Floral Design Tips

Come see me at Handmade!

May 31, 2013 by Leave a Comment


pink ranunculus (persian buttercup) in glasses on the wood tablewreath springFlower centrepieceRanunculus in vase
If you’re in Wellington this weekend, drop in to Handmade 2013. It’s a festival celebrating beautiful and creative things – a place for people who want to learn the skills and crafts of previous generations but in today’s context, using modern technology and style.

I’m giving two workshops: braided rugs and fabric decoupage on furniture, plus a masterclass on Backyard to Bouquets: growing your own cut flowers and herbs for year-round supply, plus some floral designing and gardening recycling tips. The Masterclass is on Sunday.

Still time to get tickets. See more here.

Filed Under: Floral Design Tips, Wreaths

Neon flowers

February 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment


Fluorescent flowersFluorescent flowers and felt leaves
Here’s a clever idea from the very talented Sania Pell. Neon flowers – or fluro flora, as she calls it. She dabbed small amounts of neon paint onto flowers, berries and seed heads and came up with this striking effect. For the sprig of berries she also glued on pink leaves cut from felt. Brilliant idea! See more of her fabulous creations here.

Filed Under: DIY, Floral Design Tips

Summer flowers

February 12, 2012 by 2 Comments


Flower weath
Pick flowers from your garden and deliver a handcrafted bouquet to the hostess with the mostess. Or make a wreath for that special occasion. It’s simple! All you need is a floral foam wreath, which is available from florist shops or craft stores, and flowers. Wet the foam, poke holes in it with wire, then insert the flower stems into the holes. Whip it up a day or two before the big day and keep the foam moist and cool.

From Sweet Living magazine – a FREE online magazine. Check it out here.

 

Filed Under: Floral Design Tips, Wedding Flowers, Wreaths

Zinnias, berries, Queen Anne’s lace and lilacs

February 12, 2012 by 2 Comments


Zinnias and berries in flower arrangementlilac and queen anne's lace
Are your zinnias in bloom yet? Here’s an idea for a lovely summery display. In the top photo blazing orange zinnias are mixed with berries, Queen Anne’s lace, crocosmia and greenery. Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora is actually a weed here, but there are cultivated varieties sold now that are more restrained.

The second arrangement also contains Queen Anne’s lace, mixed this time with lilacs and dark purple scabiosa. [Read more...]

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Baby’s breath hanging balls

January 15, 2012 by 2 Comments


gypsophila hanging balls
This has to be the best use EVER for baby’s breath (gypsophila). Delicate hanging balls. Melanie from Cecilia Fox, who made these beautiful baubles, says they’re not too difficult to make. “It is more or less bunches of gyp wired and put into an oasis sphere. It pays to hang the oasis ball from somewhere and start at the top working your way down. Pack the bunches in as tightly as possible and mist them thoroughly.”

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing Melanie. Visit the Cecilia Fox website here for more lovely images.

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DIY spring bouquet

September 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment


bouquet single bloomsDIY bouquet single blooms
You really don’t need to have a lot blooms to produce a striking bouquet, as evidenced here in this pretty posy created by Chelsea Fuss over at Frolic. I’m all for eclectic bouquets. It means that even if you have just one rose and just one tulip and just one rununculus, etc, you can still pull off a lovely display. Click on over to Chelsea’s site for DIY instructions.

Filed Under: Floral Design Tips, Wedding Flowers

Martha does it best

March 31, 2011 by Leave a Comment


Spring flowers
This gorgeous page design comes from the 2011 spring issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. Design-wise, it’s quite simple, but it’s super stunning, with its beautiful flowers, exquisite colour and classy script. Sigh.

Filed Under: Floral Design Tips

Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment


Valentine's bouquet

The simplest bouquets are the most striking, I reckon, and this bouquet, with raspberry red roses, is perfect. These are David Austin roses called ‘Darcey’, and they’re grown specifically for the cut flower market. That means they’re unavailable for you and me to grow, but there is a similar rose, ‘Darcey Bussell’, which is available as a garden rose.
Once again, the clever Carolyn Parker dazzles us with her stunning photography.

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Use your fruit and veggies in bouquets

February 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment


Artichoke bouquets
Overrun with artichokes? Stuck with a surplus of pears? Use your excess fruit and vegetables to create stunning bouquets that look good enough to eat. Dainty daisies rub shoulders with bold edibles in these brash bouquets that feature over here. Artichokes have long enough stems to sit nicely in bouquets. Poke stiff florist’s wire through pears to secure them to the bunch.

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The versatile hydrangea

January 19, 2011 by 3 Comments


Hydrangeas and rosesHydrangeas in tall vaseBicoloured hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are truly versatile flowers – and prolific, particularly when you have several bushes in your backyard. At the moment I’ve got them coming out my ears. Just as well I have a sizable glass and ceramic vase collection. Hydrangeas, apparently, last much longer in glass vases than metal ones. I can’t say I’ve tested the theory, but that’s from the Flower Council of Holland, so it must be true. If you’re not a fan of glass vases you can cheat by putting them inside larger containers or by tying pieces of bark around the vase, as above. No time to whip up a fancy, multi-bloom arrangement? Snip off the hydrangea flower heads and place them in a tall vase of water. So simple and so chic.


White hydrangeasRed hydrangeas and anthuriumshydrangeas and carnations
White hydrangeas are my absolute favourite. White hydrangeas in white ceramic vases. Although red hydrangeas come a very close second. Above, red hydrangeas mix with red chrysanthemums and waxy, red anthuriums. The bottom photo shows a mix of carnations, lisianthus and baby’s breath (gypsophila). Nice.

Want to know how to change the colour of your hydrangeas? Click here.

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