Pasadena Look-In Holiday Home Tour 2011

An annual event that I love to do with my friends the first weekend of every December is attend the spectacular Pasadena Look-In Holiday Home Tour.  As many of you may know from around the country,  Pasadena, California is home to the Rose Bowl Football Game, the famous Rose Bowl Flea Market the 1st Sunday of every month and also host to the famous Rose Parade on New Year's Day.  It is an incredible mecca of some of the best real estate in California so you can see why we love to go on this tour.  Unfortunately taking photos inside the homes is forbidden and I did ask permission to photograph some of the floral arrangements outside the home before I started snapping away.  Keep in mind all of the florals, trees and anything plant-wise is all fresh florals.  Nothing is dried, artificial or silk so that is what makes the decorations really something to behold.  The best of the best floral designers participate and the result is nothing less than spectacular.  Check out the columns on the photo below.  I love the  swag with the Magnolia leaves.  Definitely made a statement.  Considering on Wednesday Pasadena suffered its worst wind storm in history and there were downed trees everywhere and power was out for three days, the show clearly went on.  We were thrilled.

 I have seen and used cut pomegranates in arrangements before but never citrus.  Is this spectacular or what?  This was at the same house as the previous photo only this was the patio as we exited the home.

The following home we viewed had several citrus trees on the property so they used lots of spiced oranges in their florals.  It was very fitting.  I love the bow on the wreath below.

 Check out this display of miniature evergreens and the white Amaryllis.  The photo does not do it justice, but this was quite beautiful.

 The following photo was one of the pillars entering the estate.  These are pots of poinsettias suspended and hanging.  We were greeted by four of these hanging arrangements.

 I love and have always used decorative cabbages or kale in my landscaping in winter.  It is one of my favorites.  This was a welcome arrangement with all the evergreens.