OK, Karma. Here is a sampling of the pots. She has many more to give me. I think I will attempt the 9 square with the square vase. Any ideas are welcome. Start small, as I only know how to put a single rose in a vase. lol.
Floral Design 'Workshop'
Very nice collection pupil. Yes, try the 9 square.
Disclaimer: The information provided below is intended for non-professional purposes only. It is not written in stone and may vary from person to person depending on his/her style. Suggestions given should not be taken against the advice of a professional florist. Have fun at your own risk. LOL!
Okay, starting small....love the cobalt blue bottles. Good size for a double "budvase". Can you try 2 flowers in it? Bright yellow roses or daisies would look pretty against the blue. In general, larger flowers should go at the base (makes a good focal point) and smaller ones like rose buds should be taller. Also for a container of that size, you don't want to use a flower that is too big like a sunflower.
Here's an example. I used a baby bottle for lack of container. Notice the tall greenery is about 1.5 times the height of the vase? That's sort of a general guide for beginners. I hope that was helpful. By no means am I an expert at this, so if it's not your taste, then you don't have to make exactly like that. I'll understand!
Karma, right up my alley. I love simplicity. I am dying for ya'll to start the paralell show. And guess what, we have had RAIN for two days. I didn't know I had this in the front yard, but there is a yellow rose bush about to burst with blooms. Now, when do I cut the larger more mature one and what do it use to extend the life of the flower? See, very novice, didn't even know we had a rose bush in the front yard until today. I found 4 more and several flowers.
Back to what I like. I ordered for my mother, on Mother's Day, a Susan B. Komen arrangement. She is a three year survivor. It was almost like a glass block, tinted pink. It had 4 pink tulips laying carelessly in it. It was beautiful. I love the new arrangements I see in short cubes and circles. Bunches of flowers in monocromatic colors. I also like contrast, of course in complimentary colors. I can't use purple and gold, because that reminds me of our high school and I would feel like I was decorating for the prom. What are some other complimentary colors. I love oranges and autumn colors. I love vivid and bright. And I love a wildflower look. Just a few of the things I love. LOL.
The coleus are sooo easy to root. They are the reason I started gardening. A neighbor gave me a cutting and over the last two months, I have given away 5 plants from it. It will soon be time to overwinter. As they are babies I just received from my wonderful girls in coleus, they are to young to cut. But come spring I should have oodles of them. I would gladly send some to you. Here is a pic of a few I have received.
These are babies, so they will get much larger.
Closer look.
playing around with my camera. I think they would actually glow like this under black lights.
Oops, wrong one.
Love to come look at these threads.................I well remember a rehearsal dinner I went to many years ago............they had taken the tape like you did into 9 sections and used a white rose in each square...............so nice...........
gessiegail, thanks for the idea. I bet the roses were beautiful. Will do one for you at some point with roses, but how were they able to hide the tape? Were they large open roses?
Pupil, if you don't have an open rose and rose bud at the same time, just cut whatever roses are prettiest. To increase vase life, do so in the morning or evening when it's not terribly sunny or hot. Cut it as low as possible so you can have more stem to work with and submerge in water as soon as possible. Cut with a slant to produce more surface area for hydration. They also have flower preserve (those little packs that come with bought flowers) you can add to the water. I usually don't add any, but I do change out the water when it gets a little cloudy...almost every other day...but if you can, everyday would be ideal. Roses in general do not last very long. About a week or less. If you cut them when they're open buds, you may get longer vase life. Really tight buds may never open for you, and "very" open roses will fall apart in your vase within a day or so.
I like all the colors and styles you've described. Other complimentary colors can be: pink, purple, lavendar; cream, peach, yellow, and blue for "POP"; orange, red, yellow; for autumns: red, yellow, orange, amber, brown, etc. Different combination of colors can give entirely different effects. And you can't go wrong with monochromatics!
Thanks for the generous offer, but come spring/summer I can probably get coleus for a good price in those little pots. Coleus is so colorful, I wonder if it will last in a vase of water? It would make wonderful foliage for the flowers. Nice pics...thanks.
Thanks Karma, Great info and ideas. I will do an experiment with the coleus and let you know.
Traci
Sorry to say but coleus is not very good when cut ,I wouldn't recommend it for arrangements. They wilt very quickly,nice for the garden or houseplant potted arrangements.
Watch this space I think I may have my 9 flower arrangement coming soon!
My 9 flower arrangement, using red roses, rafia and a wooden container. I don't know if this will work but here goes!
That is too too cool. Love it terri. One of my favorite combos is red with variegated leaves. Nice that you also incorporated the raffia into your arrangement. Very pretty...thanks for sharing.
I have found that going to floral school, puts you in the designer group at a shop, I did that and I do the weddings, funerals and b days
Thanks Karma, finally I have got my laptop back, Hurray! It arrived this morning thank goodness.
This is another view of my arrangement, glad to be back with you.
Terri, I'm so excited to see you again. What have you been up to?!?!
Hi Karma, it's great to be back, I have just been getting on with work, half term next week already! The weeks pass
quickly when you work in fun classes like, mosaics, enamelling, pottery,creative stitching, and the craft workshop.
I have really missed you though.
This is a little basket arrangement I made.
Using floral foam, pot tape,plastic tray, which was placed inside the basket.
basket with floral foam and container
varigated foliage and gladioli
more foliage and roses
You make it look so easy. The roses, are they cut to size and then stuck into the foam? How did you get the foliage at the top to stay up?
Thanks,
Traci
Could it be longer pieces of foliage? Thanks for showing, Terri. I'm bad with baskets. . . this helps a lot!
Yes Traci, you cut the roses to the height you want them in the arrangement.
As Karma said, I cut longer stems of the foliage to fill in the gaps.
I find in some ways baskets are harder to do than using other types of containers, your arrangement has to 'fit' within
the basket, although these rules are not always important to me!.
Roses cut at a slant to fit into foam easier...
remove all leaves and allow the roses a good drink before use!
Thanks for taking the time to show us Terri.
I'm so glad I found this forum! Never realized it even existed! Awesome arrangements!
:) Donna
Hi Karma, I know YOU know these things, I was just trying to be helpful for the beginners amongst us!
Hello Donna, I'm, SO glad you found this forum too! hope you become a regular here, we need you.
Do you make any flower arrangements? we have lots of themes going on or you can start a new one!
Have you visited our flowerpot cafe'? we give you a free cocktail and flowers! everyone is welcome at our cyber cafe' open 24hrs!
Thanks! I did a quick flower arrangement for my daughter's boyfriend's Mother for her birthday from things that were still blooming in the garden.
Welcome PG! By the looks of your arrangement, you are a perennial girl. Pretty! I'm planning a perennial cut flower garden for the spring. I received some sea holly seeds in a trade and am glad to see it in your arrangement. It looks nice with your sea lavender. Are those canna leaves? Do you have a tropical garden as well? That's very nice of you make a bouquet for your dd's bf's mother. Thanks for sharing the pretty arrangement with us.
Thanks Donna for joining in with your arrangement. It looks beautiful with all your garden flowers. I can tell you have an established garden with all those perennials. Hope to see some more from you! It was a lovely birthday present to give .
Are they bird of paradise leaves or Canna?
Thanks, Karma! Yes as you can see I am into perennials. Here is the link to what my basement looks like trying to overwinter my vines and tropicals:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/773689/
You're both correct that they are canna leaves. I wish I had bird of paradise but it's to big for me to overwinter.
Also meant to say thank you Terri!
Wow, PG, you've got it all set up! It looks pretty stuffed in there. We are 75 degrees down here, and I'm not even sure what to do with my tropicals yet. Have you looked into getting the dwarf birds of paradise?
Thanks, Karma! No I haven't. Never seen any here
Most of the ones here that I've seen are dwarf ones. I have a big bird of paradise, but it has only two leaves so far. Bought it for $6 at a moving sale.
WOW! I love this site. Just joined Dave's Garden this weekend. I had no idea what was here. Hickoryglenfarm asked about learning about floral arranging. I'm taking classes at my local community college in their Horticulture Dept. and Continuing Ed program. I've learned a lot and will take more this spring. Cost is reasonable and you get the instruction and materials. At the holidays, I made a door swag (plus 3 more for family), 2 floral arrangements in class (plus 10 more for family) and a boxwood tip Christmas tree that is still fresh. Your ideas in this forum are wonderful! I'll be trying them myself. Thanks, everyone! Linda
Hi Linda! I don't have any formal (school) training, but learned a lot while I was working in the floral shop. Will you show us your christmas swags/arrangements? We would love to see them. You'll find more of us hiding in the flowerpot cafe. Come join us! http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/804140/
Hello Linda!
Welcome to cut flower's, glad you found us.
We would love to see any arrangements you have made!