Designing Flowers for Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation

It is always such a pleasure to create centrepieces for the Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation fundraising luncheons at the Capilano Golf Club in West Vancouver. I am inspired by the tableau of flowers that arrive with spring, the well-appointed elegance of the club, and best of all, the spirit of charity which is at the heart of the luncheon, and to which the centrepieces contribute.

Bon Mot. Bon Carnation.

A meeting of the Bon Mot Book Club took place on February 13th, 2014, at the Vancouver Club. We chose a Valentine's theme for the centerpieces using carnations in rich shades of red and pink.  Dianthus, long known as flowers of the gods - flowers of love.

In some of the centrepieces, the green dianthus among the hot pinks added warmth and gaiety.

pink n green carnations
pink n green carnations

As one of the world’s oldest cultivated flowers, the many colours of carnations have assumed different symbols.  Pink, symbolizing a mother’s love, is traditionally given on Mother’s Day.

And by mid-March, many of us think green: Spring, St Patrick’s Day, shamrocks, green beer. And the green carnation! It was the signature flower of Ireland’s beloved poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde, and is the name of a newly launched men’s fragrance, The Green Carnation.

We know that some things will always have their place. The dianthus, flower of the gods, remains.

- Lois