Vintage Valentine's Day

 

I had a lovely romantic weekend this Valentine’s Day.  For me, romance is having your husband surprise you with a day at the 32^nd Annual Antiques Vintage & Garden Show at Orlando’s Museum of Art, presented by the Council of 101.   What a delightful day we had strolling through Orlando’s Museum of Art, looking  at the sculpture, floral displays, vignettes of horticultural accoutrements, garden room furniture, botanical prints, antique jewelry,  Flemish and modern artwork.  The three-day event included guest speaker and author of The Art of the Monogram, antique appraisals and evaluations, opportunity to talk with antique experts, a Mystery Home Tour.
 

Sunflowers 2009, by  Babette Bloch

The beautiful sunshine and cool breezes wrapped the museum in a glow as you entered encouraging visitors to stop and smell the orchids and enjoy the bromeliads that were showcased throughout the main hallway and in the various art exhibits.

While I would have enjoyed to have seen more live foliage, garden accoutrements, and floral arrangements throughout the show, the quality of plants displayed were wonderful and for sale.

Come stroll with me as I show you what touched my heart on Valentine’s Day.

Courtesy of Joe Knight, Landscape Architect
Steve Foster, Landscape Contractors

 

Courtesy of Apenberry's

 

Olive tree, Oleo europeana 'Arbequina'

Early 20th c. Gossip seat, Apropos

Gossip seat

 

Orchids display
 

Phalenopsis orchid display

 

Notice the fashion trend of staking orchids
with spaghnum moss and raffia ribbons.

 

Cattelya Orchid Sculpture, Lee Forrest Design

 

Art Sculpture created by Brian Bailey

Epidendrums, terrestrial orchids

 

Firecracker, Russelia equisetiformis, Plumbago

Bromeliad called Earth Stars, Cryptanthus bivittatus, and Lobelia  

 

       Earth Stars, Lobelia, Ivy, Heuchera, Royal Velvet plants, Gynura aurantiaca, and Silver-spotted philodendron, Scindapsus picta 'Argyraeus'

Podacarpus, Epidendrums, Kangaroo Paws, Anigozanthos spp., Roses, Schefflera

Podacarpus, Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender,'  Firecracker, Phlox, Ivy

Pink Polka Dot plant, Hypoestes phyllostachya, Ivy, Kalanchoes, Silver-spotted philodendron, Epidendrums, Lobelia,

Silver-spotted philodendrons

  

Kalanchoes, white Polka Dot plants.

 

Unknown rose species.

 

Floral Sculpture, Jesus Rodrieguez

Inspired by the Morris Louis painting, Delta Sigma, 1960

Close up of floral sculpture, Jesus Rodriguez, designer

 

Designed by Brian Joyce and Richard Streitler, Flourish Floral Productions
 

Floral arrangement

  

Floral arrangement by Gayla Greenwald

Antique garden signage

Antique garden signage

Outdoor garden patio set

Oriental garden statue

 

Swan planter with bromeliads

Pink Polka Dot plant, Hypoestes phyllostachya in wrought iron rack

 

Lantern-style terrarium

Antique watering cans

Dutch frog planter

Late 19th c.-early 20th c. Pharmaceutical Herb Glassware
 

Brasselaeliocattelya orchids
 

Ferns

Dendrobium planter
 

Garden antiques
 

Garden planters, bird houses, log cabin furniture
 

Purple calibrachoas in antique planters

  

Planters

Annie Roo Collections, The Potting Shed

Succulent terrarium planters, Annie Roo Collections

We thoroughly enjoyed Council of 101's Antique and Garden Show at the Orlando Museum of Art, especially the floral sculptures and historical botanical prints.  I would have loved to have seen more live plants among the antique collections although I understand that the items were for sale and that plants can be messy and wet. Maybe next year to entice more plant lovers, they will intersperse more plant displays throughout the various museum rooms. I didn't photograph them, but if the magnificent red poppies, 19th century conservatory ferns and palms displayed with the antiques were real instead of plastic, it would be a true garden show.

 

 

 

In Your Backyard: "Valentine's Day Means A Lot"

When it comes to florists, one of the biggest holidays of the year is Valentine's Day. It's a day when husbands, boyfriends, children, and special friends give gifts to show their love. For gardeners, it's a great day to give plants or use your own garden blooms to show that you care. Receiving growing plants vs cut flowers depends on the occasion and the person receiving the flowers. I personally would rather have a 3-gallon rose bush than a dozen red roses, and my husband knows exactly what roses I have so he can add something new.

The History of Valentine's Day.

Flowers have great symbology and without speaking, handing someone a bouquet of a specific flower would tell the recipient exactly what you were thinking. The colors of flowers also mean different things.

• Blue: Epitomizes purity, peacefulness, security,



• Dark Red: Symbolizes constancy, continuity and immortality.



• Green: Expresses growth, joy, and optimism



• Lilac: Represents a sincere love, without the need for anything in return.



• Orange: A colour that symbolizes the joy and satisfaction for a success already obtained. On a more sentimental note it may also represent a love that has already been consolidated and gratified.



• Red: Too hot to handle, red is the expression of burning, passionate love, great courage and desire. But beware because it's also the symbol of anger.



• Rose: The color Rose (or pink) is a symbol of youth and expresses a new love or admiration.



• Violet: Expresses feelings of modesty, generosity and humility. The ‘shrinking violet' refers to its symbol of insurmountable shyness.



• White: Is the symbol of purity, innocence and modesty and expresses a sincere feeling.



• Yellow: Though commonly associated with unfaithfulness and treason, don't depair if you come home with yellow petals because it can also be the symbol of luxury, pride and success.

Roses are the most popular flower on Valentine's Day.

Great rose websites:

Growing Roses in Florida

Central Florida Rose Society

Nelson's Roses

Heirloom Roses

All American Rose Growers

Call in to In Your Backyard with your gardening questions!