Nature Contained

Adventures of a Rhode Island floral and garden shop

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Trip to Long Island

Tomorrow my mom Rosie and I will be heading to Long Island to Environmentals Nursery to stock up on conifers for our winter container plantings. This weekend, we started the transition from fall to winter at the shop. We planted our bulbs and started the winter garden, we put in our holiday tree order (organically grown Christmas trees!) and we filled the antique Chinese mortars with cranberries- a simple thing we love to do every year. Next week we will start making our Cooperstown Wreath line and will deck the place out with garlands, wreaths, winter plants and bulbs.

I love coming up with different winter container combinations. I try to keep three color palettes in mind when I am designing. A red palette (above) may include heathers, red twig dogwood, ilex berries, tea berry, sumac pods, leucouthe and skimmia. A yellow palette (below) will have fun golden tipped pines like 'stoneybrook' and 'merrimack', ilex hellini and yellow tipped chamaecyparis. Golden orange ilex and yellow twig dogwood look great in here too.

The last palette I like to play with is one of silvers and whites which will have birch logs, silvery cedars and junipers and reindeer moss. Cut greens, pine cones and lichens get mixed into the palettes to complete the look.

Nature Contained's Holiday lineup

Now that the clocks have gone back and the nights are drawing in we’re thinking ahead to Christmas. We have some magical events planned where you can learn skills such as Christmas wreath making and winter container planting. We would also like to invite you to Nature Contained’s Holiday Night Markets, evening shopping amidst the twinkling lights and roasted marshmallows. Please read on for details.

Thursday, November 29th 3.00pm-8.00pm
Holiday Preview Market
You are invited to a preview of this season’s collection of gifts, greens and decorations. We will have samples of our beautiful custom made Cooperstown Wreaths on hand for pre-ordering. Once the sun goes down we will be toasting marshmallows, sampling this season’s finest panettone and offering our adult customers delicately spiced mulled wine.

Saturday, December 1st. 9.00am-5.00pm
Four Corners Open House
Pottery, cookies, greens, raffles, bagpipes, cookies, cider, cheese and unique holiday gifts; sound intriguing? Visit Historic Tiverton Four Corners for our annual Holiday Open House for a day of shopping and tasting. Nature Contained will be all decked out with fresh cut greens, wreaths, heirloom amaryllis, trees and seasonal containers. Enjoy a warm beverage out in the winter garden or sit cozily by the fire and roast marshmallows.
For more information on our open house visit http://www.tivertonfourcorners.com/

Sunday, December 2nd 10.00am-12.00 pm
Winter Conifer Container Planting Workshop
Bring in a favorite frost friendly container or window
box or pick up one here at the shop; Roanne Robbins and Julia Huggins will be on hand to lead you through a seasonal container planting utilizing specialty conifers, heaths and heathers, small evergreens, groundcovers, sticks and mosses. Just pay for your materials and vessels the soil and instruction is free!

Holiday Wreath Workshops

Tuesday, December 4th 6.00pm- 9.00pm (beginners)
Thursday, December 6th 6.00pm-9.00pm (advanced)
Fee: $85.00 includes materials and refreshments
*space is limited, please reserve your spot by phoning 401.624.4484
Both events are conducted by our expert florists David Gregory and Roanne Robbins-two of the people responsible for the magical look of Nature Contained. Over the course of the evening they will impart their knowledge and work with you on your own creations to take home, an informative, relaxing and sociable evening is guaranteed. Cocktails, sweets and savories will be on hand to inspire creativity and holiday cheer.

Wednesday, December 12th
Holiday Nights Market: Shopping until 8.00pm
Visit a candle lit Nature Contained for evening Holiday shopping. Enjoy a warm beverage or sit under the stars in our winter garden and roast a marshmallow or two. Complimentary gift wraping.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Rainbow in the bushes

As Kate and I were heading up to Alta to take in my first snow of the year, we were greeted by the most wonderful sight alongside her driveway-a Technicolor barberry. I only thought saccharin assortments of color appeared in boxes of sugar cereals or packets of Skittles.

Here’s Kate and I at the base of Alta enjoying my first snow of 2007.

Thank you for the wonderful visit Kate!