Chef’s Table - Flower Power

Admittedly, Rowena Amick, wife of restaurateur Bob Amick, had an inside track when she started doing floral arrangements for his restaurants, One Midtown Kitchen and Two Urban Licks. Known as the “flower lady,” energetic, self-taught Amick also handles the flowers at Murphy’s. She never thought she had the aptitude to arrange flowers; now she thinks everyone does.

Creative Loafing: What designs are you doing lately?

Amick: Drenched flowers have been around a while, but I love the effect when you submerge the blooms or just the leaves in water. The colors look brighter and it has a kind of magnifying effect. Carbonated water drops cling to petals or leaves when submerged and look sparkly. But it’s all about the container.

Wow, that’s cool. What flowers look especially good submerged?

Anthuriums look great and last longer. Orchids are wonderful. Gerbers stick to the container and look great. So do tulips.

What else is trendy in floral design?

Branches are really cool. Lots of places in New York are doing massive branches and that’s all. I’m also doing a lot of grouped flowers that lean. At first, the staff was trying to “fix” them.

Do you consider the menu when you are creating floral designs for a restaurant?

Not the menu, but the space and whom I am working for. One has a look and so does Two. I do more traditional arrangements for Tom [Murphy]. He doesn’t like pink and his hostess is allergic to sunflowers.

Do you avoid working with any flowers, like carnations or baby’s breath? What are your favorite blooms?

I love carnations. I don’t use it often, but I like baby’s breath. It makes a great bouquet if you use a bunch of it and tie it with a beautiful ribbon.

Is it true that arrangements look better in odd numbers?

Yes, things look better when they are asymmetrical. A bent twig or a drooping flower throws your eye off a little and makes it more beautiful. Who’s perfect? I love flowers in every stage. You just have to learn to look at them differently.