Chaussures de Fleurs (Flower Shoes)

These are some images of my two favorite things in life: flowers and footwear.

Spring fashion 2009 has been touted as the "season of flowers" by style-watchers world wide and they aren't kidding. Flower motifs are in full bloom in clothes, hair styles, even in shoes. From sandals to pumps, it seems that footwear is the latest way to pay homage to Mother Nature.


After seeing some amazing floral interpretations of shoes and boots at the Philadelphia Flower Show in March, I realized what a suitable combination flowers and footwear could be. Last season Prada came out with floral Art Nouveau inspired high heels. While seemingly impractical to the average shoe-buyer, they were heavily advertised making their image hard to forget. And who can resist the beauty of flowers from the Art Nouveau period?


Flowers dominated the cat-walk at the 2009 Paris Fashion Week, including some over-the-top attractions. Bruno Frisoni, creative director for Roger Vivier, debuted an outrageous pair of hand-made fabric flower covered wedges. Coined as the “One Is Too” spring couture line, his shoes live up to this play-on-words. His designs may seem more fancy than functional, but he is serious about his craft. The mark of Frison’s mentor, Roger Vivier, is evident in these shoes-as-art, and the addition of Mother Nature’s bounty only makes them more attractive.


Another designer label who got inspiration from the garden was Scherer-Gonzalez. Their spring 2009 shoe collection was focused solely on fresh flowers. Talk about ready-to-wear! The interesting thing about these designer shoes is they were rather unexpected in structure—somewhat akin to floral designs-atop-lucite-stripper-heels. Regardless of your first impression, they make a statement…and likely will inspire women to “pimp up” their feet.


Not all shoes this season are so heavily decorated like those in the Paris show. There are many pairs available in stores across America that keep the floral theme alive in a more discreet fashion. I suppose there is something for everyone, but I have to go with the couture designer’s philosophy—if you’re going to take from the garden, make sure it’s enough for an arrangement. Shoes and flowers--a good fit if you ask me.


PICTURES SHOWN:
Run-way model with fresh flower shoes, 2009
Dolce and Gabbana inspired flower shoes, Philadelphia Flower Show
Run-way shoe, Roger Vivier Collection, Spring 2009
Run-way shoe, Scherer-Gonzalez, Spring 2009
Run-way shoe, Scherer-Gonzalez, Spring 2009
Spring 2009 Fashion Run-way shoes
Prada Flower Shoes, 2008
Flower Shoes, Paris Fashion Week, 2009


More than a glue gun was involved in the creation of these...


J'Adore les Chaussures de Fleurs-de Paris, of course.

Bella Italia blooms at Philadelphia Flower Show

I did some flower spying this weekend, but instead of going somewhere exotic and fabulous, I chose to stay in the U.S.-- the mid-atlantic to be exact. This trip was for the largest indoor flower show in the world, the Philadelphia Flower Show, which took place in same city. I had little time, due to a large wedding on Sunday, but I managed to cover some gorgeous ground.


The theme this year was Bella Italia, and although I've never visited Italy, I can only imagine that it is every bit as beautiful as the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (P.H.S.) re-created. When you enter the show, you are immediately greeted by two enormous urns filled with an even larger, beautiful arrangements of assorted roses, hydrangea, eremurus, acasia mimosa and lush greens. They were truly magnificent.


Now I must pause here for a minute and offer my disclaimer: I am a floral designer by trade and can be somewhat (alright... very) scrutinizing with floral design. It is not meant as snobbery or callousness, it just comes with the turf-- I know flowers and I really know good flowers. I have been going annually for 10 years now, and not always do they hit it. Sometimes the landscaping is the highlight of the show while in others it's the garden club floral design competition that shines. This year, I thought all categories pleased, at least for this international flower spy. And while the orchid plant section is usually must see, I didn't even see get to the exotic plant judging area. Remember, I only had an hour, but I still managed to discover all sorts of fiores bellos e interessantes.


This year, there were lots of laboratory-like containers, including hanging test tubes, large bell jars and apothecary jars in several sizes. Each had unusual florals and/or exotic greenery inside them. One of the more eye-catching displays was this slatted wall covered entirely with green cymbidium orchids in tiny tubes. Incredible concept!


I loved the use of orchids as science lab decor, its Darwin motif didn't go unnoticed... attendees were swarming around like bees by the unusual exhibits.


Another design display that stood out were the succulents and cacti. I never used to appreciate these plants until I visited the Botanical Gardens in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Once I learned some background information about them, I get excited now when I spot a waxy echeveria or the webby clustered thorns on the hedgehog cactus. They are very alluring in an odd way.


Next stop was to the desert plants, where some bromeliads and cool water roses rested together on metal racks. It looked like dried bulbs were mixed in the grouping, but I'm not sure. In any case, the design was unique, and strangely attractive.


Speaking of the strange, I found a section containing modern designs that was pretty out there. I couldn't take my eyes off this spiraling vortex of bear grass, aspidistra leaves and anthurium inside a red metal swirl. It was amazing.


There were so many exhibits it was difficult to pick a favorite, but I loved this room of all yellow flowers. There was a wall with a circle of sunflower heads in the background with these tall cylinders of blooming forsythia off to the side. It was very clean and striking.


Another vignette that stood out was this falling amaryllis bulb design. You don't usually see the entire bulb, but this display showed many.


Once I made my way through more gardens and floral still life, I entered the area I like to call the "girl section." Each year, members of local floral studios and garden clubs design jewelry out of botanical matter, which often includes seeds and pods. It is quite unreal to describe, and unless you've seen these small works of art, you may not understand their brilliance. For me, these displays are incredibly entrancing, and the imagination that goes into creating them is off the chart.


These two necklaces were my favorites. I'm unsure if either of them won the blue ribbon, but it didn't matter, they are both winners in my eyes.



Jewelry wasn't the only feminine attraction. I looked across the room and found floral interpretations of another girl's best friend--shoes! There was even a pair of tall ones to fill the international flower spy's boot fetish! To look closely at all the detail is amazing. It's no surprise that this was the most crowded area in the show. These were well worth my ticket of admission.


These bark heeled pumps complete with dried leaves and fungus were crazy sexy!


More autumn inspired pumps of dried leaves and acorns... very smart.



If you've never been to this flower show, you must go next year. It is worth the travel and afterwards, there are hundreds of wonderfully hip restaurants in Philly to stop in. As far as this visit, all I can utter is: "Viva Italia!" Que bello!

All photos by: The International Flower Spy

D.C.'s Beautiful Botanical Gardens

Well, the party is over. We got our cool, new president squared away and it's finally safe again to go back down to D.C. without bumping into 2 million of your closest friends. Today was the perfect day to do just that--it was 70 degrees which is excellent weather for a road trip. I've been in dire need of an early spring flower fix, February is killing me with its unending layers of gray. I require color and life in the form of sprouting bulbs and blossoming plants for some recharging and inspiration. Gray just doesn't cut it.


I took my favorite flower spy in training, Kaylee, so she could get some more exposure to my floral world of fragrance and beauty. More visits with flowers = more chances to fall in love with flowers. Plus she's an orchid lover, and I hear the conservatory is filled with lots of gorgeous varieties right now. We loaded up the spy mobile with granola bars and Gatorade and left for our floral mission down by the nation's Capitol.


We arrived without a hitch and even grabbed a space right out front which were plentiful at that hour. We didn't have much time, the gardens were closing at 5:00pm and we arrived a little before 4:00 pm So we parked in an 'authorized vehicles only' spot and ran in before we could be stopped for blatant disrespect of the D.C. parking authority. Flower spies should get some sort of clearance for their spy missions, I think. We flew inside, grabbed our visitor's guide and proceeded to get bombarded by smells and colors that were attacking us from all sides. It was almost overwhelming, but lucky for us we are professional flower spies, so we just relaxed and breathed it all in deeply. The air was heavy and had 3 distinct smells: perfume, mold and mulch. My favorite odors in the whole world. When the contact buzz wore off we zeroed in on our first orchid and the adventure began.


They were called Nun's Orchids, phaius tankervilliae. I've never seen this variety before. We wondered if they were named after real Nuns. No descriptions on that, but they were planted all around the perimeter of the inside gardens and were very tall. Colorful too, no black and white habits to be seen in the group.


We continued moving at a steady pace as we had little time and lots of spying to do. The next stop was a reflecting pool that I wanted to dive into. It was very Blue Lagoon and sexy. I've seen many like it in Mexico, and they always look more inviting when decorated with flowers. This one was no exception-- the contrasting colors from all the bromeliads and spring bulb plants made it even more alluring.


After Kaylee talked me out of taking my shoes off for a quick dip, we headed down towards the amaryllis section. Even though the holidays are over, amaryllis are still in season. There were some more unusual varieties, like this skinny petaled one. It had a spider-like grace that I found very other-worldly.


While we were gawking, a couple opened a set of glass doors which lead to another section...steam seeped out and we knew we had to follow them. It lead to a mini rain forest which is probably where the mold smell was coming from. Thank God I took my Zyrtec that morning. It was just as lush as I expected, although we didn't spot any tropical critters which disappointed both of us. Not even a bird. Wait, there was one koi fish we saw in a pond. But that was it. These bodacious alocasia leaves more than made up for it.


Next room- The Desert. I used to hate cacti and the like, but after getting a hands on eduction at the Botanical Gardens in San Miguel, Mexico, I understand them more. I look at them differently too. They are certainly stiffer and spikier than the other flowers and plants we saw, but there's something interesting about the severity of their texture. They are teasing plants that dare you to get close, then punish you for touching them. Sounds like some family members I know. Time to get out of that place...


But not before I snap up some shots of the most phallic looking mini cactus plant I've ever seen. I tried to shelter Kaylee from it but it was too late, she was mesmerized and speechless as she stared down at them. I had to explain what 'phallic' meant. Great, can't wait to get that call from her mother.


Onward and upward... we left the desert and entered another section that housed rare botanicals from all over the world. The first one that caught our attention was this big, bad calla lily looking guy known as 'Devils Tongue', amorphophallus konjac. (note the 'phallus' in the suffix). It comes from Indonesia. It stood close to 5' tall and lived up to its name-- it was very creepy but the projectile tongue (its stamen) made us giggle. I adored the deep purple color and shape of the bloom and thought of the quote: "Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face", by Nelson DeMille. How true those words were. A devil in disguise.


Another interesting flower was this tree orchid. We didn't catch the name, it was untagged, but there were several popping out of some lovely trunks covered in Spanish moss. I love to see orchids living in their natural habitat, they are true epiphytes--a big botanical word meaning a plant that grows on a host but takes no nutrients from it, relying instead on nutrients from the air, falling rain, and compost that lies on tree branches. There is true beauty in their symbiotic relationship.


A bit further down we encountered a group of well-known annual plants that weren't so exotic but certainly were pretty. These happy French marigolds made me want to plant them all over my garden. They were so vibrant and golden.


We were speed walking at this point-- we heard the lady's voice on the speaker that said they were closing in 5 minutes. Oddly we noticed a lot of other last minute flower lovers sneaking in. I think the Botanical Gardens are a popular place for government workers to escape to after a long day of politicking. It's also perfect for dates-- I saw some early Valentine's lovebirds lingering in the corners of the tropical room. Good idea for bringing my lovebird next time.


On our way out, we found one more cluster of orchids in a rock garden setting that begged for a picture. I thought we had our fill of orchids by now, but I guess I was wrong. There were phals and cattleyas and dendrobiums all playing together nicely on mossy beds of rock and mulch. The fragrance was so overpowering, we didn't want to leave.


But the speaker lady said the gardens were officially closed, and we had to go. But not before we ducked into the room with the historical descriptions of all of the scented plants-- aka the herb room. We smelled frankincense, jasmine and wasabi and much more. Grabbed this last pic of metal-cut rose hips and then we bid goodbye to D.C.'s most beautiful gardens. It really is a great place to go if you live in the area or are visiting. It's easy to find (100 Maryland Ave., S.W. by Independence Ave.), almost right next to the Capitol. So, if you are like me and are in need of some beautiful, colorful flowers with fragrance--this is the place. By the way, you will not find many flowering trees, but if you wait a month, the Cherry Blossoms will be in full bloom and are out of this world beautiful!


ALL PICTURES BY: THE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SPY

More than a holiday at Longwood Gardens

I took my young worker buddy for a late holiday treat up to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, where one of my favorite garden's resides- Longwood Gardens. From late November to the second week of January, Longwood Gardens decorates both exterior and interior gardens from top to bottom with multi-colored lights and floral designs that make even the most seasoned designers swoon (like me). The inside greenhouses hosted huge displays of Christmas trees, poinsettia topiaries, and lush gardens with flowers in reds, greens and whites, all created by a very talented staff of local designers and landscapers. It's a show house of incredible visual beauty and scents, with the floral selection including anything from paperwhites to orchids to succulents. It truly runs the gamut, which is why I love it there so much. My favorites are always the unexpected flowers and plants that show up in the most unusual places, and this visit did not disappoint.


Take spurge, for example. It has an odd name but is sure is pretty. I saw it combined with ilex berries, white mountain lilies and cyclacmen. And it worked.


When I saw this blue spikey plectranthus I went a little crazy. I have never seen it so lush and in bloom, it was like it had taken plant steriods or something...it was so vibrantly electric and fat. It was not mixed in with the Christmas garden displays, it sat right around the corner waiting for my camera to find it.


Another floral treasure I saw creeping out from under some Christmas cyclamens was helleborus, one of my favorite early spring flowers, especially the green ones. They were perfect sitting next to the spurge too!


As we continued walking, the smells became almost overwhelming--there were paperwhites and mountain lilies everywhere, but I kept smelling something different mixed in. I looked up, and lo and behold, I found an acacia tree with a branch of its ethereal clusters hanging low enough for me to sniff the exotic perfumed perfection.


After circling the central gardens several times (we didn't want to miss one petal), we continued on to the "Christmas Route" which took us to the Orchid House. Each time I go there, I can hardly contain my excitement. The varieties of color and flowers are astounding, as are the award winning plants that are proudly placed in front for all to gawk at. And gawk we did. It was like orchid porn.


My favorites are always the same- I love the Cattleyas and the Paphiopedilums, otherwise known as Lady's Slippers. They just jump out at me more than the other varieties. And there were plenty of both, especially the Lady's Slippers. I found this one below hidden away on a window ledge, behind some other larger plants. I thought the flower on it was perfect. Very woodland creature!


I also liked this rust colored one with the maiden hair fern in the back. The colors reminded me of red celery and parsley.


After getting dizzy from all of that intense beauty, we left to go to the Mediterranean Garden, where we encountered all sorts of flowers and plants from the Caribbean, South America, South Africa and of course, the Mediterranean. There was a Christmas tree constructed entirely of plants. There were arbors with dripping purple flowers that looked like wisteria until we got close. The vines were actually called Coral Pea, or the Happy Wanderer. It sure looked happy. I was hoping some seeds would wander into my bag.


There was also aeonium gomerense, one of my pet succulents that I found in abundance when I stayed in La Palma in the Canary Islands.


Next to the aeonium patch, I found this pretty forest lily from South Africa.


We continued on the Christmas Route which took us to the Palm House. It explained the difference between cycads and palms. Cycads are an ancient, non-flowering group of plants that are closely related to pines and other conifers. They are found in South and Central America, Mexico, the Antilles, the United States, Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and southern and tropical Africa. And they are spectacular when looking down at them from above.


Passing through the walkway we encountered this door covered completely in air plants, also known as Tillandsia. It was enchanting!


As we were coming to the end of the Christmas Route, we passed some eerie trees that looked very scary to the touch. I loved the bark on this Ceiba Einthos-- very Jurassic Park.


Then we spotted a few more tropical surprises, including this Chalice Vine flower. I was elated to finally discover its name. The first time I saw it was on the Canary Islands where I cut some and put on our table as a centerpiece. They start off creamy ivory and turn into a beautiful shade of butter and they last for at least a week.


The final surprise was a section of blooming aloe plants. Did you they bloomed flowers? I didn't and feel a little embarrassed to admit.


We ended our tour in the Silver Garden Room, which had the most stunning, unusual combination of flowers and plants I had seen yet, all in shades of gray and silver. It took my breath away, and I am not happy that my camera decided to poop out at this juncture. Still, I managed a few good shots and hope they at least give an idea of the magnificent concept of flowers as art. The doorway display was truly a masterpiece.


If you live on the east coast, try and visit these amazing gardens next year. If you go, try to go during the week when it's not so crowded-- the weekends are usually packed. Best times are late afternoon so you can see the beautiful Christmas trees lit up.


Longwood re-opens their gardens in the Spring starting April 1- May 22. The International Flower Spy will be there and will be sure to provide a full report on the bountiful bulbs and flowering trees. Until then, Happy New Year! Don't forget to start 'forcing' your flowering bushes, such as forsythia and quince.

ALL PICTURES BY: INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SPY