Many customers request lotus pod accents, which in the pictured wreath are shown both natural and painted gold.  They are not native to the Northeast and we must purchase them, as we purchase the magnolia leaves, but they are striking in this classic design, also trimmed with tiny artificial apples, berries, and flowering eucalyptus.  This wreath will be used outdoors and can stand up to extreme weather.  One customer asked that her wreath be decorated with “those pods that look like Swiss cheese.”  We knew just what she meant.

A new ribbon this year was a brilliant red velvet with bright green piping, perfect for people who don’t want gold on their wreaths but are looking for a bit of pizzazz.  The branches with attached cones were collected by Garden Club co-President Jackie Blombach, who almost managed to get herself arrested in the Berkshires, collecting milkweed pods on a friend’s property in Connecticut. Her friend had given permission but had not alerted the caretaker, who saw Massachusetts license plates and a couple of women foraging in the fields and immediately called the State Police.  Two heavily armed patrolmen approached the ladies, and luckily their explanations were accepted and a crisis was averted.  Must have been a slow day at headquarters.

Last year we created Della Robbia style wreaths for the Vendome Condominiums, and they were so pleased they asked us to do it again.  Our decorators generally hate to repeat themselves, but we certainly wish to please our customers, so three wreaths were made to hang outside their front doors – walk by and see them if you have the chance:

In the past couple of years we’ve begun using green ribbons.  The green ribbon choice is actually not on our order forms, but often a client will request it, and we’ve dipped into the stock when we have a “designer’s choice” option from a customer.  At first we worried that green would not show up well against the balsam, but clearly we’ve been proven wrong:

This beautiful plaid ribbon was a favorite of our designers this year, but sadly was in short supply.  We wish we could guarantee our customers the ribbons they see on this website from year to year, but our suppliers carry different product each season:

Not all of our wreaths stay in the Back Bay.  This country style wreath will be featured on a door in historic downtown Newburyport.  The checked ribbon isn’t entirely traditional, but worked beautifully with natural branches and cones.  Note the use of additional greens supplementing the balsam, adding depth to the design:

It’s that time of year again, when we showcase one of The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s holiday wreaths from the 2012 season each day through the New Year.  We are so pleased with this year’s project outcomes, both financially and artistically.  Each day we’ll share a bit of the information and stories from wreath week, and today we’ll start with a wreath designed for a new customer, a real estate agency in the South End.  The managers wanted a pair of wreaths for the front windows on Tremont Street, something to bring attention to their storefront.  One of the pair is shown below.  Note the use of feathers:

No discussion of The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s wreath project would be complete without discussing the clean up.  We need to leave The First Lutheran Church of Boston space neat and tidy, and after four days of decorating with live greens, paint and wire, you can imagine what a task that can be.  All materials which are to be saved are sorted and boxed back into stackable plastic containers destined for our storage facility.  Tables and easels are broken down, leftover greens are bagged for recycling, garbage is collected by a neighborhood maintenance company, and our members sweep and wash.  The painting tent is broken down, and a human “bucket brigade” sends our materials up the kitchen steps and into the backs of members’ cars.  This isn’t the most enjoyable part of the process, although some members find satisfaction seeing everything tidied up, but it is critical.  Sweeping and trash removal do take place constantly throughout the week, but no matter how much is done, Thursday afternoon and evening is arduous.  The next day finds members traveling to the storage facility, to basements, to barns, and to numerous closets, tucking away materials until next season.  The design below was inspired by the edgy sheer black and gold bow, which the decorator enhanced with silver and gold glittery balls, painted white pine, magnolia leaves, pine cones, and lotus pods embellished with more glittery elements – a powerhouse.