Thanksgiving is just over a week away and local florists say now is the time to pick the holiday blooms that will adorn your table.
Jason Clifton, co-owner of Frenchie’s Floral Studio downtown, suggests including festive and seasonal botanicals, such as mums and festival bush in tabletop displays.
He said sticking to more enriched colors like red, burnt orange and yellow add seasonality to the table.
“I love teaching people about seasonality,” he said, adding that sticking to seasonal choices makes flowers more special.
“If you can’t get tulips all year, you look forward to them more,” he said.
Clifton said Thanksgiving is an ideal time to enjoy the last of the season’s dahlias.
Deborah Clements, the owner of Martha’s Flowers in the Mendenhall Valley, said sunflowers, bronze chrysanthemums and button mums are her go-to holiday picks.
Clements and Clifton said their shops can take Thanksgiving orders until early next week if you need help with your selection.
Whatever you pick for your table, make sure it’s low enough that it doesn’t interfere with your guests as they visit, suggests Jeremy Bauer, co-owner at Frenchie’s.
“We focus on 360-degree design and always ask about the shape of the table,” Bauer said. “If it’s really long, two or three small arrangements may make more sense.”
Bauer said an arrangement of candles, eclectic vases and seasonal botanicals spread out widely across the table can be a lower-cost way to create a Thanksgiving tablescape.
Trends
Clements said that she sees many people looking for traditional holiday arrangements this year. She attributes this trend to the lingering weariness many feel around gatherings as COVID-19 continues to disrupt holiday travel and traditions.
She said that people are also spending more money locally than they have in the past.
“People want to make sure we get through,” she said.
Clifton and Clements both said that wreaths are enjoying a moment — particularly dried fall wreaths that last the entire autumn season.
“You can bring the wreath back ad drop it off for restyling,” Clifton said, adding that his shop focuses on reusing materials to keep its carbon footprint small. “We promote reusing vessels.”
Clements said that wreath-making classes have been a hit with her customers this year.
“Custom wreaths really jazz up the house,” Clements said.
Tips
Whatever flowers you choose for the holiday, Clifton and Bauer offered these suggestions to get the most life out of your arrangement:
Do
■ Change the water often to keep flowers fresh.
■ Move your flowers near a window for a portion of each day, so they get some sun.
■ Pull wilted flowers out of the display to extend the life of the overall arrangement.
■ Keep your flowers in a cool place to extend their life.
Don’t
■ Roast your blooms by keeping them on your fireplace mantel or other warm areas.
■ Store flowers near fruit as ripening produce gives off gasses that hasten flower ripening.
• Contact reporter Dana Zigmund at dana.zigmund@juneauempire or 907-308-4891.
Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire Local florists suggest using seasonal colors and flowers in Thanksgiving arrangements. Deborah Clements, owner of Martha’s Flowers in the Mendenhall Valley, created this display, which features the last of the season’s button mums and a bronze chrysanthemum.
Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire This picture shows an arrangement of candles, eclectic vases and seasonal botanicals created by Frenchie’s Floral Studio. According to the shop’s co-owner, Jeremy Bauer, spreading several elements out across the table is a low-cost way to create a Thanksgiving tablescape.
