Blooming Phalaenopsis Planter

Video Transcription 

Welcome to the Flower School .com video library. I'm Leanne Kesler, director of the Floral Design Institute, and today I'm here to share with you and on trend Phalaenopsis orchid planter. Yes, as florists we're being called upon more and more to do living plants along with our fresh cut flowers. 

In addition to the 4" blooming Phalaenopsis, I picked up a champagne bucket. Yes, just like you'd add ice and then bottles of champagne for a party. I thought that color was so perfect for autumn and orchids. Then I lined it with black garbage bags just to make sure that there would be no leakage of any sort, double-checking. Then from a friend's vineyard, some grapevine. Isn't that beautiful? It's just a piece that's naturally contorted just like this. I found it out on the ground after they had done pruning, and I thought that is the best vine ever. I could place it this direction or it could go the opposite direction. Just playing around with it until I see how I want it to sit here. And notice how it creates a line already that will be a counterbalance to the vertical line of the Phalaenopsis orchids. Then to conceal and to secure everything, I have some Spanish moss that has been tinted in this soft green, which will pick up the green of the leaves and altogether, I hope, and it should be fabulous.

 As I work, I want to think about the faces of the orchids and which way they're going to look the best and then leaving them in their pots, just setting them, nestling them down between the vines, and picking another one, thinking about how its face turns, and placing it on this side. And another. This one looks almost face forward, so I'm going to go ahead and just let that happen, tucking it down in. Now I get lost behind my phalaenopsis forest. Then going ahead and bringing some out the backside, too. You don't want it to be just one-dimensional. So tucking it in, finding the perfect spot and then thinking, 'Do I want another? How do I want to balance them?" I'm going to scoot this one over just a bit and add one more on this side, tucking it down in, and then turning it. So I can see the front. Checking that I have everything where I want it to be, and then we'll moss it. 

So, I popped around to the front side, adjusted, made sure that they were straight. Then all I need to do is make sure that the garbage bag is completely inside. You don't want that to show, and come back with clumps of moss, because this is what helps hold the plants in place. Plus it conceals the garbage bag. Putting it down in, bringing it around, down through the center. You can see them wiggle as I fasten the moss down in. And that is the crucial step, getting that moss in place so that the wiggling will stop. 

To make this a truly professional polished design, I want to go one step further using the barked wire. It gives me a natural look, a little more rustic texture. Cutting down a segment, and then removing the clips that hold the orchid to the support, because those are not attractive. There's nothing special about them, and replacing that with my own barked wire, just wrapping it around. Make sure it's not too tight. You don't want to stop it from being able to drink. And spiraling it. And then when it's secure, actually taking it and giving it a little twist. It's almost like little roots up in the air, adding a little bit of pizzazz to the finished design. And again, here as well. Give it a little bit of a squiggle. Adding movement to the top. And it somewhat mimics the movement of the grapevine at the bottom by having this little bit that comes out horizontally. Pulling it secure so it doesn't slide down, and then repeating, and do this for each of the clips all the way throughout. 

You can stop at this point and have a fairly timeless seasonal design, because the plants are going to last two to four weeks, really. It's a very long lasting bloom. When you water, people say, "Well, how do I know where to water?" Just water right at the base of each stem. That way, you know you're getting it into that pot. And it doesn't take very much water. To make it even more spectacular, maybe you're having a party, maybe you're getting ready for the holidays. Taking ornaments, and these are just Christmas balls, upside down, and tucking it in place. This one I just shoved right down in. Maybe another one over here, nestling it in with the leaves. And then I had this great big one. It, too, is an ornament. Making the knob down, and nestling it in. Giving a little bit of pizzazz, perfect for the moment. 

With so many people selling plants today, you can buy them almost anywhere. So there has to be a reason for them to come purchase plants from you. And as a florist, we have the resources to create an arrangement that enhances the plants and makes them spectacular. Now, yes, anyone could go buy five Phalaenopsis plants, but not anyone could create this finished design. 

You'll find more creative inspiration on our website, Flower School .com. If you have questions, you can reach us through there or pick up the telephone at (503) 223-8089. Now it's your turn. What are you going to do with living plants? During the autumn season, there's so many to choose from. Find your favorite, create a design. Be sure to take a picture. Post it on social media and hashtag Floral Design Institute. That way we all can see what you do as you do something you love.