In Brooklyn

 

Last month I was staying in New York with my family when I had the opportunity to be part of an amazing wedding in Red Hook, Brooklyn for one of SAIPUA’s leading ladies, Ashley. It was in this cool ass warehouse venue called Atelier Roquette. Red Hook is still quite an industrial area of Brooklyn but it sits right across from Manhattan on the water, but saying that you feel like you are in a completely different area to New York. It is a bit of a mission to get to from the city but is definitely a cool must go area.

SAIPUA’s shop and studio is also based there and I had the pleasure of meeting all of the team and they were really awesome, inspiring people. Sarah is an absolute character, flower creative genius and so generous in sharing her vision and tips. I wish I could have had the opportunity to attend her workshop with The Little Flower School in Portland on the Bearded Iris Farm.

Seriously, flower arranging to Salt ‘n Pepper blasting is a must. Definitely an experience I’ll never forget.

Tulips of New York

Tulips of New York

Believe me when I say there are Tulips everywhere in New York right now. The sidewalks, Central Park, community gardens, the flower markets, metro entries, here, there and everywhere. I have been trying with all my might not to go on a Tulip picking frenzy especially when there are the prettiest varieties sitting right there under my nose on mass. But I get it they are there to be adored by the walker by-ers, the fast paced New Yorkers.

Not many people in this city have gardens so I can imagine why there are the many volunteers that go around the city bringing the garden to the urbanscape for everyone to enjoy. In my last week of being here they are slowly starting to fade away in the gardens, the gardeners are pulling away the fallen blooms and replanting new varieties to go into the Summer. Wish I could stick around to see what’s next in bloom for the people of New York. 

Chelsea MaRket

 

Head on over to the Makers Society blog to read my latest post and photo diary of the Chelsea Flower Markets in New York, here’s a preview of some of my favorite snaps

New York Fairy Floss

New York Fairy Floss

I am in absolute awe walking the streets and parks of New York at the moment. The most stunning Cherry Blossom or ‘Sakura’ trees are like no other I have seen before, all their own individual selves. And then you have the thousands of dropped petals that fly in the wind up through the streets like a delicate pink snow storm. Just beautiful.

The Cherry Blossoms were first brought to the United States as a gift of friendship from Japan in 1912 and now they have become iconic in New York. The New Yorkers celebrate their flowering with a range of 'Sakura’ festivals on offer. The most lavish festival is in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on the last weekend of April and includes all kinds of Japanese cultural activities including music, art, Children’s workshops and of course the beautiful blossom trees.

If you can’t manage to make a festival you'l find many of them spread around the city, Central Park and Riverside along the Hudson River.