The spire-shaped form of the
‘Camelot Cream’ foxgloves
offers a striking contrast to the
pillowy, round dahlias.
2PLACE THE
CONTRASTING
FOCAL FLOWERS
Position spire-shaped contrasting
focal flowers along the lines of
the framework foliage. The joy
of working with chicken wire is that
if you are not happy with where you
have placed a flower, you can take
it out and have another go.
The soft, apricot color of the
‘Carolina Wagemans’ dahlia
harmonizes with the roses perfectly
and its shape reflects that of the
larger ‘Cafe au Lait’ dahlias.
3PLACE THE SMALLER FOCAL FLOWERS
Use the smal er focal flowers to fill in the gaps around the main players. Place them at varying angles and depths, al owing the viewer’s eye to roam around the arrangement as it would if they were viewing a painting.
Now move on to Add a Final Flourish
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20 Designing with Flowers
Add a Final
Flourish
The two-toned flower of
‘Tinkerbell’ tobacco plant
brings together the fresh green of
the hornbeam and the plum
color of the red-leaved rose.
Adding the finishing flourish is the last stage of the arrangement. These wispy, textural
stems create movement and add an extra
element of artistry, enhancing the leading
blooms from a supporting role. I tend to
select materials that are similar in color
to the focal flowers, but are a deeper
or brighter shade.
I enjoy adding the final
flourish the most—I find it an
almost painterly experience.
The maroon-colored flowers on
the wiry great burnet stems make
them appear to hover above the
arrangement. The color connects well
with the trailing red-leaved rose.
1CREATE A SENSE OF MOVEMENT
Use the finishing flourish stage to create
direction and movement in a design. Keep
the stems long so that the flowers extend out beyond the main body of the arrangement.
Curved, arched, or even kinky stems are more interesting and dynamic than straight ones.
‘Creme Brulee’ phlox provides
a creamy phlox to tie in with the
foxgloves on the opposite side.
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Add a Final Flourish 21
‘Peachy Keen’ mask flowers
add a peachy “pop” to enhance
the colors of the focal flowers.
‘Cherokee Sunset’
rudbeckia is a great color
match for the berries, as well
as reflecting the form
of the zinnias.
2ADD A “POP”
OF COLOR
Add the most colorful
finishing flourish stems into areas
of green across the arrangement.
They will highlight or accent the
arrangement, helping to connect
all of the materials and unify
the composition.
I love using viburnum
berries before they have
ripened to deep red. In
this arrangement they offer
a textural contrast to the
focal flowers, while being
similar in shade.
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22 Designing with Flowers
Conditioning
& Care
To get the maximum vase life and
enjoyment from your flowers, it is worth
following a few simple steps to prepare the Garden roses have
stems for arranging. Flowers have varying
a strong scent, which
shortens their vase life.
lengths of vase life. For example, the more fragrant a flower, the shorter its life in the vase will be. One general rule is to keep
the vase and water as clean as possible.
1CUTBefore you arrange your flowers, cut the stems at a sharp angle with floral snips. This This entire branch can be
prevents the bottom of the stem from sitting flush removed as part of the
against the base of the container and increases stripping process.
the surface area, al owing more water to be taken up into the plant. For woody stems, use shears and cut about 11/4in (3cm) up the stem as well as across. Keep the blades clean and sharp so they cut wel ; blunt blades crush the stems and the cel s that take up water.
Cut up the length
of woody stems
to maximize
surface area.
Cut across
the bottom of
the stem for
2STRIP
Pull or trim all leaves,
thorns, or berries that
will fall below the water
desired length.
level in the container. If left
underwater, these parts of the
Cut stems at a sharp
plant will start to decompose,
angle to increase
bringing harmful bacteria
water uptake.
STANDARD STEMS
WOODY STEMS
that will shorten the vase
life of the flowers.
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Conditioning & Care 23
Keep snapdragon stems upright
when hydrating them to ensure
that they remain straight.
This scabious has had
all of its side shoots and
foliage removed.
Hydrangeas require
searing before they
can be arranged.
4HYDRATE
After being cut, flowers should
be left to rest in a bucket of water
overnight (conditioned) before they are
arranged. This gives each stem time to
take up enough water for it to be ful y
hydrated, meaning it will last longer in
the vase. As the stems are full of water,
3
they will also be more rigid and easier
SEAR
to arrange.
Some stems require searing after being
cut to prevent them from leaking sap or
latex. This prolongs the flower’s vase life and, Hornbeam has thick,
woody stems.
as some of these secretions can be toxic, also protects other flowers in the arrangement. To sear, hold the stems 1in (2–3cm) deep in
boiling water for up to 30 seconds, protecting the flowers from the steam. Then plunge into REPLENISH
a deep bucket of water to condition.
After an arrangement has been displayed for a couple of days, the water may
become cloudy. This is an indication
of decomposition and bacterial growth.
Change the water in the container at least every 2–3 days, using fresh, warm water.
This will open the cel s in the stem, al owing water to flow up into the flower.
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24 Designing with Flowers
Front-Facing Designs
Front-facing arrangements tend to be quite large in scale and are normally positioned with their back against a wall, such as on a mantlepiece or side table.
PRINCIPLES
I work at the same height from which the arrangement will be viewed. As only the front of the arrangement can be seen, there is no need to work as much material into the back. However, it will need some flowers and foliage to balance the arrangement aesthetical y, but also practical y—if the front is too heavy, it may tip over. Fill out the back with foliage and place a few flowers, Fewer flowers
often facing away from the viewer, so that they are partial y visible as you look are placed at
through the arrangement. This creates a more natural, “grown-in” style, as the back of the
flowers would not always natural y grow in one direction.
arrangement.
Focal flowers facing away
from the front give a sense
of natural growth.
SIDE VIEW
These branches of
framework foliage
provide width and
a sense of movement.
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Centrepieces 25
Centerpieces
A centerpiece is normally for a table that people will be sitting around for food and entertaining. It is therefore good to make it low enough to see over! It will also need to look interesting and attractive from all sides.
PRINCIPLES
I work on centerpieces sitting down with the container on a rotating When the
wheel so that I can consider my design from all angles. Begin by selecting arrangement is
rotated, it retains
a low container so that the flowers will not sit too high once added.
its overall beauty.
Remember to rotate the arrangement as you are working.
ALTERNATE VIEW
From this viewpoint the
roses are the focal flower
within the arrangement.
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26 Designing with Flowers
How to Create a
Hand-Tied Bouquet
Hand-tied bouquets are popular for weddings and as gifts.
The aim is to create a full, rounded top with a narrow neck so that it is comfortable to hold. It is also a useful technique for creating an abundant arrangement for a container.
YOU WILL NEED
Focal flowers: 1 Peruvian lily stem (Alstroemeria aurea ‘Friendship’ ) • 5 roses of different varieties (Rosa ‘Duchess of Cornwall’ , R. ‘Moody Blue’ , R. ‘Proper Job’ ) 3 nigel a stems (Nigel a hispanica ‘African Bride’ ) Foliage: 3 hornbeam branches (Carpinus betulus) • 3 Chinese forget-me-not stems (Cynoglossum amabile) • 5 apple mint stems (Mentha suaveolens) Flowering stems: 3 astrantia stems (Astrantia major) • 2 milky bel flower stems (Campanula lactiflora) • 3 rosebay wil owherb stems (Epilobium angustifolium ‘Stahl Rose’ ) raffia or twine
1Before starting to build your hand tie, remove any leaves, side shoots, or thorns from the bottom half to 2Take a focal flower and hold it in your nondominant hand. Add foliage and flowering stems alternately, thinking about how two-thirds of the stems. Lay out all of the prepared their colors and shapes interact. Hold the flowers in place in material on a surface, grouping flowers of the same type your palm using your thumb and forefinger. Do not use the woody so that that they are easy to select.
hornbeam branches until step 4.
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How to Create a Hand-Tied Bouquet 27
3Adjust your grip by sliding your thumb up and down your forefinger. Loosen your grip to insert new stems into 4Use your final stems to fill any gaps in the center, inserting them from the top and nestling them between flowers that the bouquet at an angle. Place each new stem beneath the are already in place. Ensure that the stems are being worked existing flowers so that a dome shape to the bouquet forms.
in the same direction. Finish with the woodiest stems (in this case, Turn the bouquet counterclockwise after every third stem to the hornbeam), which will support any softer stems, protecting them create the spiral twist to the stems.
when the bouquet is tied off.
5To tie the bouquet, loop the piece of raffia or twine around your forefinger. Then wrap it around the bouquet above 6Finish off the bouquet by cutting the stems so that they are uniform and neat. The bouquet should balance if placed your holding hand and pull the ends through the original upright on a table or work surface.
loop. Separate the two ends, rest the bouquet on the edge of a table, and tie in a double knot.
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WINTER &
EARLY SPRING
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WINTER &
EARLY SPRING
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30 Winter & Early Spring
Anemone
Anemone
I love anemones—their jewel-
bright colors are so welcome
after a long, dreary winter.
Anemones’ bold color and shape lend
themselves perfectly to a simple, single-
flower-type arrangement. They also have
a good amount of their own green in the form of a fetching “ruff,” which frames their faces.
As well as their surprisingly long vase life, anemones also bring an irresistible
sense of nostalgia.
STEM HEIGHT
FROM THE FLORIST Look for clean, tight centers up to 32in (80cm)
without any powdery pol en. The petals should have a good, solid color and the shape should be cupped.
FLOWER SIZE
Check the stems for splitting and snapping.
up to 3in (8cm)
LONGEVITY 7–10 days
IN THE GARDEN Anemones are cool-weather
flowers, so the corms (bulbs) should be planted in FORM single
a consistently moist, wel -drained soil with plenty of pink, red, white
organic matter, and normal y flower in early spring.
FRAGRANCE none
PREPARATION Recut the stems at a sharp angle BEST COMPANIONS
under water and let them condition overnight with black-leaved cow parsley
a rubber band at the top and bottom of the stems.
Anemone coronaria plants produce
or Japanese painted fern,
This will set them straight before arranging.
a succession of up to 20 single,
ranunculus, bluebel s
cup-shaped blooms, each with
DISPLAY
a central eye of stamens.
As anemones open in light and heat,
ensure they are given a bit of room in the vase. They work well as a single-flower-type arrangement, and can also be used as a focal flower in a mixed composition.
CARE Keep anemones in a cool room out of direct sunlight. They are thirsty flowers, so make sure you top off the vase with water every 2 days.
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Anemone 31
Anemones represent
unfading love—in Greek mythology,
anemones grew from the spil ed blood
of Adonis, lover of Aphrodite.
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Anemone 33
Nostalgic Spring Vase
I used coral-colored anemones to create this striking arrangement, adding cow parsley or Japanese painted fern to pick out the flowers’ dark centers. The ornate, cut-glass vase enhances their slightly old-fashioned appearance.
YOU WILL NEED
ARRANGE
25 anemones
1 Fill the vase with water; then cut the anemone (Anemone coronaria)
stems to around twice the height of the vase.
10 black-leaved cow parsley
stems (Anthriscus sylvestris
2 Place four or five stems in the vase to create the
‘Ravenswing’ ), or Japanese
outline of your soft-dome-shaped arrangement.
painted ferns
floral snips
3 Once you have a basic outline, hold the remaining stems up to the arrangment one at a time so that you medium glass vase
can judge position and stem length. Then cut and place them appropriately. Create layers of flowers by cutting the stems to different lengths.
4 Slip the cow parsley or painted ferns between the lower anemones’ stems to connect the flowers to the vase.
CARE
Anemones will last 7–10 days in the vase, growing up to 2in (5cm) in that time, so trim the ends and refresh the water every 2 days.
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34 Winter & Early Spring
Convallaria majalis is native to Europe, appearing in light woodland and alpine
meadows. Specific varieties are also found in parts of East Asia and the eastern US.
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Lily-of-the-valley 35
Lily-of-the-
valley
Convallaria majalis
Lily-of-the-val ey combines
a heavenly fragrance and elegant,
bell-shaped, white flowers.
The form and scent of these small, delicate flowers have made them a popular wedding
flower, adorning many a bridal bouquet.
Their timeless beauty never seems to fall from favor, and their brief flowering period and vase life make them even more precious.
STEM HEIGHT
FROM THE FLORIST The best stems to choose
up to 8in (20cm)
will have most of their flowers open, but a few closed buds at the top.
FLOWER SIZE
¼–½in (0.5–1cm)
IN THE GARDEN Choose a shaded position to
LONGEVITY 3–5 days
plant the seeds. You will need to be patient as they can take a few years to establish.
FORM arching stems
with small flowers
PREPARATION Before displaying, separate the COLORS white
leaves from the stems by gently pul ing the two apart; this makes them easier to arrange. Recut and then FRAGRANCE
place both parts in water overnight to condition.