Spring Blooms Eternal
We continue our world tour through the magical gardens of the Orient to the meadows of the Mediterranean, as spring blooms at William Ashley. Keep reading to the end for a list of floral festivals near you. Canada is, after all, a land of fields and flowers.
CATHAY– Travel to ancient China with a new pattern from Villeroy & Boch . Quinsai Garden, now called Hangzhou, is a floral paradise and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Quinsai Garden collection is made of fine bone china and covered in blooms- inspired by the honeymoon capital of the country. Made in Germany, each piece is dishwasher and microwave safe for easy maintenance. Did we tell you it is exclusive to William Ashley?
PORTUGAL– Our next destination is the isle of Madeira, often called the floating garden. Field of flowers by Juliska is inspired by the wild flowers of Portugal.
“The idea that leaves could evoke the beauty of butterflies was magical to me, like trees that can metamorphose from flora to fauna in the blink of an eye.” Michael Aram
DENMARK– Flowers have long been a code of communication, across time and culture. From the victorian art of floriography to the Japanese flower language of hanakotoba, beautiful blooms can communicate your emotions and sentiments in the most expressive way. Each item of Flora by Royal Copenhagen is decorated with a specific flower. Designed by Danish costume designer, Anja Vang Kragh, this series hints at her background in couture houses and grand operas.
BRITAIN– An English country garden inspires Miranda Kerr’s new revamp of fine bone china by Royal Albert. Friendship, her modern spin to the classic English rose is painted in soft pastel tones– trending this season.
The Great Canadian Floral Calendar
Mid March- Here at home, spring festivals are gearing up with the yearly opening of Canada Blooms, which attracts more than 200,000 visitors. Enjoy demonstrations and talks with the stars of gardening and horticultural. http://www.canadablooms.com/
Late March- Early April All over Vancouver more than 36,000 cherry trees come into bloom each spring during the annual Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. http://www.vcbf.ca/
Early May- The Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over North America, Europe and Asia and has become the world’s largest Tulip Festival, covering more than 18 days and showcasing over 3 million tulips throughout Canada’s Capital. http://tulipfestival.ca/
Late May to Early June- Celebrating the apple blossoms and culture of the region, the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival attracts more than 150,000 visitors each year. Situated in the quiet town of Kentville, Nova Scotia, the festival is a great way to start a tour of Canada’s east coast. http://www.appleblossom.com/
