Los Angeles - March 21, 2007

In Essex

Essex Flower Studio

Teddy bear holding a single rose or plastic champagne flute filled with petals?

Tough choice.

Take a pass and check out Essex Studio, where arrangements are as much about the vessel as they are the buds.

Using found ceramics, her own papier-mache sculptures, shells, and vintage wine crates brought back from her house in Bordeaux (sigh), floral artist Sarah Essex creates dramatic, personalized presentations.

Essex will brighten up a dreary day with small African violets potted in turbo shells or a silk-wrapped bouquet. She’ll fill wooden boxes with gardenias or hand-etch a love note onto a simple glass vase. And for a big to-do, she’ll bring in the elephant crafted from French newspapers and stuff its side satchels with blooms.

With 24 hours’ notice, she’ll have your flowers ready for delivery the very next day.

It really makes you wonder what in carnation, er, tarnation, you ever did before.

Essex Flower Studio (323-822-0533 or sarah.essex@sbcglobal.net).