Laura Dowling is a unique woman. Not just because she was the former Chief Floral Designer for the White House, she is deeper than one job. I had the opportunity to be introduced to her book, Floral Diplomacy At The White House in 2017. Explaining how challenging it was to address the demands of the job, allows the reader to understand how to make the right statement.
FLORAL DIPLOMACY AT THE WHITE HOUSE
This book introduces the reader to Laura from her beginnings as a farmgirl in Washington State. Laura’s journey includes a prestigious political science career, a vacation to Paris, and falling in love with Floriculture. Laura even shares how Mrs. Obama chose her to represent the floral messaging for the White House. Now the fairytale continues and Laura adds author to this amazing journey.
Laura breaks down her thought processes, including the research required for each event. Knowing the customs of the invited guests, coordinating with the selected china, and choosing the correct flowers to make the right statement was important. The pressure she endured must have been over the top until she became familiar with the demands of the job. What a job that must have been!
Viewing the photos of the table settings, the reader can imagine the floral beauty displayed at the event. From the colors, cultivars, and containers, it is truly like being a VIP guest on every page. In one instance, you could see Angela Merkle having a conversation over a bright bouquet. Whatever the topic, the flowers soften the moment. Moments like these are scattered throughout the book as she shares her memories along this fabulous journey.
WREATHS
I love wreaths. They are the perfect accent on a wall, a door, or in the yard. Laura shares the correct tools for making the perfect wreath. The form, the materials, and most importantly the design process for the perfect wreath are included. Laura wrote Wreaths With How to Tutorials to make creating a simple wreath a work of art. Folding leaves, scouring grocery store aisles, in addition to craft stores are ways of making your wreath unique. I fell in love with the way Laura shared mixing peppers, greenery, assorted berries, and limes to create a wreath that brightens any room. Mixing things up from the base to the eyecatching ingredients certainly makes the case for diversity in wreath making.
BOUQUETS
I can only imagine taking classes in France on Floriculture. When I read that Laura had been trained in France, I realized why I love her bouquets. There is a certain creative, twist in each and every design. Her book, Bouquets With How to Tutorials offers inspiration with instruction. Easy to understand directions on how to mimic her style fill each page. She is also a storyteller. Along with every design, there is a story. Whether creating an arrangement for a particular season or occasion, allowing the inspiration is refreshing and doable.
I understand that another book is in the works. Waiting will be a struggle, however, with instructions like these, I can create my version of floral fantasies with ease. These books including, A White House Christmas: Including Floral Design Tutorials are terrific editions to any home.
Dreams can become a reality…Laura Dowling has shown us how.
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