On Sunday, David and I are off to Tokyo for a week, and David’s mother will stay with Julia in New York. (They’re both looking forward to it –Julia asks for her nearly every morning.) David’s mom has a real flair for seasonal decor: in her home near New Orleans, beautiful and inventive displays of flowers and other decorations change with the seasons. Following her example, I thought I’d spruce up our Chelsea apartment for her visit with a little Fall color.
Strolling past the plant and flower dealers on 28th Street in New York, I was struck by the intense color of potted chrysanthemums.
The humble mum isn’t considered the chicest of flowers these days, but I think some varieties are beautiful, particularly the varieties with small, densely packed, solid color flowers. I chose four large rusty red mums for about $8 each and put them in zinc-lined kiri wood boxes (about $9 each from Jamali Garden Supply, 129 West 28th Street, New York or www.jamaligarden.com.) I think they make a cheerful and dramatic (and economical) seasonal display.
Given the significance of this flower in Japan (the Japanese monarchy is often referred to as the Chrysanthemum Throne), I’m looking forward to seeing some much more impressive chrysanthemum displays next week in Tokyo.
