All you need is love.
Welcome to Emma's February newsletter with a floral idea for you to make at home. Why not be cupid for the day and make this easy arrangement to celebrate Valentines Day on the 14th?
I always try and make the arrangements accessible for everyone to create. You can buy supermarket flowers use foliage from the garden or go out and forage. Just be aware of your local councils policy on foraging!
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Spark some romance this valentines day!
Or a bit of self love.
What you will need
Watertight container. I used a fish bowl style. Choose one with a big enough neck to be able to insert your chicken wire.
Chicken wire to support your stems. You could use oasis.
Scissors, secateurs and wire cutters or pliers to cut the chicken wire to size.
Suggested Flowers
Approx 6 red roses from the supermarket, or other focal flowers such as gerbera, carnations or lisianthus.
Approx x 8 Eucalyptus stems I got these from the supermarket (a combination of baby blue and parvifolia) or foliage from the garden, ideally with straight stems such as Christmas box, rosemary, pussy willow and red cornus would look great.
A wrap of purple astrantia approx 6 stems again for the supermarket. You could use skimmea from the garden or any other small headed flower.
x2 Fatsia Japonica leaves one slightly bigger than the other. Or camelia or skimmia foliage.
Method
Cut your chicken wire and scrunch up to enable you to place it in the vessel as seen below.
Fill bowl with water and flower food.
Prepare all the flowers and foliage by stripping off any stems and leaves that will sit below the waterline. Cut all stems at a 45% angle allowing a larger surface area. Save any short stems of foliage to fill any gaps in the display.
Firstly I inserted the eucalyptus baby blue to create the asymmetrical outline to the design.
To create the staggered height of the roses on the left, cut the stems of 3 roses at varying heights and insert into the chicken wire. You may find the roses and foliage don't stay in place immediately but, as you continue to add to the arrangement the stems will eventually support each other.
You can always adjust and move the flowers around as the design takes shape.
Next I added the x2 fatsia leaves to the right side of the design which balances the taller foliage. The slightly bigger fatsia leaf I placed more towards the back and the smaller one just in front of it, i forgot to take a picture!
Group three roses or your chosen focal flowers and cut them reasonably short and group together on the right hand side of the bowl as shown below.
Fill in any gaps low down in the design with some of the eucalyptus parvifolia, and remaining astrantia ensuring all the chicken wire is hidden.
Check all around the arrangement and adjust any areas you aren't happy with. This arrangement has a flat back so is best placed against a wall on a console table or similar.
To look after your arrangement, top up the water as required, place away from any direct heat and out of drafts.
Did you know?
Around 85% of Valentine’s Day cards are bought by women.
Around 73% of flowers are bought by men!
Valentine’s Day got its start as a Roman fertility festival.
Valentine’s Day is said to be the second most popular day to send a card, after Christmas.
I hope you have fun and enjoy making this arrangement. If you do I'd love to see the results, please send me a picture!
I'm always looking for new ideas. If there's anything you'd like to make, please let me know and I'll come up with a plan! Just reply to this email, or send me a message @ejbrinsden@gmail.com
L❤️ve Emma xx