A Nest of Yellow Twig Dogwood

Week 4, as we we revisit the 10-year anniversary of the book, Slow Flowers

Twigs and blooms for January 2023

Slow Flowers retrospective 2023
Yellow twig dogwood branches create a matrix for golden Leucadendron, grown by Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers in San Diego county.

Twigs and blooms for February 2013

Red twig dogwood and orchids as cut flowers
A “nest” of twigs for cut cymbidium blooms, 2012

I had the idea of changing my color palette from PNW-grown red twig dogwood branches to the yellow-gold variety — and that was doable. But orchids, especially non-Holland orchids, were not to be found.

Even though we’ve made so many strides in local and domestic floral sourcing since I created this red twig-and-cymbidium orchid arrangement in 2012 for the book Slow Flowers, the winter selection this past week was limited.

I had the idea of changing my color palette from Oregon-grown red twig dogwood branches to the yellow-gold variety — and that was doable. Seattle Wholesale Growers Market’s source is Continental Floral Greens.

But orchids, especially non-Holland orchids, were not to be found. The beautiful Cymbidium Sleeping Dream ‘Castle’ that I highlighted in the original arrangement is no longer a cut flower option from Peterkort Roses. Third-generation cut flower growers, our good friends Sandra Peterkort Laubenthal and Norman Peterkort, phased out their rare cut orchid collection several years ago. I’m not entirely sure why, but there have been many changes in greenhouse growing since 2012 (not to mention since the 1940s when their grandparents started the company).

Yellow twigs and leucadendron in a low dish.
Same ingredients, in a different composition.

So using the gold twigs as my inspiration, I looked around to see what “flower” might be paired with the woven twig matrix I wanted to recreate. My eyes landed on a bucket of similarly-colored leucadendron.


Lesson learned?

It might have been best to find a potted cymbidium to achieve my Slow Flowers Redux arrangement. I honestly love the original arrangement published in 2013 and my attempt to recreate it (more accurately) will have to wait for another day!

Debra Prinzing

Debra Prinzing is a Seattle-based writer, speaker and leading advocate for American-grown flowers. Through her many Slow Flowers-branded projects, she has convened a national conversation that encourages consumers and professionals alike to make conscious choices about their floral purchases. Debra is the producer of SlowFlowers.com, the weekly "Slow Flowers Podcast" and the American Flowers Week (June 28-July 4) campaign. Debra is author of 11 books, including Slow Flowers (2013), The 50 Mile Bouquet (2012) and Slow Flowers Journal (2020). She is the co-founder of BLOOM Imprint, the boutique publishing arm of Slow Flowers.

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Slow Flowers Journal is brought to you by SlowFlowers.com. Slow Flowers is an award-winning online directory created to help consumers find florists, studio designers, wedding and event planners, supermarket flower departments and flower farmers that supply American grown flowers. Founded in 2014, the site has grown to 850 members across the U.S.

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at 206-769-8211 or 844-SLOWFLO (844-756-9356); debra(at)slowflowers.com.