Materials:
To create these three darling posies, you will need to source:
– 3 assorted small vessels. I’ve used vintage Fire King mugs — Mom loves that color!
– 6 stems of ranunculus
– 6 stems of roses
– 2 stems of peonies (any other large bloom will also work)
– 3 stems of ammi
– Foliage from the garden (I’ve clipped some jasmine vine, sycamore branches, and a few heuchera leaves. Evergreen hedges like camellia, laurel, or hebe would be great substitutes as well.)
Tools:
– Scissors or clippers
– String
Before you start, clean and prep your flowers. Then fill your chosen containers 3/4 of the way up with water. The Fire King mugs here are about 4 inches tall, so I removed any petals or leaves that will sit below the water line. This will keep your flowers fresher for longer! Divide any large pieces of foliage or multibloomed flowers by cutting in creative places. Remember the height of your vessel, and ensure that all stems will reach the bottom of the container.
Be sure to remove any bruised or damaged leaves carefully by peeling them off one by one. Be cautious not to crush the blooms.
Pro Tip:
Sometimes a little modification is okay! The peonies pictured are a Sara Bernhardt variety, and have fuchsia stripes throughout. It doesn’t quite match the colors I’ve chosen, so I chose to peel the brighter petals off before starting. The flowers won’t mind, promise!
Step 1:
Gather and group a selection of a few pieces of different foliage. This will be the “nest” that you add your flowers around. Embrace the curls and movement of the leaves, and add a couple long trailing bits.
Loosely gripping the foliage, place a peony at a slight angle. In the next few steps, you will be placing each flower beside the last at the exact same angle to create a neat spiral.
Step 2:
Add stems at a parallel angle. Still loosely gripping the posy with one hand, at the same angle, add a stem of ranunculus. I find it easiest to first twist the bundle slightly so the flowers are more unified before placing the next stem at the same angle as the last. Make sure that the flowers you add are in fact parallel (like this \) and do not intersect (like this X).
Step 3:
Repeat step 2 a few more times by twisting and adding a couple roses and a stem of ranunculus.
Step 4:
In this step, we are going to collar the flowers with greenery. Place extra bits of green around the outside of the posy to fill in any gaps and to support the bouquet in the mug. You can bulk up in areas (like the back! ) if it will not sit straight in the vase. Ideally, you want a round and evenly spaced bouquet, but wild works too!
Step 5:
I love adding ammi to arrangements last. It’s like a feather fascinator of the flower world. I’ve placed it layered over my favorite bloom to create depth and interest. Loosen your grip slightly, and push the ammi stem into the flowers, remembering to mimic your parallel angles in the posy.
Step 6:
Tie the bouquet off at the point you are holding in your hand. I usually go around a couple times with twine and tie in a simple double knot.
Snip the stems at an angle, and at an appropriate height for the vessel. You want the posy to fit snug in the vessel to prevent any tipping. Place in water right away.
And it’s done! Very simple, wild, and beautiful. You can gift one on its own; or in a set for Mom to place in favorite spots at home.
I love the idea of gifting a found and reusable item. I can’t wait to share coffee with Mom in those adorable mugs!
Photography by Nadia Hung of Nadia Hung Photography
Florals by Lauren Sabo of Botany and Co
SOURCE:http://www.marthastewart.com/1112271/diy-mothers-day-bouquet