We are getting excited for Mardi Gras here at The Garden Gates. The food, the revelry, and the decorations, all things we are ready for. This is a time to let your Fleur de Lis fly, to break out your purple, and eat some King Cake! We just want to make sure our customers are stylish while they are doing it. Some people go the route of a wacky costume that we can’t really help with, but others like to celebrate the season with stylish jewelry, cool decorations, and other fun accoutrements.
We carry an assortment of elegant styles for men to wear during the Carnival season.
Crown Cufflinks in Silver by India Stewart
Rebirth Silk Tie by India Stewart
King Cake Pin by India Stewart
http://www.thegardengates.com/product.aspx?zpid=22801
Mardi Gras Plates and Platters
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Kissing Crawfish Mardi Gras King Glitter Ornament
When you think about decorating your outdoor space there are many items which are important factors in creating an amazing space. Garden seating, be it stylish Fermob Bistro Furniture or more traditional american Outdoor Furniture like Cantina™ 6 pc Love Seat Deep Seating Set.
We recently started featuring some really great planters from Cyan Design on The Garden Gates website. Unique and stylish they are by far some of the most interesting planters available on the market.
The Java Planter by Cyan Design is a rustic planter set with height in the middle and has room for trailing on the side so perfect to contain alyssum or potato vine, or in a shaded area an ivy would looks sharp.
Cyan Design’s Sheldon Square planters are perfect for a rosemary topiaries or your choice of annuals. Crisscross wrought iron makes them a really unique and hip item for your garden.
Check out our Decorative Garden Planters section for more great ideas from Cyan Design.
LET’S GET STARTED!
Here’s what you’ll need for this arrangement:
1. Aster Solidago- 12 stems 2. Dutch Iris- 6 stems 3. Bells of Ireland 12 stems 4. Gerber Daisy- 6 stems 5. Ficus Lyrata leaves 6.Perfect Arranger 7.Gloves & Flower Pruner 8. Vase (of your choice) 9. Mardi Gras Beads 10. Peacock feathers
Please keep in mind that all the cut flowers used can be interchanged with your favorite mix of purple, green and gold flowers. Feel free to be creative and experiment!
Step 1: Place perfect arranger into your vase
Step 2: Place leaves around your vase to ‘hide’ the perfect arranger
Step 3: Cut your flowers at a 45 degree angle using your flower pruners
Step 4: Begin placing cut flowers into your vase using the perfect arranger as a guide.
Step 5: First place your cut flowers into the perfect arranger ie. Gerber Daisy, Dutch Iris and Bells of Ireland
Step 6: Make sure that flowers are placed securely into the perfect arranger
Step 7: Continue filling the perfect arranger until you are happy with your floral arrangement
Step 8: Then begin filling in the gaps with greenery ie. Aster Solidago
Step 9: Begin adding any Mardi Gras ‘touches’ like peacock feathers
Step 10: Cut your Mardi Gras beads to use as an accent in your vase
Step 11: Fill 3/4 of your vase with room termperature water and be sure to add in the flower food that comes with your cut flowers so that they’ll last as long as possible
Step 12: Drop in your cut beads into the vase, allowing them to freely falll into the spaces between leaves. And that’s it!
You’re all done! Place your beautiful arrangement in your home and enjoy a delicious piece of king cake while you’re at it!
I’ve been getting some questions about Nola Winter Gardening so I thought I would refer back to a post that one of our landscape designers Jesse posted a while back.
Here in Metairie, Louisiana plants survive in hardiness zones from 8b to 9a. Because of the climate we experience…some 70 degree days some 30 degree days there are some important tips one needs to know when working on or preparing ones garden for the upcoming spring.
#1 Today is a great day to plant! Just as tomorrow and the next day and the day after! As long as a shovel can get into the dirt so can the roots of a plant. It is because the ground hardly freezes here that we are blessed with the ability to start plants on their growth journey a little early. It is actually better to plant in the winter then the spring or summer in New Orleans. The main plant parts may be in a dormant state but the roots of the plant are actively seeking water and nutrients year-round. Because of the root stimulation the plant can be much more prepared to take on the heat of the summer with an extra few months of root growth.
#2 Mulch! Mulch! Mulch! Now that the fall leaf color (not that there is much in New Orleans) has made its way into the trash or compost pile its time to add a fresh layer of crushed pine needle much to help keep moisture in the soil around plants. Winters tend to dry plants out especially if there is no mulch.
#3 Pruning is a great idea on plants not flowering in the spring. As long as the plant flowers after April, pruning is recommend during the winter. Choose a cool day to do it so as not to stunt new growth which may occur on warmer days.
#4 Stay off your turf! Let it remain dormant if it is a warm season grass, it can not regenerate to repair itself when it gets into the dormant state.
#5 If you do not have a plan for your garden or yard now is a perfect time to work with a Landscape Architect on preparing the perfect atmosphere for your outdoor living. Set up a consultation at the Garden Gates today!
Mardi Gras season starts in a couple of days, are you ready for it? Mardi Gras begins on the Twelfth Night, or the evening of January 5th. This is the time of costumes, masks, king cakes, parties and more. Here’s some ideas for things to get the party started!
Kings Cake PinOne of the funnest items celebrating Mardi Gras that we have here at The Garden Gates is the King Cake Pin by India Stewart Designs. Sure to be noticed this detailed pin has green and purple along with the gold for an exciting Mardi Gras display. Perfect to wear to parties, parades, out to dinner.
Rebirth Silk Tie by India StewartThe Rebirth Silk Tie by India Stewart features a phoenix Fleur de Lis design on it. The Fleur de Lis is a symbol of New Orleans, so it becomes a de facto symbol for Mardi Gras. 58 inches long and 100% silk, this tie is perfect for any man going to a a parade or party but doesn’t want to get into a costume. Stylish and elegant, they can be found at The Garden Gates. Also available in yellow and blue.
Flambeaux Torch Pin by India StewartCarried to light the way of night time parades, the flambeaux torch is a beautiful symbol of Mardi Gras. Be a keeper of the flame and wear it proudly!
There’s a $10 gift card waiting for you when you return your Christmas tree stand!
Today- Beth and I decided we’d play a word game with the greatest group of people on the planet- The Garden Gates Management Team. Our team consist of Landscape Architects, ArchiHortiDoanything King,an Architect, a Graphical WarLord , a Spaceman/Photographer, a Marketing Goddess, Analytical Conversionary, Visionary Buyer and me.
They had no idea the 1st clue ” 9 letters” would lead them to an ” Apple iPad” as a gift for a job well done. So we went round and round for about and hour with some really funny ones. Vacations, Strip Club( Jesse- mind in the gutter) , Steve Jobs( Emily-you win) Pinterst( we’re obsessed)
Beth and I passed out neatly wrapped gifts and I said, ” In my spare time, I wrote a book and signed the 1st copies for each one of you” Of course they opened their presents and as you can see….they were very happy that it was an iPad and not a book written by me.( but when I do write that book…they will be able to read it on their iPad)
We have they best staff, the best customers, the best vendor partners and I get to share all this with my best friend( my crazy wife- Diabla Blanca as Jesse like to call her)
Today- I had a great time watching people I truly cherish be so surprised….Thanks for Making The Garden Gates Great….
Remember to Be Merry- Be Happy and Give more than you take…
Beth and Chad
Check out this great snap taken by our photo director Marc Roman Bravo of Pigasus, the Flying Pig Garden Statue.
Get your own Flying Pig Garden Statue here. Check out other cool animal garden statues here!
Post Katrina reconstruction at UNO’s The Cove. Created by The Garden Gates design team in collaboration with UNO’s Peter Prados. More pictures and videos soon!
