How to Arrange a Seasonal Bouquet

One thing I have yet to get over living in Italy is just how diverse and beautiful all the seasons are to each other. In Spring you have the first fuchsia pink blossoms and bright red poppies that erupt through the fields, in Summer the white Queen Anne Lace runs wild, while in Autumn you have stunning earthy tones from crimson pomegranates, mustard pumpkins and artichokes with shades of purple and green.

Now I am no florist…. but I love anything DIY so today I wanted to show you how simple it can be to style your own bouquet just by using the flowers, foliage and fruits that are currently in season…

WANT YOU’LL NEED

• Flowers

• Foliage

• X2 pomegranates

• X3 artichokes

• Kale leaves

• Skewers

• A pair of scissors

• A tale glass vase

• Sticky tape

STEP 1 – CHOOSE YOUR FLOWERS!

1. First pick your colours… During Autumn the colours in Italy are magnificent! The tones are earthy and warmth with a contrast of cool deep greens. Look at what fruits are in season such as clementines, pomegranates, persimmons and grab inspiration from these as your base.

2. Choose your flowers… The flowers should be the main element of your bouquet that immediately catches your eye so choose flowers that will work with your colour palate and stick to maybe 2-3 types so to not over clutter your arrangement. I chose two colours of chrysanthemums in a deep chrisom red and a brighter fuchsia pink for contrast. To be honest I don’t have a huge variety at my local florist but for €2.50 a bunch, I think I was doing well for my own DIY project.

3. Choose your foliage and fillers… Now here’s the fun part! Choosing foliage or filler is where you really get to be creative and add different dimensions to your bouquet depending on what you want to use. This season I wanted to utilise what was already around me by going to the streets to collect foliage and fruits, while heading to the garden for veggies.

WHAT I USED:

Foliage/filler:

• Acorn branches

• Persimmon leaves

• 3 types of Kale leaves

• Wild grass

• Ivy berries

STEP 2 – CHOOSE YOUR VASE

1. If you choose your vase first you can sometime be limited to the types of flowers and foliage you might want to use. Decide where you want to put you bouquet i.e in the foyer or on a side table and choose an appropriate vase that will complement the space. It’s always good to have a few different size options so that if you have any leftover material, you can style a quick mini version to place somewhere else in the house.

Vases I like to use:

Large

• Tall glass flower vases

• Pickle jars

Small

• Antique decanters

• Copper wine jugs

• Italian china serving bowls

• Brown glass medicine bottles

• Wine bottles

STEP 3 – START WITH FOLIAGE

1. Lay your flowers and foliage out on a table so you can see what you’re working with.

2. Strip off any leaves from the bottom of the stems as water will quickly turn bad if the foliage sits below the surface.

3. Grab some sticky tape and make a grid over the top of the vase. This makes it easier to keep your design in place instead of using string or rubber bands. (Sticky tape not necessary for all vases depending on the size)

4. Starting with the largest type of foliage (acorn branches for me), place them evenly at an angle around the vase. They will support each other and create a framework for the arrangement. NB: my design is front facing so I would re-frame from putting any large branches directly in the front so to not obscure the look.

5. Feed your other branches (persimmon leaves) in between your already placed foliage. This should now make the arrangement look full making the next step only to place your clusters of detail to bring everything together.

STEP 4 – NEXT PLACE YOUR FLOWERS

1. I have been a little obsessed with the modern, asymmetrical look of flower arranging that has been sweeping through boutique Sydney flower stores and Hotel lobbies alike. Clustering is the modern way of styling flowers that adds to a more natural looking design suitable for a grand foyer or table settling. With this in mind, visually divide your bouquet into four equal parts. Place one colour of flowers in the top right hand corner within the large branches. Place another colour of flowers in the bottom right hand corner of your display and let it sweep around to the front.

2. Play with the height of your flowers arranging from highest at the back to lowest at the front as this is more pleasing to the eye.

STEP 5 – ADD YOUR FRUIT AND VEG

1. The next step is adding texture to your bouquet to balance out your pretty flowers with some natural elements. Artichokes are in season at the moment and I just love how detailed they are. You could easily misjudge them for a flower so arranging them into your display won’t seem as silly as you think. Pick an odd number of artichokes depending of the size of your bouquet and place them roughly in the bottom left hand corner.

2. Next, grab your fruit (I used pomegranates but you could use mandarins or persimmons for this season depending on your colour theme). Using a long wooden skewer, poke one end so that it resembles a lollypop. Using the skewer to feed into the bouquet, use maybe 2-3 pieces of fruit to fill in the spaces and to add balance to your design. Remember less is more so feel free to play around with the look until you feel content.

STEP 6 – FINISH WITH THE DETAILS

1. Now the last step is the most important as it will make your bouquet go from average to professional with just a few additions.

2. First, place a couple of clusters of kale leaves in and around the front corners of your display. This will frame your design and balance the heavy branches in the back.

3. Find nuts, berries or delicate flowers that can be used to fill in spaces by weaving them into your work. I’ve used ivy berries in a deep purple that complement the colour palate and soften the areas that might look a bit harsh.

4. And lastly, I’ve poked a few wild grass stems in and around the design just to give it a bit more of a rustic, Italian country feel.

5. And you’re DONE! Take a step back and see what you have created… Refine and shape any areas which you think might need some readjusting but besides that, you have just made a beautiful seasonal floral display that is sure to impress family and friends, especially when you tell them you made it yourself ;)

#DIY #Home #Flowerarrangement