36. Reflecting Pool
Group Project led by Atelier Ashley Flowers
Ashley Greer with Dana Matus, FLORET by Dana / Dori Kimchy and Lisa Krieger, Petite Petals / Emily Martin, Floral & Fluff / Elizabeth Ham, Rothko Creative DC / Summer Khalil, Summer Blooms Co
2026 installation
Outside - Back Garden
The Inspiration
Installed in the garden during the Society of the Cincinnati’s bicentennial in 1983, the reflecting pool adds a serene and cooling feature to the original walled garden.
The Flowers
Recipe: Free spirit roses, tiger and gloriosa lilies, hot pink stock, green huckleberry
Florist’s inspiration: This year we are pleased to present the group project led by AIBDC co-founder Ashley Greer. The group project is a way to invite more designers at different stages of their career to get involved and learn at a more affordable price point. Next year we hope to include even more emerging talent.
Through the Looking Glass is inspired by the Anderson House Reflecting Pool.
When we look into the water, if the sun is angled just correctly, what we see is not the bottom, but our reflection and the reflection of the world staring back at us. It is a mirror, but not the same. Into the water we can project our own imagination, hopes and fears. The rounded arch is designed to echo the shape of a mirror. The group decided to go with vibrant shades of pink, peaches, yellows, oranges and touches of red as a way to color contrast with the cool blues of the pond.
THE DESIGNER
Ashley Greer
Atelier Ashley Flowers
As a little girl, Ashley Greer spent all of her free time outside - digging in the dirt, playing in the woods, and designing imaginary worlds out of the trees and plants that surrounded her. The best part was inviting the other kids to join in and share in the magic of what they could create together.
Thirty or so years later, nothing has changed. "I believe the energy and vibrancy of plant material flowers, foliages, and fruits are elements of transformation. They are my tools for creating an intimate experience customized to your situation and floral needs. Each bouquet is a one-of-a kind, unique work of ephemeral fine art designed with love for you from me. As an artisan florist, my strengths lay in the way I combine unique varieties of blooms and color palettes to produce a one-of-a-kind look that you have never seen before and will never experience again. Flowers are in my soul and clients who truly understand their power are my people."
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
Akbar Sayed Photography
Akbar Sayed is the founder and lead visionary behind Akbar Sayed Photography, a team of wedding photographers in Washington, DC. Revered for his artistry and published countless times, he has over a decade of experience working with couples from varying backgrounds in addition to the sets of Art in Bloom and New York Bridal Fashion Week. With the help of his photography and videography team, Akbar uses a marriage-centric approach to capture couples with discerning tastes on the East Coast and across destinations.
Every day, it is his own marriage to his wife Nadia, and his three boys, that brings a grounding sense of inspiration to his work.
