38. Reflecting Pool
Tang Austin Floral Designs
Tang Bourommavong
2025 installation - Back Garden
The Inspiration
Installe din 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
Florist’s inspiration: Inspired by the fluidity and lightness of water, I designed a piece that embodies movement, grace, and ethereal beauty. Seasonal and locally grown blooms inspired both the color palette and flower varieties used with timeless and elegant springtime favorites such as the delicate locally grown butterfly ranunculus and heirloom daffodils featured in my design.
Recipe: Butterfly ranunculus, heirloom daffodils, roses, seasonal flowering branches
THE DESIGNER
Tang Bourommavong
Tang Austin Floral Designs
I'm Tang, founder and creative force behind Tang Austin Floral Designs and I truly love what I do! Bringing my clients’ dreams to life and creating something even more beautiful than they imagined is my greatest goal. My love for flowers began in my parents’ garden, where everything flourished—flowers, fruit trees, vegetables, and herbs. My beautiful mother filled our garden with peonies, roses, clematis vines, and hydrangeas, and their beauty left a lasting impression on me. As a child, I was like a butterfly drawn to their magic.
You may or may not know I’m a passionate, self-taught floral designer, originally from Laos. My family immigrated to the D.C. area when I was two, and lived in Michigan and Georgia before returning home to northern Virginia. My journey into floral design started unexpectedly while working in telecommunications—I was searching for a creative outlet and took a part-time job at a charming European style flower shop. That experience changed everything. I fell in love with floral artistry, and that is where my journey began.
For over a decade, I have been crafting artful and refined floral designs with curated seasonal blooms and gorgeous locally grown flowers as often as possible for special events and celebrations. My work is a reflection of my love for sophisticated color palettes, captivating textures, and the organic beauty found in nature. My mission is to bring extraordinary beauty to your most cherished moments through the art of floral design.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
Ayanah George Photography
Ayanah George is a digital and film photographer based in Washington DC. She specializes in female portraiture and uses double exposures to portray the background and subject as one.
Inspired by the work of Kehinde Wiley, Ayanah is passionate about the representation of women as majestic and elevated. Her portraits often use florals and patterns, representing growth and harmony.
She has been featured in Travel & Leisure, American Illustration, as well as by American Photography, the Washington Historical Society and the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities (FY25 Art Bank Grantee).
