English crystal vases and purple Vanda orchids, was the focal point of a private reception on the upper level of the Atrium. ~ My flower designs have been donated to silent auctions for Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown and the Great Falls Foundation of the Arts. ~ I have been commissioned to design intriguing flower sculptures for Thanksgiving, holiday, hostess, anniversary, and birthday gifts. My work can be viewed at: www.flowersbyb.com Signature Style: My hand-tied bouquets and flower designs are non-traditional: elegant, contemporary, and minimalist.  I incorporate vases into my designs, resulting in flower sculptures. My technique included creating swirls and loops of curly willow, often on its side, to hold the flowers, I secure my designs with fine-gauge jewelry wire; fine, cellophane tape; and pebbles. An eco-conscious artist, I use native, indigenous, or local meadow-grown flowers: blue-cloud larkspur, which looks like dancing purple butterflies.  Or, I cut branches of dogwood, forsythia and pear from my own garden. When not possible, I select unusual flowers: red gloriosa lilies, purple Vanda orchids, yellow oncidium orchids, and copper cymbidium orchids. All of my flowers are grown in the U.S. (and, if not possible, Canada or Holland), and each stem is hand-selected to ensure a close-to-perfect flower.