White Roses for the Bride, Red Begonias for the Dictator

Posted August 30, 2011 by Featured Instructor

Julie Ardery & Babylon Floral, Inc.
Lecture & Floral Fashion Show
Thursday, September 15, 2011
7 – 8:30 p.m.

The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation is committed to funding projects that “advance artistic excellence” and that feature some of the country’s most famous speakers within the horticulture, art, and design disciplines. In line with this commitment, Denver Botanic Gardens will be hosting the White Roses for the Bride, Red Begonias for the Dictator event as part of the 2011 Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Series. The event will include a lecture from sociologist and author Julie Ardery, illustrating how flowers transmit meaning and identity across the world.  There will also be a floral fashion show from one of Colorado’s premier florists, Arthur Williams.

Ardery states that there is a divine connection between the human spirit, flowers, and plants; they inspire, comfort, and provide the soul with strength. As a result of her desire to illuminate this profound connection between humans and flowers, Julie Ardery started The Human Flower Project in 2004 (an international newsgroup, photo album, and discussion forum all encompassing this connection).

Growing up in Kentucky and now living in Austin, Texas, Julie has spent her life expressing her passion for culture, human values, and consciousness through writing. In the 1980s while she was studying for her doctorate in sociology her dissertation about American folk and outsider art turned into a book called “The Temptation.” Denver Botanic Gardens welcomes Julie Ardery in this series which shares our mission of connecting people with plants.

Growing up on a farm along with an extensive background in gardening, sculpture, and photography, Arthur Williams has always been surrounded with nature and plants. Entering into the floral industry in 1996, Arthur stands out as someone who isn’t afraid of pushing the boundaries of floral design and fashion art projects. As one of the first of seven in Colorado to become a certified professional florist, Arthur now owns and operates Babylon Floral Designs Inc. where his career is sharing his passion and testing all possibilities with flowers.

Register online or call 720-865-3580

Top photo: Courtesy of Babylon Floral, Inc.

Guest Blogger: Amanda Burns