1:3 :: begonias

Oh the humble begonia. I worked in a garden center a few summers during college and never fully appreciated the begonia. Sure, if someone had a shady spot and wanted a flowering plant, i would point them the way of the begonia...but it always felt like a runner-up plant. Can't grow any of the beautiful flowers? well...there's always the begonia. It has seen a bit of a renaissance lately...being more appreciated for what does make it truly beautiful...its unique foliage. Silvery, fuzzy, burgundy, swirly, patterned-y, depending on the type of begonia there are so many gorgeous foliage variations. Here are my 3 different uses for the begonia. Starting with using its foliage in a bouquet:

The silver-sage color of the begonia leaves really set off the fiery tulips...love the feather accents too! By Petalena. Next is a way to appreciate the entire begonia:

Terrariums! The sweetly reaching delicate flowers of the rex begonia feel protected in its enclosure. Here's a fun link from Craftzine to making a mini terrarium in a mason jar. This terrarium was made by one of my fave florist/shop bloggers to follow, House Martin if you are in Portland, OR...go visit her shop, Ink & Peat. Finally, begonias in a way that exploits their blooming potential in the most grand way possible:

Those are some serious begonia blooms! If you find yourself lucky enough to be in Brussels on August 12th this year, you can see this biennial celebration take place. Read about the history, learn about the making, and view past carpets (really amazing) here!