The Garden at Bank of Memories Pewaukee

In June 2009, owner Melissa Maas and the ladies of Pewaukee's Bank of Memories & Flowers planted a garden on the east side of the store.  Their efforts that year and every year since have produced a small but beautiful retreat for insects, wildlife and customers alike.  It has grown into a sustainable perennial garden that we harvest and use in arrangements and bouquets.  No pesticides are used on the flowers and the store's rain barrel uses runoff to water the garden.  As a matter of fact, when the shop's flower buckets are cleaned weekly, the week old flower water is used on the garden as well.

Every spring we are surprised by the daffodils and tulips pushing up through the dirt, and sometimes the snow (well, it is Wisconsin).  The first signs of spring like hyacinths and veronica, are then harvested in time for use in Prom and Mother's Day corsages.  The veronica and cottage yarrow sometimes bloom twice in a season.  Next in our time line are the peonies, my personal favorite.  These fresh fragrant peonies are a popular wedding flower.

Summer, of course, is the best time for the garden!  Hydrangea, Liatris, Lilies and Echinacea (cone flower) are in full bloom right now.  We love how lush and full the garden looks and hate to cut the flowers but nothing is better than being able to go out into the garden and pick the flowers we need for an order.  Our garden is also one of our favorite sections of store merchandise.  This summer we have a several Art Peace Poles, metal and glass rain gauges, and garden astrolabes.

In 2014, we decided to expand our gardens to the back side of the building and we added Astilbe, Tall Phlox and Echinacea.  More flowers for more arrangements.  I personally, am asking for the whole backyard to be a garden next year!  Wish me luck.  By the end of summer and into the fall, the leftover Coneflowers are used for their "pods" and the Sedum is finally blossoming and ready for use.  This year for Halloween our garden will be the home to families of ghosts, 3 different sizes of metal decorations for the yard.  I can't wait!  In late fall, we put the garden to bed.  We cut back those plants that need it and leave the rest as shelter and food for the birds.  At Christmas time, we decorate the garden with holiday yard art as well as different seasonal greens.  Some people have sugar plums dancing in their heads this time of year, we tend to have perennial plants dancing in ours.  Watch for new plants next summer!

Be sure when you drive by or stop in the Pewaukee store, give yourself some time to look at our garden. Like any "parent", we are proud of our garden and want to show off!

Luan M. Kurriger, Manager
Bank of Memories & Flowers, Pewaukee
262-695-9911
https://www.bankofmemories.com/

The Club at Strawberry Creek

Lauren & Dan
Ceremony & Reception: The Club at Strawberry Creek, Kenosha, WI
Florist: Bank of Memories & Flowers, Menomonee Falls
Month: April 2016

Lauren and Dan couldn't have asked for a more beautiful sunny day for their wedding in April!  The wedding and reception were held at The Club at Strawberry Creek in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Lauren's love off all things garden helped set the stage for a springy tulip-inspired wedding.  Her bouquet was very unique; designed to have an upside down cascading look.  Lauren carried a delightful mix of spring blooms including tulips, rice flower, freesia, and lush peach garden roses.  The rich greenery used gave it a fun textural look the bride had in mind.

I couldn't get over how cute and unique the bridesmaids dresses were.  The gals carried tulips bouquets in soft peach and pink that complimented their dresses perfectly, and the burlap handles gave them a gardeny feel.

The reception was adorned with vintage bottles filled with greenery and spring blossoms.  Moss was added to each table-scape to complete the garden look.  Even the fireplace mantle was dressed up with fresh florals designed in antique frames.

We used our long grey wooden trough for the head table decor.  It was filled with a mix of large succulent plants, mosses, rich lush greenery, and long stemmed votives with floating candles, and vases for the bouquets mixed in.  It was just magical!

Best wishes to this sweet pair!

Krista Roskopf
Menomonee Falls Manager
Bank of Memories & Flowers