Flower arranging

When I had twin babies I did a 4year city and guilds flower arranging course, a few evenings a week. Just needed some time out.
I use these for most things.
Search results for: 'Oasis'
I also use a cash and carry which is local to me.

Buy the oasis (wet stuff- green) in a box of 20 bricks.
Depends what you want to arrange. If it's just oasis arrangements you don't need wire. To make wreaths, you need reel wire to wrap around the the ring, or small lengths of wire for making bunches of berries, etc. Christmas baskets, I will use lengths of wire for arranging in baubles /chillies and any extras etc.

I did post on a previous thread on wreath greenery, I can't seem to find it. Laurel, taxus, pittosporum(sp) ivy berries, chillies, rosemary and euonymous

I would love some idiot guides to flower arranging too rather than my usual plonk a few flowers in a jar/vase

As for wreaths I make my base from twisted willow. I don't know if there are any willow trees around you. Wire the greenery on. Finish with a ribbon and the odd dec. I am still to make mine this year (as is the theme these days - I am a bit behind). Will post pics when done. Also the wreath I hang for home I usually only work the bottom (I should imagine there is a proper name for this). But other things to play with or include if you are crafty. Spray paint/ glitter, pine cone, small bundles of twigs, herbs such as rosemary (if it is a gift you could do a mini dried herby wreath for a kitchen), lavender bags/mice. However simplier IMO is usually better. Colour themes tend to work well.

I often use grape vine - really nice to bend, or a coat hanger with straw packed tight and wired on to give a good shape to start. You can also buy wreath rings, quite cheaply in different sizes.

We have willow trees along the brook so not too far if I can brave the weather.
One of the things that put me off about floristry was the lovely girl who had the shop in Angel Place in Worcester said she can't have the heating on in winter cos it does the flowers no good.

Here's a couple of ideas to try.

When I buy my (real) xmas tree, I give it a little trim round the back where it faces the wall. The trimmings I tuck in a bowl of water. They will last a month or more in the shed.
Ivy; when you pick ivy leaves, make sure you can feel veins on the back. This means it's an older, tough leaf and will hold up well in your arrangement.
Cypress fir smells heavenly in arrangements and grows in many parks, gardens and public places.
Rose hips look gorgeous in arrangements, often hold up better than berries and are less likely to poison animals and children.

For a little sparkle try any or all of these...
Holly looks absolutely stunning if you dip the prickles in a little glue and then in glitter.
Pine cones litter the floor in the woods. Put glue on a paper plate, roll the pine cone then sprinkle with glitter.
For table decorations put some glitter in a saucer, spray your rose with hairspray and dab in the glitter....this will highlight the very tips of the petals giving a lovely, delicate effect.

Now, gather some bits.
A length of flex (the thick coated wire you'd expect to find a plug on the end of)
The materials described above.
Some wire....reasonably thick fuse wire or anything like that will do.

Take a small piece of xmas tree, a couple of ivy leaves pinch into a bunch and use the thin wire to wrap around the stems and attach to the flex at one end, facing away from the flex.
Makeup another small bunch and attach a couple of inches along the flex to the left and then another a couple of inches further along and to the right, come back again and put a bunch in the middle again

Is this making any sense? I made a little diagram but every time I post it's been 'tidied up' by the computer and moved about....sorry


When you get to the middle do a couple of fuller bunches, by now you'll have the hang of it you can wire in some pine cones here and there....the odd xmas decoration or ribbon bow? Now change direction to go to the end.

What you should have is a beautiful mantlepiece/windowsill bower. In a heated room it should last 10 days or more, all it needs is a light spray...a 'misting' with water each morning. But you can make it now and keep in the shed untill required.
No roses in that one...they need the oasis...but to get started without a mission to buy specialist stuff the bower is great.

If you get hold of some oasis you can move on to your table centre.

One cheats way of making a wreath is to cut some willowy withies, I use dogwood which grows at the local carpark and has vivid red and green bark. make a circle while twisting the withies so that they spiral round each other. Tie with a pretty ribbon. Using your wire again make lots of wee mixed bunches again and, if you'll forgive the technical terminology, jam 'em in Just keep adding stuff, baubles, pine cones etc can be wired or tied in wherever there's a gap.
You will be amazed at how professional it will look as it starts filling up.
Top tip though.....put the holly in last. That stuff hurts.
Again, a simple spray of water will keep your wreath looking lush. If anything does start to go over (berries or rose hips for example), snip it off with scissors (leaving the stems in place) make up a couple of fresh bunches and jam 'em in.

Alldigging, Sarah Raven has some youtube demos of her flower arranging, here's a link to one of them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=640gJ8FoNUs

I've watched them all - they're gorgeous, though she uses so many more flowers than I could ever grow.
I think some of her products are a bit pricey, but she sells a lot of the flower arranging equipment
Floristry Kit | Sarah Raven

She also does one day courses at her Perch hill garden (though I've no idea where in england that is)

Thanks! Will watch that!