Vivacious Violets for a Coming Arrival

Purples have an affinity for spring greens in a mix of wildflower style with refined design.  These centerpieces were created for an amazing friend's baby shower who isn't sure if it's a boy or a girl!

The two different sets of centerpieces were created in mason jars of two different heights with purples and greens.  In both, purple larkspur, stock, and darker lisianthus complement bright green Bells of Ireland and wildflower style bupluerum.  White snapdragons were used to brighten up the effect.

How to create wildflower style arrangements that still look put-together?  Choose several types that have delicate flowers on long-stems along with a few soft styles to complement.  Place the tallest stems in the center, working your way out with shorter varied types and finishing with a clustered variety to fill in around the edges.  (Hint-don't just "throw" flowers into vases!)    

Gladiolus goes Green

Always a vibrant combination: spring green, hot pink, orange, and a splash of clean white for a charming piece.

Gladiolus in a favorite shade of spring green are the focal point of this piece.  Hot pink garden roses, hot pink and orange roses and white lisianthus complete the look with vibrant tones.

How to select and care for gladiolus flowers?  Be sure to buy stems that only have the bottom one or two flowers open.  The rest will open quickly over the next few days.  Pluck out lower flowers as they become wilted and begin to yellow. 

Vivid Green and White with a Pop of Pink

Green and white get a burst of color with a little pop of pink.

The left centerpiece was created with Bells of Ireland, white lisianthus and a few freesia to make it smell fabulous. The bouquet was created with white and hot pink freesia, pink fuzzy celosia, bright green cymbidium orchids and loops of lily grass. The bottom centerpiece is simply lisianthus with pink celosia for accents.  

How to loop lily grass for a bouquet or centerpiece? Pierce the end of each individual leaf with a floral wire, wrap with stem tape to secure. Insert base of lily grass at one point, use the wired end to pull into your piece, being careful not to snag flowers on the way down. Secure bottom of both ends so it does not shift.

Tangerine Spring

The hottest trend in flowers just happens to be a cool tangerine orange! Many spring flowers such as tulips, lilies, and gladiolus are available in this shade.

This monochromatic centerpiece was created with tangerine tulips, ranunculus and mini-carnations. All of the flowers incorporated have a pinkish tone, which works nicely with silver accents and the vase.

Want to do a monochromatic piece without being boring? Be sure to add accents such as metallics in a striking vase or non-floral accents. Also, make sure your tones are all either warm or cool to avoid clashing. Typically, warm colors go best with gold-tones and cool colors work with silvers.

Peacocks in Bloom

What could be more on trend than peacock feathers with your blooms for a unique bridal bouquet?

This bride's choice combined two of my favorite things: peacock jewel-tones and gorgeous florals. The bouquet is made with silk plum hydrangeas, golden garden roses, light blue/green delphiniums and bright white calla lilies to bring it a fresh wedding feel.

How to incorporate non-florals into an arrangement without it looking like a craft show gone wrong? Wire your non-florals fairly high up on the stem so they can be bent into the proper shape. Use sparingly so that they don't take over your arrangement. Be sure to keep the florals simple.

This idea can be created using fresh flowers, or even a combination of both to suit your wedding day plans.

Falling into Winter

Who needs the traditional orange, red and yellow fall arrangement when you can have something so much more?

For a Thanksgiving/Christmas celebration, this centerpiece showed off cinnamon colored spider mums, deep red dahlias, dark golden mini cymbidium orchids and ivory lisianthus to brighten things up. The accents of deep purple (maybe some type of eucalyptus) were a "greenery" that I've never seen before but love!

How to update your holiday floral looks? Choose one or two traditions (yellow/red tones here) and use unusual flowers that you may not have considered before. Accent with something new (ivory here) to bring it a more modern feel.

Stunning Sunflowers

A stunning choice for a fall wedding: sunflowers and elegant white! Sunflowers have a special meaning for this bride and groom, so it was enjoyable to incorporate that into their wedding.

The beautiful bride's bouquet had sunflowers, giant white mums, calla lilies and yellow/green solidago. The bridesmaid bouquets were white mums, calla lilies, yellow viking mums and solidago. The centerpiece was created with similar flowers as the bride's, with the addition of white snapdragons. The arch and chair pieces had similar flowers.

How to use large, rigid stems in a bouquet with softer, more flexible stemmed flowers? Unfortunately, you most likely have to use a bouquet holder with foam because the firmer stemmed flowers will always push your more flexible ones around. If you like the hand-tied bouquet look, then you can use discarded stems to cover the base of your holder and then ribbon wrap it over the top so that you can't see it.