Blog | Rose Red & Lavender

I love laid back Brooklyn Weddings and having your wedding at your favorite restaurant is a way to celebrate and be comfortable and have some amazing food. Brooklyn has some great spots for weddings including Frankies on Court Street, Cafe Ici, My Moon and the Brooklyn Winery.

Today we have the pleasure of putting together some flowers for a celebration at Il Passatore.

Deanna wore a vintage inspired gold dress that was gorgeous and a floral headpiece that was made of wildflowers and inspired by a 1920′s bridal hairpiece.  I was lucky enough to see the ceremony, it was so sweet. I love weddings.

Here are some pictures of the fun, laid back wildflower arrangements that we put together for this very special celebration.

So pretty. I love summer and all the flowers it brings. Congratulations Deanna and Andrew!

Share on Facebook

Sunflowers are in season and they are looking very beautiful this year.

Sunflowers always remind me of growing up in the country and the arrangements that we would put on our tables using goldenrod, laceflower, blackeyed susans and sunflowers.

Those were always pretty, happy bouquets that looked best in an old metal pitcher or a mason jar.

Here are a few of my favorites from over the past few weeks.

This is a container that I love using, it is a boat shape and is made of cement that is dipped in metal for a shiny, mirror like finish. I love the juxtaposition of the sleek metal with the cement. I think it is perfect for flowers that one would find growing in random places, like these sunflowers, pennycress, and millet.

Wouldn’t it be nice though if these gorgeous lilies and tuberose popped up everywhere? Alas, they come from costa rica, but are pretty just the same.

Here is a chocolate sunflower. The color is amazing and the leaves look like velvet. I like to mix this with wax flower and other types of botanical s that have some hints of burgundy, it really creates a lot of movement and rhythmic patterns.

I am loving how it looks next to the scabosia though with those sagy greens and whites. I think I will try that combination, it seems that those sages would soften the burgandy/chocolate hues a bit so that you can appreciate them more and it would also make the whole piece a little more understated.

Some days I just can’t resist making something that is high contrast. I really love how the chocolate sunflowers look with milky white casa blanca lilies. The lilies have such a long vase life that it makes up for the very short life that some sunflowers can have. Sometimes I pull the leaves off and just keep the centers. I love how the big, dark circles look with just a crown of spiky green leaves around them.

This Arrangement reminds me of a hot summer day, bees buzzing and long, lazy afternoons spent on the porch. I love these black eyed susans, the little cousins of sunflowers. This arrangement could have been picked from a roadside field with this collection of milkweed, laceflower and feverfew.

The birch container is a perfect vessel for this happy arrangement and is a little more updated than a mason jar or a pitcher.

Here is a more modern take on sunflowers, taking them to another place. I don’t often do arrangements like this so it was fun for me to step out a little and create something outside of my comfort zone. The request was modern, tall and dramatic. Ok. so we will use some sunflowers and see what happens.

These monstrea leaves combined with cobra lilies, milkweed and celosia makes a great combination with the chocolate sunflowers, making them look almost exotic.

Here are some more sunflower arrangements.

Enjoy.

Happy Summer!

Share on Facebook

We had the pleasure of putting together a wedding at the Metropolitan Building in Queens last Week.

I love the Metropolitan Building, it is an old factory building that is filled with lots of props and gorgeous antiques.  In my dream life, I would be able to prowl around for props and stage a magnificent dinner party with all my friends. Costume some sort would be required.

In my real life though, I get the honor of  setting the stage for weddings, and what a fun place to work.

This wedding was inspired by the blending of old and new worlds for Brian and Ariana. My favorite chicken joint Pies and Thighs was the catering company and Spanish Tapas was served as appetizers.

We created centerpieces using birch branches, air plants, garden roses and wildflowers. I loved how the birch stands turned out and took a lot of pictures. Here is a sneak peek. Can’t wait to see the professional Photography.

Share on Facebook

I don't know if you have been in the shop lately but a lot has changed and thanks to all your support, we have grown.

Our retail space has expanded and now we can offer some more cool products that I have always wanted to have and that you have been asking for like Fragrance, Canning Supplies, and Water Gardening Supplies.

I am super excited about the Tokyo Milk Perfume and lotions and I still can't decide if I like Dead Sexy or Honey and the Moon the best.

Talking about smelling good, we just harvested our First Lavender of the Season and it smells terrific. I can't wait to get busy and make some something special. Here is our recipe for Lavender Sorbet.

New Design Studio and Classroom!

In addition to our shop getting a wee bit bigger, we have also added a new Design Studio and Classroom. Watch out for our new classes in Canning, Ice Cream Making and of Course, Floral Design and Terrariums.

Rooftop Garden and Apiary

We have installed a rooftop garden and apiary where we are growing our Dwarf Fruit Trees, Herb and Veggie Starts and bees for our Honey which will be available this Fall. One of our Italian neighbors came to visit and told me (with the help of her daughter translating) that she raised bees and chickens back in Italy and she was so happy to see them here.
Do you think we should add some chickens? Let us know on Facebook.

Help Us Help Schools

We are trying to win a small business grant and plan on using the funds to put together a program that teaches  teachers and school children how to raise plants for food and for fund-raising.   We only need 250 votes to be eligible, please show your support! https://www.missionsmallbusiness.com/

Water Gardening without the Pond

You can turn any Container into a little Pond for you to enjoy. The sound of trickling water is so soothing and makes any space feel like a Zen Garden. Perfect for small spaces and balconies, We have all the kits you need to make your own fountains and water loving plants like Water Lilies and water hycanthe to make it complete. Click here to see this Bad Dog in action.

Yank Out those Lettuce Plants!

Veggies You Can Plant in July

Who says that Spring is only the time to garden? I don't get it, so much is happening at once, it is a hectic time of year.  Our spring veggies are maxed out by by now and if you havn't started, your garden, now is the time to get going.

When September rolls around you will be dining on Lettuce, Beans, Carrots, Peas and Beets. October, some Kale, Scallions, Peas and Chard along with your Tomatoes and Peppers. So many of us are so busy in the summer, we don't get to enjoy our gardens. Plant Now and you will have lots to Eat and preserve In the Fall when things Slow Down a Little.

Yank out those Nasty Plants!  Did your Lettuce suddenly get Tall and Bitter? Peas Crispy on the Vine? Hot, isn't it? Lettuce bolts in the heat so now is the time to yank it out, toss it on the compost pile and add some fresh organic nutrients, Happy Frog, Chicken Poo, Compost, whatever you prefer. Give the soil a little dig and start with some Fresh Seeds. Lettuce, Peas, Beans, Kale and Chard are great things to Plant Now.

Water is Key. The trick is to Keep the Soil Moist until the seeds sprout. I like to plant in a space that gets a little shade (not hard to find in our back gardens) or cover the ground with some cheese cloth to add a little protection. Make sure you water every morning for about 3 weeks.

Fall Gardens are Wonderful. There is a chill in the air and the madness of spring is long gone, so are the bugs that bug us in the summer. You get to enjoy fresh veggies and have delicious food to enjoy up until Thanksgiving. Last year my Kale and Spinach lasted through the winter without any help at all.

You can Can

Yes you can Can and we have all the Supplies you need to create your own little Canning Factory and the know-how to get you started.

Some times I feel like the Appalachian Laura Ingalls. When I was little, we lived down a dirt road on top of a mountain in the house where my mother grew up. Our closest neighbor was an 80 year old Mennonite lady named Van who had a small farm and still used the hand pump and wooden sink in her kitchen. She made jellies, jams and pickles all summer long. I loved to run down the hill and sit in her kitchen to watch her. I helped shell peas and snap beans in exchange for some fresh jam on home made bread. Wonderful.

I learned to can from my Mother and she learned from her Mother and all of her Mennonite and Amish Friends. They still grow their own food and  make their own Pickles, Jellies and Chutneys. Nothing feels better than pulling out something you made during the summer in the middle of winter, its like opening a jar of sunshine.
Holiday gifts of something you made using your most precious resource, time, are always appreciated and loved. With all the bounty available to us at the farmers market, its awfully tempting. Who knows, you could be starting you own Pickle Empire! Watch out  Brooklyn Brine!

Is it safe? Yes like putting together Ikea Furniture, you just need to follow the directions,  The Ball Blue Book is the one I always turn to when I am double checking a recipe or times for processing. It has the most up to date and safe information. Here is a little video I made about making Jelly.

You don't need a lot of equipment to start, the big pot you make spaghetti in will be just fine. When you are ready to graduate, we have the big, Old Fashioned Enamel Canner that my Amish friends used, and still do. They work and make excellent Ice Buckets at parties too (they use them for lemon aide). The canners come with jar lifters and everything you need to get going. We also have jars in all sorts of sizes and the IMPOSSIBLE to find PECTIN. Pectin made from Citrus Rinds makes the brightest, clearest jelly and it is the only thing I use to make my Lavender and Hot Pepper Jellies.
 

Did Someone ask for Citrus Plants?

We have a fresh shipment of Citrus Plants. Citrus trees like Meyer Lemons, Limes and Oranges make excellent house plants. They love to be outside in the summer and inside in the winter and can produce flowers and fruits year round.

We have a fresh shipment of fruiting plants from 1 gallon (tabletop) to 75 gallon (loft) our 75 gallon tree has five (5) types of citrus grafted onto the branches. Wow.

Here is my recipe for making Meyer Lemon Marmalade. It is so so delicious and would make your mamma proud.

Hope to see you in the Shop Soon!

Cheers!

Kimberly Sevilla

Rose Red & Lavender

Share on Facebook

Its Summer!! I haven’t kept my promise to write, we have been so busy with weddings.

Peonies are abound. I love peonies and this year has been an especially good season.  These are for a wedding at the Palm House at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, I love using creams and whites and yellows with dusky greens, so lemony and creamy don’t you think? Makes me want some Lemon Tarts or some Key Lime Pie.

Summer is also a time for Lavender and Lemons.

I love Meyer lemons and have a hard time finding them. Luckily, they grow great in containers and make perfect house plants. They like bright light and not so much water. If you have an outdoor space they you can put them outside in the summer, and inside in the winter.We have a full selection in our shop in sizes from one gallon to 45 gallons. We even have a 5 in one tree that has Meyer Lemons, Oranges, and Grapefruit, all on the same tree (I am secretly hoping it doesn’t sell)

Here is our recipe for Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Delicious.

Meyer Lemon Marmalade
Makes about 12 jars

Warning: This recipe takes three days.

14 to 15 Meyer Lemons
1 sweet orange
Enough water to cover the fruit, about
4 1/2 to 8 lb of sugar, depending on the size of your lemons

Slice the  in half lengthwise, then into thin horizontal slices, removing the pips as you slice and placing them in a bowl.

Place the lemon slices in the biggest bowl you can find (or two bowls) and cover them with water (I use filtered water). Cover with a plate and set aside in a cool place overnight. Cover the pips with water and set aside, covered, in the refrigerator.

The next day, pour the fruit and its water (not the pip water) into a large saucepan or copper jam basin. Bring to a boil and let the mixture bubble at a steady boil for 40 mins, stirring occasionally. Let this mixture cool, then weigh it and return it to a cool place to rest overnight.

The next day, place the fruit with its water, the strained pip water and an equal weight of sugar in a large saucepan or jam basin. Bring to a boil, then let it boil steadily for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the syrup thickens slightly. To test the marmalade, pour a little onto a small plate that you have chilled in the freezer, then wait a minute. Tilt the plate and if the syrup wrinkles, it’s time to transfer the marmalade to jars.

Use 3 part canning jars, Wash jars with hot soapy water and rinse.

Fill the jars nearly to the top and close the lids as soon as you can (make sure the rims are clean). Invert the jars onto a towel and let rest until cool. Make sure that you have a seal on the lid by taking off the ring and seeing if the lid is depressed and makes a bright tinny noise when you flick it with your finger. If not, replace the lid, cleaning the edge of the jar and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

The marmalade could keep for years or perhaps days, depending on how many marmalade-lovers you know.

As far as lavender goes, we just got in our first harvest of Munstead and Hidcote. Oh the smell is heavenly.

Share on Facebook

So much has been happening, I don’t know where to begin. I always promise myself that I will blog once a week. I don’t Its terrible.

We have been busy beavers over at the shop and have been making all sorts of mischief. Over the past coupla weeks we have totally transformed out outside space into a big, luscious garden. We have also planted a few thousand herbs, veggies and fruits just for you. We like to grow our own so we know its all good and organic, and we can grow all sorts of cool varieties that I never see on the market.

Mother’s Day is around the corner, I peeked in my back yard and saw the first roses. They always bloom around Mother’s Day. The market has been full of GEORGOUS! Peonies and I can’t get enough of them, Lilacs have also been coming around….but this year I have been mad about Hyacinths. Hyacinths have the sweetest scent and I have noticed an incredibly long vase life. We take a lot of care when processing them to make sure that they last extra long. Click here to place your order, we sell out.

Wedding season has begun and we are in full force production. I was excited to see that we where one of the few people selected to be in New York Magazine’s Summer 2012 issue. This beautiful headpiece is made of Wax Flower and Anenomies. I was inspired by some vintage headpieces that I had collected. These can be made and shipped overnight all over the country.

Press!! In addition, we were named as one of the top 10 garden centers in New York City by Time Out New York. I was shocked and incredibly honored to be on the same list as Jamali and the Garden center at New York Botanical Garden. Even happier because we didn’t need to have a mascot or some trendy gimmick to get there, just great plants, cool gifts, and sound advice.

Martha!! I was so excited to be on the Martha Stewart Show. OK, in the audience on the Martha Stewart Show. It was a special about Etsy and the great sellers there they featured a terrarium class that I taught at Etsy Labs. My mom was excited to see me on National Television but didn’t understand why I wasn’t interviewed and on the show more, thanks Mom.

Speaking of Mascots though…I love bees and our birds. Yesterday I had the pleasure of installing not one, but two packages of Bees. These are Italian honey bees shipped up from Georgia and they are chemical free. I am proud of my organic bees. We put a hive on the roof of our studio along side our Fruit trees that we just planted. Ok. Yes I hauled a few dozen fruit trees onto a

roof, but what the hell. A little exercise won’t kill me. I hope the bees will feel at home. I also put in an observation hive so that everyone can come and see the bees in action.

Tara, is my bee keeper partner. She grew up in Queens and has been keeping bees since she was a little girl, before it became all kinds of cool and trendy and she got me hooked on bees. Last year she got stung and discovered that she is allergic, after all, but was still a trooper and put on the white suite and ventured forward. I can’t wait for the honey and bees wax.

Moss Graffiti. We love moss and taught a fun class on how to paint with plants.

Robb put together a nice presentation and even played MC Hammer to get people inspired to make some graffiti.

Share on Facebook

Share on Facebook

Last night we had the pleasure of teaching not one but two classes at Etsy Labs.
Nestled in a converted factory building in Dumbo, Etsy Labs is a wonderful place full of crafting treasures. All the work is done on huge, over-sized wooden tables and the walls are lined with all sorts of scissors, brushes, glitter, glue, screen-printing materials and more. I love it. Lavender and I have taken classes there and we really enjoy them its a lot of fun.

We were joined by Britta Riley of Windowfarms , Just Food, and Compost for Brooklyn to talk about all things green and good.

SEED BOMBS!

We were invited to teach about Terrariums and Seed Bombs there. Those are two of my favorite things!

Seed bombs are made with clay, organic matter and seeds. They were invented by native Americans who lived in nomadic tribes. The seed bombs are a way to insure that the seed will have enough moisture and food to grow if gardens are planted and not tended to. By doing this, the tribes were able to plant gardens, travel and come back to reap the rewards. They are perfect for chucking into some piece of land where access may be prohibited.

The clay acts as a binder and as a source for water and moisture. Clay retains water very well and slowly releases it to the seeds and little plants. The organic matter, compost or worm castings, feed the seeds.

Seed bombs can be placed on the surface of a pot to grow or they can be put in a tree pit or chucked into a vacant piece of land. If sowing “in the wild” so to speak, please make sure that you use native plants and not invasive species. What a way to get your Guerilla Garden going

How to make Seed Bombs.

Ingredients

• 2 parts garden soil
• 1 part Clay powder
• Worm castings or compost
• Seeds
• Water
• Trust and Love

1. To make clay powder, purchase red sculpting clay from an art supply store, cut it very thinly with a wire and let dry. Pulverize with a mallet or a meat grinder. This is the hardest part. I think about urban blight and pretty flowers when I am pounding clay. Old boyfriends, annoying room mates or a mean boss may be some other sources for inspiration.
2. Mix the soil and the clay together and sprinkle some worm castings on top. If using compost, then omit the worm castings and replace the soil with compost.
3. Add enough water to form a ball and have the materials bind together. Very similar to making a pastry crust. Not too much water, not too little, just enough to get it to stick together, add a little at a time.
4. Roll about 5 seeds onto each ball. Just 5 . maybe even 3. Remember that each little seed has the potential to grow into a plant.
5. Let dry for a couple of days and enjoy. Trust that your seeds will grow, and Love the beautiful gardens that you create.

Terrariums!

Wow, wow and just wow.

We have been making terrariums for a few years now and I am still overwhelmed by how popular these are and continue to be.

I haven’t gotten the official count yet, but from my estimate, we taught about 150 people how to make them yesterday.

It was BYOC (bring your own container) and people showed up with everything from 1 gallon jugs  to little test tubes. We made moss terrariums yesterday, just to keep it simple.

Here is how you make a moss terrarium. I must have repeated these steps about 50 150 times yesterday so I know it pretty well.

How to make a Terrarium

Ingredients

• Clear Glass Container, with or without a lid
• Rocks
• Sheet moss or Sphagnum Moss
• Charcoal
• Peat Moss
• More moss and Decor

1. Add a layer of rocks on the bottom. Make sure that you use clean rocks that are scaled with your container.
2. Add a barrier layer of sheet moss or sphagnum moss
3. Add a thin layer of charcoal
4. Add a layer of peat moss…
5. OK. Now let the fun begin. You can plant this with moss, lichens, decor, mini plants, what have you. MOSS MOSS and More MOSS!

I saw all sorts of things from a lady that looked like a mermaid in a terrarium, I call her the TERMAID, to little figurines.

I brought in some mini slate slabs that people colored with pencils. Those were pretty cool.

As always, we are available for any of your terrarium questions.

Check out the fun action below.

ps. a certain film crew from a certain tv show that has the initials MSL was there documenting the whole event. Can’t wait to see the footage!

Share on Facebook

My parents live in West Virginia, near the Maryland border. Their property sits on the site of an old tomato and melon farm. There was once a thriving tomato industry in their area but the local farmers could not compete with the big factory farms in California so they went out of business. Unfortunately, the farmers used chemical fertilizers which left the soil depleted of organic materials and nutrients and pretty poor. It has been siting fallow for about 20 years.

They said that nothing can grow there but offered to give me a small piece of land to try to grow something if I could, I saw it as a horticultural challenge.

I fell in love with lavender when I first visited the south of France and had the opportunity to visit lavender fields while it was in full bloom. My parents had seeded their property with wildflowers and registered their property as a wildflower farm and lavender seemed like a good fit. Lavender loves to be planted in well draining soil on a slope without many nutrients. It doesn’t need much maintenance, water, pest control or fertilizer and if planted correctly, can be maintained by mowing in between rows a couple of times a year. Turns out it loves it in the mountains of West Virginia where there are hot dry summers and lots of silty, rocky soil. It also tolerates being ignored by my parents. We planted a few thousand plants on mother’s day a few years ago and it has thrived.

While you spend the 4th chomping on hotdogs or fauxdawgs trying to keep cool, we spent the holiday weekends at our flower farm in West By God Virginia picking lavender from our fields in triple digit weather. Yea Haw! Our lavender is grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides and is perfect for use in your home or for cooking.

Here is a great recipe for Lavender Sorbet

Lavender Sorbet

The vodka in the recipe makes it very soft. It’s not the kind of iced dessert you scoop into an oversized waffle cone. It’s a slushy, uncooperative dish that, in small doses, will refresh your heat-addled senses. While this style of sorbet is similar to the palate cleansers served at high-end restaurants between courses, I like it as a mid-afternoon refresher on a scorching hot summer day.

Makes 4 very small servings

1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1 heaping teaspoon fresh lavender flowers (food grade only*)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vodka
In a small sauce pan, dissolve sugar and water over medium heat.
Stir in lavender. Bring to a boil then quickly reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain lavender syrup through a fine sieve.
Stir in lemon juice and vodka.
If you have an ice cream maker, make the sorbet according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Otherwise, pour the syrup into a flat-bottomed glass dish, cover, and freeze until semi-solid. Break the sorbet up with a fork and freeze until solid. Place frozen sorbet in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Cover and refreeze until ready to serve.

Share on Facebook

Its almost St. Patrick’s day and time to plant potatoes.

My mother always told me that you plant potatoes on st. patricks day. She said thats because the irish love to eat potatoes. She lived in zone 6 in the Appalachian Mountains and by words of wisdom, that is too early for them, but thats what they did and it seemed to work, she ate lots of potatoes growing up.

We live in zone 7 so St. Patrick’s day is just right.

I have a bag of potatoes on my counter and they all have sprouts, maybe they know something I don’t.

Potatoes, are one of my favorite things to grow.

I get small potatoes at the farmer’s market and soak them in water for a little then put them in a warm place in a paper bag to sprout.

After they sprout, I cut them into quarters or plant them whole (if they are tiny) into the place I want to grow them, about 12″ apart, 3-4 inches deep.

Not all soil is equal in Brooklyn and I did read in a NYT article that potatoes grown in soil that may have lead are ok to eat as long as you wash them. That being said though, it is much, much easier to plant potatoes in a container and just empty the contents of the container at the end of the growing season (after the plants turn yellow) and pick out your potatoes. I almost always miss and damage some when I dig them out.

Sometimes, I get antsy and shove my hand under the plant and steal a few during the growing season. The plants don’t seem to mind and I get really tasty new potatoes that are amazing.

Once in awhile I have had problems with Potato Bugs, I have found that planting potatoes with marigolds has kept them away.

Five gallon buckets make great containers for potatoes as do trash cans or a large bag of soil, just cut some slits in the bag and plant your potaoes, isn’t that easy?

Another method is to plant your potatoes in a tire and as the plant grows, keep stacking tires on top of the plants and add more soil, compost, old leaves, hay, shredded newspaper, well you get the idea. At the end of the season, take away the tires and pick out your potatoes.

Potatoes like either a high or low PH soil. Low PH will make a more waxy texture potato and High PH will make a more dry-textured potato. Think pine needles, citrus rinds, eggshells and sulfur, for low ph, think vegetable fats (avocado peels) and lime (the powdered type) for a high ph.

They really are super easy and taste oh so much better than the ones you get at C-Town. I saw a few volunteer plants growing out of my compost bin last year, I can’t wait to see what grew when I turn the compost this week.

Thats, my 2 cents, try them, they are fun to grow.

Kimberly Sevilla

Rose Red & Lavender
Flowers Plants, and Beautiful Things

653 Metropolitan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

www.roseredandlavender.com

Share on Facebook