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Josette Brose-Eichar received her BFA in fashion design from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1979. Unfortunately the next 17 years were spent in the business of Electronic Banking. Josette left Visa International and the credit card business in 1996... Escaping the office to nature on the weekends lead to the art of floral design. Josette studied the basics at City College of San Francisco for two years. The highlight of this experience was studying Ikebana, observing how design occurs in nature, rather than forcing plant materials in a less than natural manner. The principles and philosophy of Ikebana can be used in even the most abundant English garden designs.
Josette opened Lavender as a full service floral shop in San Francisco in 1998. Weddings were the most wonderful and magical elements of the business. In 2002 Josette and the business moved into a beautiful hilltop home in Sonoma. Here surrounded by nature, she can specialize in what she loves most, California Wine Country weddings and events.
There are no hard and fast rules. You and I will use our imaginations to work together to create your dream. It can be romantic, intimate, crazy, bold, subtle or soft. I work with natural materials, ribbons, fabrics, and many types of containers to fulfill your vision.
The changing of the seasons in the Sonoma Valley holds abundant inspiration. I take my cues from nature; add my background in fine arts and fashion design to create floral design that is abundant, organic and original.
Each person is different, completely unique. And so each bride should have her own vision interpreted in flowers on her wedding day. I listen very carefully to understand, to see and create that vision. Within my natural, organic style there is abundant variation. For example: The two bouquets shown here. Both were outdoor garden weddings. One bride saw her garden as nature gone wild, with trailing vines and branches everywhere. The other saw an English garden, carefully tended and filled with old fashioned garden roses.
I follow the principle “Do the least harm”. This means many
things; recycling all unused organic materials by composting, keeping the use of
floral foam to a very bare minimum, buying flowers grown organically or with as
little pesticide use as possible and not using spray paint, dyes or hot glue.
Roses from Ecuador are big and beautiful, but many workers are now suffering in
that country from the unregulated use of harmful pesticides. I am now using
roses grown here in Sonoma County, where worker safety is very important to the
grower.
Floral foam never breaks down. There are very few designs where it must be used,
such as very low lying centerpieces and flower girl baskets. I use natural
mechanics like curly willow or recyclable ones like chicken wire in over 95% of
arrangements.
It is not unusual to have temperatures of 90 to 100 degrees for the wine country in summertime. We have a state of the art, energy efficient walk in cooler to keep everything in peak condition until it is time to deliver. We also use an air-conditioned van. I will guide you in picking flowers that will hold up for the expected weather.
Lavender
Sonoma, CA
800-566-9901
Copyright 2003-2005, Lavender
