Rock, don't Roll

Create a contrasting base to lift the heavy flower-head to design in

Use all three methods to dry hydrangeas to get three very different textures to use in design work.

Give dried hydrangeas (or other dried flowers) a longer stem to make it easier to work with.

I wanted my willow armature to hint of a web-like dreamcatcher that grows in the wild rather than being a precise replica of the traditional craft technique. But I did weave it...

Hold a dried hydrangea flower in the palm of your hand to smooth out the folds

Create veil of wool and Spanish moss

Wrap and weave and twirl and dangle foliage to create a spiral nest

The finish of every design should be flawless. Make sure there are no bits of glue visible in your design by carefully removing all traces of spills.

Create a full design without the weight by stabilizing the flowers with glued sticks. This is a great alternative to floral foam.

Spiral stems around a Ceropegia woodii or Rosary vine.

Glue a few twigs to arch over a upturned container

Wire and glue a few acorns into the fork of a twig to create an Autumn armature

Create a minimal design by placing a single flower on a platform

Drill holes in a piece of lumber and insert dowel sticks to create an armature

Wire and glue the driftwood at an angle to balance on a pebble

Protea (but each variety also has a common name)

Rosary vine, Chain of Hearts, Collar of hearts and String of hearts

Hydrangea, when cultivated as a cut flower rather as a plant it is often revered to as Hortensia

A contemporary cascade of rosary vine and dried petals.

Filling a trumpet flower cup... with more flowers!

Zig-zag grass details add a bit of tension to the design

All natural design using the design elements as mechanics.

Use the heart of a sunflower as a platform to place your autumn floral details on.

Complete the picture by drawing a lily flower with delicate vines.

Creating a bit of space in a summer design to allow for the plant material to naturally fall as it wants.

Vanilla Design for the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa

Take inspiration from a traditional Dream-catcher design to create a floral armature

A veil of green wool, Spanish moss and dried hydrangeas hang over white lilies

Weave and wrap and twirl and knot a summer floral nest

Glue a heart shaped design made from bark and wood.

Glue a twig rainbow to sit over a vase

My second design in my demonstration at the BC Floral Art Society meeting

Some designs really do just make themselves. I received this tiny vase for Christmas from Marius (thank you, Marius!) and while cleaning out my design room I found this little...

Hoard a few acorns in the fork of a twig to show off a single oncidium orchid.

Weave willow to create a heart shaped wand design

Place a water tube at an angle in lumber so that the Zantedeschia float just above the base to show off the delicate grass snippets scattered up the stem

To commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee and the 20th Anniversary of Friends of Government House Gardens Society a Horticultural event was hosted in the gardens and...