Finishing Touches at The Arboretum of South Barrington Offers Exclusive “Wild Greens” Arrangements
Cutting Edge in Organic Décor Flourishes in NW Suburbs
SOUTH BARRINGTON, Ill. (November 25, 2009) – Imagine an arrangement of real plants or flowers that need absolutely no care whatsoever, will never wilt or lose their colorful blooms, and look worlds more appealing than a silk arrangement. Gail Kueker, owner of Finishing Touches Studio at The Arboretum of South Barrington has announced a recent agreement with a US importer to be the exclusive provider in Illinois of special varieties of sealed Australian-grown eucalyptus, which she has trademarked “Wild Greens.”
Sealed plants are real plants that have been sealed in a proprietary solution to retain their color and shape for many years. They need no water, soil, or sun. “They’re not only eco-friendly,” says Ms. Kueker, “but they are also beneficial, because they emit an oil that combats airborne bacteria.”
Ms. Kueker became intrigued with sealed plants last winter when several customers came into her interior decorating studio looking for plant arrangements that didn’t need care, and who also complained of silk arrangements looking passé. “I did some searching around,” she says, “and I found this supplier, had them ship me a eucalyptus spray, then arranged it nicely in a vase. It looked wonderful. And it sold immediately.” So, she ordered more, arranged them, and sold these very quickly, as well. Soon her studio began to look more like a forest than a decorator’s shop, displaying five varieties of sealed eucalyptuses in different sized sprays and arrangements. “It’s all the rage now,” she says.
Her current bestseller is large seeded eucalyptus that starts at $35 for the bunch. If you bring your own vase, Ms. Kueker will arrange the spray for you at no additional charge. Other arrangements include sealed hydrangeas, soft roses, cedar berry juniper, and small Christmas trees. Her specialty is creating custom one-of-a-kind arrangements and providing sealed trees that are five to eight feet tall. “This is really the cutting edge in organic décor,” she says.
From now through the holidays, Ms. Kueker is offering a 20 percent discount on a customer’s first order on a sealed plant arrangement or tree simply by mentioning this article.
Finishing Touches Studios is located at The Arboretum of South Barrington across from Arhaus. For further information call (847) 428-8040, or visit www.finishingtouchesstudio.com .
The Arboretum of South Barrington is located at 100 W. Higgins Road in South Barrington. For directions or other information please visit www.ShopTheArboretumSB.com or call (847) 426-6200.
