My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Oncidium - Dancing lady

Oncidium

Cherry twig cocoon with Oncidium orchids and dandelion seeds

Common name

Dancing lady

Origin

Tropical USA

Varieties

More than 750 species are available

Colors

yellow and brown, bi-coloured but new varieties of green or red are also occasionally available

Vase life

Twelve to sixteen days

Scent

None

Uses

Very delicate but because of its colour it attracts attention and creates an abundant impression

Conditioning

Give the stem a fresh cut preferably keeping a section of the main stem attached to the flower stem and condition in deep water. Flowers can be revived by bathing them in lukewarm water. As flowering plant: up to three months. After flowers fade give the spike a clean cut just above the second or third node to encourage re-flowering. The entire plant can also be conditioned to use in an arrangement by removing the growth medium and submerging in warm water overnight.

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Related Designs

10 April 2024 See through Jasmine Vine tangle support

This is a great way to explore using vines dried, soon to dry and fresh and hydrated to craft the thinnest possible transparent design.

10 April 2024 (if only) I can see you

Tangle jasmine vines outside a vase for a transparent screen to display floral details on and around a sea horse vase to display floral details in.

28 February 2024 Tangle a Ceropegia Woodii bud vase nest topper

Hatching an Oncidium orchid from a succulent vine nest... as one does in early Spring.

28 February 2024 When the Super-duper is taking it Easy-peasy

Easy does it design that hints at but is not yet as intensive as the fun basket weaving and crafting that comes with Spring designing.

7 February 2024 Knot willow twigs around a shallow container to keep tiny orchid stems upright

An all natural flower frog that adds to the design feel.

7 February 2024 Knot... that easy

An all natural shallow container design solution...

24 January 2024 Suspend delicate stemmed orchids in a Willow Infinity Weave Flower Frog

Create a little grid that fits the stems exactly to position them above and below water in a large container.

24 January 2024 I mean… really!?!

Using fresh twigs to bind a little twig platform to suspend the beautiful orchids from.

11 March 2020 Impossibly delicate Dancing Lady orchid wreath

Weave a wreath around a cardboard circle to create an almost lace effect... perfect to capture those first signs of Spring!

11 March 2020 On-Spring-dium

A almost impossibly delicate oncidium (dancing lady) orchid wreath.

12 December 2018 Availability of plant material shows in your design style

The last design I did for my book launch demonstration looking at aspects that influences my effortless style of designing... this week: often when we see a design element...

31 October 2018 Scary stuff!

My Halloween design... with some scary stuff hidden if you can read between the leaves!

28 March 2018 Walking on eggshells

Fill eggshells with moss to create an upright container... with a surprising balancing trick.

14 March 2018 Willow birdcage

Weave a willow birdcage to use as a wedding ring box

14 March 2018 Old, new trends

My article and willow birdcage design for wedding rings featured in DIY Weddings Magazine.

17 January 2018 Creating contrasts in shallow containers with pebbles and water

Such a peaceful design with just enough float and "stay put" elements

17 January 2018 Flowering Between a Rock and a Hard place

Create a subtle contrast by floating or anchoring some of your design elements.

29 November 2017 Marcescent

Glue a delicate autumn room devider

22 November 2017 Acorn fork

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

22 November 2017 How do squirrels Cache a tree?

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

8 November 2017 Three tier dried autumn leaf armature

Dry autumn leaves on cardboard disks to create an upright fall armature

8 November 2017 Psithurism

Craft a three tiered, dried autumn leaf armature

9 August 2017 Hat tip

Tip a mortarboard inspired top at an angle for a glass design

28 June 2017 Somewhere in the Middle

Skewer Dracaena leaves into a roll that supports a tiny water source for the Oncidium orchids

5 April 2017 Easter Bonnet

Weave a delicate Pillbox hat

11 November 2015 Balancing the curved stems of dried Autumn leaf tubes

Long stemmed autumn leave tubes as a floral armature

11 November 2015 Balancing Act

Bend dried fall leaves to balance on the edge of a glass container

20 May 2015 Grass Bundle

A grass bundle floral armature

20 May 2015 Up on

Tie a bundle of grass as a floral mechanic

15 April 2015 Bowled Over

Weave a sphere armature to complement delicate oncidium orchiods

31 December 2014 The sound of a kiss

Stack and glue twigs into a table top heart

19 November 2014 Forest Floor

Glue a autumn leaf rosette armature

10 April 2013 Unthinkably good things

Oncidium orchids hiding in a woven grass cup. This Design Tutorial is featured on The Conna Flower and Garden Club (Ireland) website. It is part of their Floral Art Lessons...

27 November 2012 Winter Woodland Chandelier

Wrap vines and twigs around a wire frame to create a decorative woodland chandelier

31 July 2012 Grown Glamour

Delicate cherry twig, rosary vine and oncidium orchid enchanted forest masquerade masque.

16 August 2011 Cherry twig cocoon

Japanese aesthetic, wabi-sabi, acknowledges three simple truths:nothing lasts, nothing is done, and nothing is perfect.