A few years ago, I attended a class given by Mindy in her beautiful backyard. We were each given a notebook to record our notes.
Eight Tips For The Art of Flower Arranging
1. Pick Your Vessel–as it determines the mechanics to hold the flowers in place:
- Floral foam (update–this is not used as much any more due to the harm it does to the environment)
- Chicken wire–I choose this method as I had never used it before
- Tape a grid
- Keep crossing stems for a grid network (this is what I usually do at home as I used to watch the florists at the stands in Paris for long periods of time, mesmerized when we lived there).
My blank canvas.
2. Start with greenery.
This is where you all with gardens are lucky (not a city dweller like me)…go out there and pick branches of boxwood, lemon leaves, rosemary, mint (nice for scents), hydrangeas, palm, etc. Just go crazy.
3. Cut all the stems at an angle and remove all the leaves below the waterline
as they will clog the stems.
Mindy had tons of beautiful flowers from which to choose for our bouquets.
4. Use a turntable
(even a less expensive spice “Rubbermaid” type) so that you can easily view your arrangement from all sides.
5. Change the water
in your vessel every day for the first three days. Use warm water with a drop of bleach and a little sugar as a preservative.
Mindy is turning back the rose petals for a showpiece in her arrangement.
6. After you have your base of greenery, arrange blooms in threes of different heights
7. Flowers should radiate from the center out
and make sure you remember the base of the arrangement.
8. Invest in a good pair of clippers.
Here is my arrangement…I was going for a loose, garden picked look.
I love it but I think it could have been better if I listened to Mindy’s tip to start with more of a base of greenery. I was too excited to get to the flowers. Also, I wish I would have done the blooms in threes–I just winged it.
If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, you will want to attend one of Mindy’s classes. She can even tailor a class for a bridal shower or birthday party. Contact her at [email protected].
THANKS FOR VISITING!
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