COLORS pink, purple,
water to avoid creating an airblock. Then strip off red, orange, yel ow, white
most of the leaves and condition them overnight in water before arranging.
FRAGRANCE none
BEST COMPANIONS
DISPLAY Definitely a focal flower, dahlias grab all bishop’s weed, hypericum,
of the attention with their color and form. They are grasses
quite stiff and dense, so I like to put them with flowers In the language of flowers, dahlias
and foliage that have plenty of movement and texture, such as umbels, spires, berries, and grasses.
are a symbol of dignity.
CARE Change the water every 2 days.
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168 Late Summer & Fall
Dahlias in Pewter
Dahlias come in such an overwhelming range of colors, shapes, and sizes that they need no additional flowers or foliage. I included several varieties in this arrangement by using a cluster of ten different-sized vessels.
YOU WILL NEED
ARRANGE
32 dahlias of different
1 Fill the containers with water and arrange them cultivars and 9 dahlia buds
in a triangle formation.
(Dahlia ‘Alauna Clair
Obscur,’
2 Hold the dahlias up to the arrangement to judge D. ‘American Dawn,’
D
position and stem length before cutting and placing
. ‘Apache Blue,’
D. ‘Blue Bayou,’
appropriately. Put some of the largest flowers lower D. ‘Burlesca,’
down so that they ground the arrangement. Leave the D. ‘Carolina Wagemans,’
stems of some of the small and medium-sized dahlias D. ‘Cartouche,’
long so that their blooms appear to float above D. ‘Classic Poeme,’
the rest of the flowers. You may want
D. ‘Franz Kafka,’
to move the containers around as
D. ‘Geerlings Cupido,’
you are arranging.
D. ‘Hamari Rose,’
D. ‘Karma Fuchsiana,’
D. ‘Labyrinth,’
CARE
D. ‘Lilac Time,’
Top off the containers with
D. ‘Maldiva,’
water every 2–3 days and
D. ‘New Baby,’
the arrangement should
D. ‘Night Butterfly,’
last 5 days.
D. ‘Orfeo,’
D. ‘Paradise City,’
D. ‘Peaches,’
D. ‘Preference,’
D. ‘Purple Flame,’
D. ‘Taratahi Ruby,’
D. ‘Total y Tangerine,’
D. ‘Uncle Hanky,’
D. ‘Whitman’s Best,’
D. ‘Who Dun It,’
D. ‘Worton Blue Streak’ )
a selection of pewter
tankards in different sizes
floral snips
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Dahlia 169
This arrangement is all about
experimentation—try moving flowers to
different positions until you are happy.
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170 Late Summer & Fall
Sea Hol y
Eryngium
Sea holly’s thistlelike
flowers have a wonderfully
architectural quality.
Sea holly comes in a range of colors.
The florets are borne plentifully on multi-
branched stems, each sitting on a specialized leaf (or “bract”). The smaller varieties, such as E. planum, make excellent fillers, while E. giganteum can hold its own as a focal flower. The flowers can also be dried.
STEM HEIGHT 2–5ft
FROM THE FLORIST Look for good, rich
(0.6–1.5m), depending on
color and sheen. Check that the bracts are not looking variety; E. giganteum ‘Silver
discolored—a sign that they have been stored too Ghost’, up to 2ft (60m)
long. A strong, musty smell is also an indication that FLOWER HEAD SIZE
the flowers are not fresh.
1¼–43/4in (4–12cm),
depending on variety;
IN THE GARDEN Sea hol y needs full sun to
E. giganteum ‘Silver Ghost,’
reach its best color. It can tolerate poor soil, but 43/4in (12cm)
dislikes waterlogging. Some varieties will self-seed.
LONGEVITY 2 weeks
in water; longer if dried
CONDITIONING Cut stems at an angle and
condition them overnight in deep water.
FORM
near-spherical flower
DISPLAY Sea hol y’s spiky thistles contrast heads with spiky bracts
well with softer blooms. The larger, bright silver COLORS green, blue,
E. giganteum makes an excel ent focal flower with purple, silver
its distinctive ruff. E. planum, the smal er, blue variety with wiry stems and small thistles, is a good finishing FRAGRANCE musty
flourish, and looks at home in wildflower-style BEST COMPANIONS
arrangements beside daisy shapes and grasses.
milky bel flowers,
roses, scabious
CARE Refresh the water every 2 days.
Eryngium giganteum ‘Silver Ghost’
is a short-lived perennial with metal ic silver leaves and painful y spiky bracts.
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Sea Holly 171
In the language of flowers,
sea hol y is a symbol of austerity
and independence.
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172 Late Summer & Fall
Sea Holly Bouquet
I included two sizes of sea holly in this hand-tie, the larger acting as a focal flower and the smaller as a final flourish.
I used harmonious colors that complement the green sea holly, aiming to create variety through texture and form.
YOU WILL NEED
ARRANGE
7 roses (Rosa ‘Irish Hope’ )
For further instructions on how to arrange a hand-3 milky bel flower stems
tied bouquet, see pp.26–27.
(Campanula lactiflora)
1 Remove all of the leaves and any side shoots from 2 large sea hol y flowers
the bottom two-thirds of each stem. Then lay all of (Eryngium giganteum
the material out in piles so that it is easy to select.
‘Silver Ghost’)
12 small sea hol y flowers
2 Take one of the roses and hold it in your (Eryngium planum)
nondominant hand between your thumb and
1 eucalyptus stem
forefinger. One by one, add the flower and foliage stems, (Eucalyptus gunnii)
experimenting with which look good next to each other, and trying different types of material alternately.
3 sweet peas
(Lathyrus odoratus)
Save the hornbeam branches until the end.
3 pineapple mint stems
3 Add the final few stems from the top, using (Mentha suaveolens
the remaining colored flowers to break up large
‘Variegata’ )
areas of green.
4 nigel a stems (Nigel a
hispanica ‘Delft Blue’ )
4 Now add the hornbeam branches around the
5 triteleia stems
edges. These have woodier stems that will support (Triteleia ‘Queen Fabiola’ )
and protect the softer stems within the bouquet.
2 nigel a seed heads
(Nigella damascena)
5 Tie the bouquet o
ff with raffia or twine, before trimming the ends so that the height of the bouquet 4 hornbeam branches
is about a hand and a half.
(Carpinus betulus)
floral snips
CARE
Hand-tied bouquets do not last more than a few raffia or twine
hours out of water. If you want to revive it, trim the ends and place in a large jar or pitcher.
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174 Late Summer & Fall
Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
You cannot help but be
cheered by the open, sunny
face of a sunflower.
The best sunflowers for cutting are the
annual, pollen-free cultivars. There are many sizes and colors to choose from, including
creams, lemons, golds, and reds, as well as bicolored varieties. Plants will often branch willingly if the buds are removed and, if they are picked regularly, will produce flowers
for several weeks.
STEM HEIGHT 1–16ft
FROM THE FLORIST The center is the best
(0.3–5m), depending on
indication of freshness—there should be no pol en variety; H. annuus, up to
and it should be dark and tight.
16ft (5m)
FLOWER HEAD SIZE
IN THE GARDEN Sunflowers are hardy annuals
2–12in (5–30cm),
grown from seed. Either sow in pots in a greenhouse depending on variety;
in early spring, or directly into the ground in mid- to H. annuus, up to 12in
late spring once the weather is warmer. Give them (30cm)
plenty of space—they should be about 18in (45cm) apart. Pinch out the tops when they are about 8in LONGEVITY 7–10 days
(20cm) high to encourage branching and lots of FORMS single, double
smaller, more useable flowers.
COLORS yellow,
cream, red
CONDITIONING Remove all foliage from the
stem—it is not as long lasting as the flowers and FRAGRANCE none
will make the arrangement look tired.
BEST COMPANIONS
love-lies-bleeding, dil ,
DISPLAY Arrange sunflowers in a large, spacious snapdragons
container. Umbel and spire shapes complement their daisy-shaped heads wel . For foliage, I often include berried branches.
CARE If the leaves are removed and the water is topped off every 2 days, sunflowers can last for 7–10 days.
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Sunflower 175
In the language of flowers,
tall sunflowers are a symbol of
haughtiness, while dwarf sunflowers
are a symbol of adoration.
Helianthus annuus is a giant,
annual species. This cultivar
is cal ed ‘Valentine.’
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Sunflower 177
A Bucketful of Sunshine
I have fully embraced sunflowers’ attention-seeking character by using two different varieties and making them the focal point of the arrangement. Their sunny color is reflected by the other plants in the arrangement.
YOU WILL NEED
ARRANGE
2 berried American
1 Using floral tack, stick two floral pin holders into the cranberry bush stems
bottom of the bucket. Soak a block of floral foam in (Viburnum opulus
water and firmly press it onto the pin holders. Then fill
‘ Roseum’ )
the bucket with water.
4 ‘Starburst Panache’
sunflowers (Helianthus
2 Place the American cranberry bush stems so that annuus ‘Starburst
they rest on the rim of the container, softening its Panache’ )
edge. Cut the larger sunflowers (‘Starburst Panache’) 15 ‘Valentine’ sunflowers
so that they sit just above the foliage, and then anchor (Helianthus annuus
them into the floral foam.
‘Valentine’ )
7 dill stems
3 Cut the remaining sunflowers at varying lengths so (Anethum graveolens)
that they fill above and around the larger variety, before placing them into the arrangement.
3 sweet clover stems
(Melilotus officinalis)
4 Finish with the dill and sweet clover to soften and large enamel bucket
lift the heavy appearance of the sunflowers.
floral tack
CARE
2 plastic pinholders
Top off the bucket with water every 2–3 days and block of floral foam
keep it in a cool spot. The arrangement will happily last for 7 days.
floral snips
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178 Last Summer & Fall
Mophead hydrangeas vary in color
depending on the soil: acidic soil produces blue flowers, and alkaline soil produces pink.
Hydrangea paniculata
‘Grandiflora’ is a woody shrub
with conical, lace-cap flower heads.
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Hydrangea 179
Hydrangea
Hydrangea
Hydrangeas’ voluminous
flowers change color, aging
to beautiful antique shades.
The large, lush heads of hydrangea are in
fact treelike stem structures made up of
hundreds of blossoms. While there are
for cutting: the mophead ( H. macrophylla), which has rounded flower heads, and the
lace-cap (particularly H. paniculata), which has smaller central flowers.
STEM HEIGHT
FROM THE FLORIST Choose a flower head with
H. macrophylla, 3–61/2ft
most of the florets open. The flower should feel sturdy (1–2m); H. paniculata,
and firm to the touch. Stems with older wood on 10–23ft (3–7m), cut
which bark has formed are better for the conditioning branches to desired length
stage as they are able to take up water more efficiently.
FLOWER HEAD SIZE
H. macrophylla, 6–8in
IN THE GARDEN As woodland shrubs, hydrangeas (15–20cm); H. paniculata,
prefer partial shade and shelter from wind and spring 23/4–8in (7–20cm)
frosts. They like a moisture-retentive soil with plenty of organic matter, and will take 2–3 years to establish.
LONGEVITY 5–7 days
Control the size of the flowers through pruning, and FORMS mophead,
the flowers’ color through the acidity of the soil.
lace-cap
COLORS pink,
CONDITIONING Cut across and then up the stem purple, blue, yel ow,
vertical y before searing (see pp.22–23). Place in deep orange, red, white
water overnight to condition.
FRAGRANCE none
DISPLAY I prefer arranging the H. paniculata BEST COMPANIONS
varieties with their lacy, cone-shaped flowers. The clematis, roses, zinnias
woody stems and neutral colors make them useful as framework material in bouquets, while their flower heads are a fantastic fil er as they are both voluminous, and airy and light.
CARE If the flowers start to wilt, recut the ends and re-sear. You can also try draping a cold, wet cloth over the flowers for around 4 hours.
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Hydrangea 181
Hydrangea Three Ways
I was inspired by three varieties of Hydrangea paniculata in all of their creamy green glory. These large, lacy, conical-shaped flowers form the core of this design.
YOU WILL NEED
ARRANGE
2 hornbeam branches
1 Tape a ball of chicken wire into the footed bowl.
(Carpinus betulus)
Fill the bowl with water.
2 eucalyptus stems
(Eucalyptus parvifolia)
2 Position the hornbeam branches to create a triangular shape, with two branches horizontal 13 hydrangea stems
and one vertical.
(6 Hydrangea paniculata
‘Grandiflora’ , 6 H. paniculata
’Limelight’ , 1 H. paniculata
3 Cut the eucalyptus short and lay it on the front and
‘Pink Diamond’ )
sides of the vase’s rim, so that it drapes over the sides of the bowl.
2 zinnias (Zinnia ‘Benary’s
Giant White’ )
4 Start to fill the bowl with the hydrangeas, forming 2 leaved geranium stems
a low, mounded outline. Place the zinnias at the front, (Pelargonium ‘Chocolate
nestling them in between the hydrangeas.
Mint’ )
2 clematis (Clematis viticel a 5 Add the geranium stems, one at the front and one
‘Alba Luxurians’ )
at the side, to create a diagonal of bright green across 3 meadow rue stems
the arrangement. Balance this with the ‘Lime Green’
(Thalictrum delavayi
tobacco stems, dotting them through the hydrangeas
‘Album’ )
to give an even spread of green.
4 tobacco plant stems
(3 Nicotiana ‘Lime Green’ ,
6 Add the clematis, meadow rue, and remaining 1 N. langsdorffii ‘Hot
tobacco stems so they extend out of the hydrangeas.
Chocolate’ )
The clematis should trail down, and the meadow rue and tobacco stems reach upward.
metal ic, footed bowl
pruning shears
CARE
large, metal pinholder
Hydrangeas have a much longer vase life in water than in floral foam, so this arrangement should last floral tack
for 7 days if the water is topped off every 2–3 days.
pot tape
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182 Late Summer & Fall
Meadow rue
Zinnia
‘Grandiflora’ hydrangea
Eucalyptus
Hornbeam
‘Pink Diamond’