Photos courtesy of Catch Me When You Can
Saugerties-based floral designer David Strout composed an incredible centerpiece for Veranda Magazine’s annual Orchid Dinner.
Springtime cannot come soon enough. While the Hudson Valley is indubitably beautiful the whole year through, nothing compares to watching the flora flourish after months of dormancy. For Ulster County-based floral designer David Strout, however, flowers are an everyday affair—even through the winter. On February 23, while the daffodils and snowdrops remained asleep beneath the soil, Strout was toiling away on a seven-foot-tall table centerpiece with a “canopy of orchids rising up from an ivy-covered trunk” for Veranda Magazine’s annual Orchid Dinner, which raises money for the New York Botanical Garden’s plant science and community programming initiatives.
Strout, who runs Catch Me When You Can—where you can find flowers, skincare products, home fragrances, art, vintage items, and more—in Saugerties, was one of 45 florists invited to craft a centerpiece for the gala dinner held at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. In a collaboration with Zoe Feldman Design, Strout constructed a flower arrangement reminiscent of his childhood in the Hudson Valley. “Growing up in the Hudson Valley at the foot of the Catskills, I’ve always been inspired by the everchanging tree line and the anticipation of flowering trees signaling the change of seasons,” he reflects. “While we are all emerging form the cold of winter, there is no time like early spring to visit a tropical conservatory.” The centerpiece was selected by Veranda as a standout centerpiece at the event.
When he’s not earning acclaim for gravity-defying flowerscapes, Strout offers full-service floral design for homes and events. He doesn’t use a cooler, meaning the flowers in his arrangements are fresh as can be. During the summer months, Strout keeps a stock of local flowers, some of which he grows himself.
If you’re interested in working with Catch Me When You Can, you can visit the shop in Saugerties (hours vary, so check his Instagram weekly for the best time to drop in) or reach out via direct message on Instagram (@catchmewyc) with inquiries.
Related: Your Expert Guide to Spring Gardening in the Hudson Valley