Big White House Flower Story

Michelle Obama's Favorite Flowers for Arrangements 

This story is packed with juicy nuggets for us gardeners:

• The floral preferences of the Obamas.
• White House Floral Designer Laura Dowling's "garden" style.  It's more relaxed, with lots of unexpected touches.
  
• The exciting Top Florist-type competition for the job.
• The role of flowers in the lives of everyone living in and visiting the White House.  Like the "transition of flowers" on Inauguration Day, and a floral gift of friendship to Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. 
• How floral design at the White House has changed over the years.
• Dowling's bio, including years in Paris and a high-powered Capitol Hill husband.
  

Garden designers and gardeners alike are happily predicting a similar transformation in the gardens around the White House - because it's high time. Click here to see why.  

Comments

[Laura Bell]

I can almost picture the bouquets in the story - they sound divine ! But I wonder ... What happens to the flowers & greenery once they are removed from display ? Composted, I hope ... ?

[Shirley Bovshow "Edenmaker"]

Great story Susan. Thanks for sharing it.

Just the type of the story that I dream of covering on my Garden World Report show OR, on my OWN.TV show, if selected by Oprah's new network people. I pitched it as "Eden Makers!"

Happy 4th!
Shirley Bovshow

[sarahammocks]

I don't think you can compost commercially grown flowers because they are full of pesticides, fungicides, etc. I might be wrong though--would be interested to hear what others say about this.