Gabriela Salazar, Valle De Bravo, Mexico

Images by Ana Laframboise and Daniel Klinckwort

Gabriela runs her floral business, La Musas De Las Flores, from a home she rents in the Valle de Bravo, a mountain town on a lake, west of Mexico City. She is interested in how we connect emotionally with where we live and with our work, which is why she became a floral designer and educator, working with flowers for editorial, weddings and events and also teaching her craft.

"When I was living in London I was doing a Masters Degree in Architectural Interiors at Inchbald School of Design. I started doing flowers just as an element of decor, but flowers have that magic: you cannot help it but falling for them. Once I started visiting the Flower Market in London I wanted more and more, so I decided to take a class with Sarah from Saipua. I travelled to NY for my 40th birthday and spent two days learning from her. After that, I was completely sure that flowers were my life calling."

Bringing linen in off the line, IN BED Linen duvet and pillow slips in charcoal.

She grows her own flowers here and also buys from other local growers for her floral designs.

"My garden grows mainly dahlias. Dahlias are happy here and they can really have a very long season. The garden is less than 1 acre, it is a cut flower garden, so sometimes it's beautiful and blooming and some other times it is not. But I love the garden in all of its stages. It makes me witness the magic of nature, and that is a real gift in life. I grow varieties that hadn't been grown in Mexico before. It's been a very interesting learning curve for me. I have learned a lot from my mistakes, now I am more patient and I know that some varieties that I love are simply not meant for this weather. There are many others that have thrived here and we have even come up with varieties unique to this place."

The garden is less than 1 acre, it is a cut flower garden, so sometimes it's beautiful and blooming and some other times it is not. But I love the garden in all of its stages.

"Our garden is organic. We don't use chemicals to grow our flowers or any chemical pesticides. To do so this way, it requires patience and that's ok. I am learning to let go..."

To do so this way, it requires patience and that's ok. I am learning to let go...

"I love poppies, I love how fragile and delicate they are."

Gabriela's collection of vessels.

@lamusadelasflores www.lamusadelasfloresonline.com