guest florist at the white house

As a “Thank you…” from one of the designers, I was invited to be a guest florist at the White House. I knew volunteers decorate the White House every Christmas, but being a guest in the flower studio was a surprise, and an honor.

Though the invitation came from White House Chief Florist Laura Dowling, it was Jennifer Brant (Now Green Bouquet Design in Corte Madera) who asked her to invite me. When Jennifer, the daughter of friends got engaged, her dad gave her my books for brides. Later she told me that I inspired her to work with flowers. She had changed her career in the tech world, studied in Paris, worked in DC. I’m proud this little girl I knew was inspired to do flowers, and at the most famous house in the country.”

My week at the White House flower studio was hard work and emotionally thrilling. It feels like a home, but a house with true gravitas, and the feeling it belongs to all of us. Two of my books were on the shelf in the workshop, and one of the designers called BOUQUETS “The bouquet Bible.” Perhaps my most flattering review ever.

I did a lot of prep work at first, cutting and arranging hundreds of lemon leaves as bases for Laura’s arrangements, and observing her unique style. Then I worked on table arrangements of white flowers for a luncheon hosted by Michelle Obama, and red ranunculus and roses and eucalyptus berries centerpieces in silver bowls for dinner with the Prime Minister of Japan. For the Governors’ ball our team created a big piece for the fireplace mantle (it was on the news the next morning, with the President in front of it.) We constructed a huge display in the reception room, including six panels of pave roses framed in boxwood.

I made bouquets for Sasha and Malia’s bedrooms (they both like purple) and I met the First Lady. And I got a picture taken with Bo, the White House dog.