Fall Floral Arrangement

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 a fall flower arrangement. Perfect for the home. 

The design will be built in this wooden container. It's lined with a plastic liner filled with floral foam, pre-soaked with flower food, taped into place with waterproof tape. Then accented with some fabulous burlap ribbon, on trend for autumn, and then a variety of different autumn flowers. 

I'm going to start with the burlap, treating it almost like it's the foliage, building a base for the design. I can do a loop, crunch it together, give it a cut and then secure it with a wood pick. Twisting it, getting it down there tightly then letting it come out to the side, trailing. I can go back and just do loops, no tails. Back and forth. Once again, just scrunching it, securing it with a six-inch wood pick. Placing that down towards the center and then repeating with tails coming out the opposite side. 

I like to start with my largest flowers, making sure that I establish the focal emphasis, get their stems in securely. Sunflowers, they are a large bold bloom. Cutting it short. Even cutting it both directions so it's an arrow head which allows it to go in a little more easily. And then placing it very low, right at the base of the design. Bringing in a second bloom, cutting it a tad bit longer. Again, arrow heading it and then terracing over the top of the first to help pull the eye back in the design. Then if I'm pulling it in, I want to carry it on back out the other side, adding another bloom. This one's not quite as open. This one has a little bit of damage, but if I take the damaged, put it in the bottom and then put the not open one terraced over the top, the damage will be totally hidden so you won't even see that. So, tucking it down low, pulling the eye from one side to the other. Coming back, this one just a tad bit longer and then terracing it over the top on the part where the petals had been slightly removed. There we go. I’ve got a nice replacement getting started, pulling the eye front to back, creating a horizontal line. Coming in with kale, also a larger bloom with a large stem. I'm giving it a cut. Second cut. Tucking it in down low and then repeating on the opposite side. 

Once you have the large blooms in place, the focal emphasis, you can enhance, expand on the form. Add in texture, color, fabulousness. Some pincushion protea. Giving it a cut and letting it come in a little taller over the top of the previous blossom, down into the foam so it will drink well. Craspedia, Billy Balls, so fun. Letting them come in over the top. Giving it a cut, clustering them in my hand, and then just pulling apart on the ribbon and sliding it down in. Adjusting. A little bit of the safflower in the vibrant orange, using it to come out to the sides, opening it out with the ribbon. Coming to the right and the left. Then also carrying it through the center so that the color continues on. A little bit of hypericum, again, adding texture, contrast. Some soft yellow carnations to get a little lighter appearance, using them down low, basing underneath the orange so that it captures your attention. It becomes an alternative to the foliage, which is kind of a fun touch for an autumn design. Carrying it through to the opposite side. You can see the yellow variation from craspedia to sunflower to carnation. Then the leucadendrons, taking it to a deeper hue. Some out to the sides and then some up through the center. 

When it's done, look at it from all sides. Go back, cut the ribbon, give it a nice angle. Give it a little more polish. And repeat that. I'm going to angle it in the same direction so that it pulls your eye into the arrangement. That's not real smooth, let's clean that up a little. Repeat it on the back. Then since you asked, and you always do, the recipe. I used three yards of the burlap ribbon, four sunflowers, two of the kale, four of the pincushion protea, five craspedia, two large stems of safflower, five stems of hypericum and three stems of the leucadendron. You can see the textures, the colors, the hues. They marry beautiful for a fall arrangement. 

Entertaining at home is more important now than ever before. Florists are going to be called upon to provide flowers for the home so that people can feel special and their home looks autumn. That they're ready for the fall season. For more creative inspiration, you can find it on the website at Flower School .com. If you have questions, you can reach us there or pick up the telephone and give us a call at (503)223-8089. Now it's your turn. I'd love to see what you create for the fall season. Be sure to take a picture, post it on social media and tag Floral Design Institute. That way we all can see what you do as you do something you love.