Christmas Evergreen Centerpiece

Video Transcription 

Welcome to the Flower School .com video library. I'm Leanne Kesler, director of the Floral Design Institute and today we're going to take a turn to the traditional, looking at classic for a perfect centerpiece made of evergreens for the holiday. 

As I was gathering materials, I knew I wanted to focus on red. But not the bright, bright red that's so Christmas, a more muted and more sophisticated. The burgundys, so grand. So I turned to Garden Roses Direct and Florabundance and sorted by color to find the reds, to find what I wanted. And these three roses just popped out at me. Wanted, with a beautiful petal count. Tess, a classic garden rose and then Piano. I love that one with the buds. Then as I was searching, I stumbled upon the peonies and I thought, "Oh my gosh, peonies for Christmas? Together? Fabulous." 

The base, foam in a liner into a beautiful birch container, presoaked with flower food. Then to get started. Before we even move on to the evergreens, taking some large fatsia leaves, bringing them out. Doing the broadleaf will give a lot of shine and dimension to the design. Terracing them front to back to carry the eye through the design and add a bit of wonderful, shiny glossiness to the finished arrangement. 

For the rest of the foliage, I called Teacher Michelle and she foraged in her yard. We're so blessed here in the Pacific Northwest. Douglas fir is abundant and it comes oftentimes with cones still on it. So then adding that in, letting the cones just dangle, and grouping a couple, getting extension. One more piece with cone on it. I hunted to find the three that had cones. I was like, "Oh, I have to have those." And bringing it around to the opposite side, letting it trail outward. And then coming up towards the center, getting a little bit of movement. Some cedar. It too has little tiny baby cones. They don't show as much, but they're there. Again, letting it drape and breaking the line of the container. And then lastly, a bit of camellia. Again, a glossy leaf picking up that shininess from the fatsia and contrasting with the texture of the evergreen. 

For the emphasis, of course the peonies. They have to be the center of attention, but I also want to keep the essence of the season. So bringing in some ponderosa pine cones, tucking them in and grouping them to establish the focal emphasis. Pre-wired so I can manipulate them, put them right where I want. Then coming back with the peonies, keeping them centered so they become the most important part of the arrangement, some a little higher and some a little lower. 

Now comes the easy part, filling in the design with gorgeous roses. Bringing the Wanted out to the side. Need a little fullest extended. Making sure it's in deeply to drink well. The Piano with the beautiful buds coming up a little higher. And the Tess for that little deeper hue, maybe bringing it down, tucking it, and then repeating. Adding roses throughout until it's full and lush. 

With the roses all in place, then you want to look at it from all sides and enhance. Maybe a little more camellia coming out to the sides for fullness, making the whole thing just larger. Out to the opposite side and brightening it with that shininess. Some to the back. Then one last piece, coming to the front. 

The finished arrangement, classic traditions but updated a bit, going with an asymmetrical vibe, not quite so stiff and formal. The flowers sourced from Garden Roses Direct and Florabundance. I used nine of the Wanted roses, four Tess, four Piano, three peonies and of course I tucked in the three cones and a variety of the foliages and it looks good, from the front and from the back. 

Traditional red is such a favorite for the holiday season, updated to a more sophisticated burgundy, then paired with evergreens. Wonderful inspiration to get you started. If you would like more creative inspiration, check out our website, Flower School.com. If you have questions, you can reach us there or give us a call at 503-223-8089. Now it's your turn. Gather your favorite blooms, design something fabulous. Be sure to take a picture and post it on social media, hashtag Floral Design Institute. That way we all can see what you do as you do something you love.