Summer Flowers

Summer has arrived and with summer comes a brief season of gorgeous garden flowers. In this video clip Leanne creates a beautiful vase arrangement using the French weave technique. The color harmony is a bold split compliment softened with blue green foliages. This design style is one that you will want to create often this summer. Enjoy!

Video Transcription 


Welcome to the Flower School.com video library. I'm Leanne Kesler, director of the Floral Design Institute. Today, I want to share with you fabulous summer flowers in an easy to create for your home or for a friend. 


For the vessel, just a grand vase that I found. And then, so much comment is going into, "Should I use foam? Should I use floral netting?" that sometimes we forget that just plain old water with a weave technique is fabulous. I just filled it with fresh water with flower food, and then I gathered my flowers. So many fabulous things from Charles Little and Company Farms, which we have students working there so give them a shout out. We've got some nadia, it's in the scabiosa family, some freesia from the Peter Court Farms. So, again, Oregon products. Some lovely, delicate eucalyptus, lamb's ear, ranunculus, Salvia, and Toulouse Lautrec garden roses. So much fabulous color, split complimentary. Can't wait to get started. 


When you're working with a bold color harmony, it's nice to give the eyes a resting point. That's why I chose to work with the blue green foliages. They're softer grade down and I place those first, giving it a cut and then just placing it right in, starting on the lower portion of the vase, letting it drape over the sides. And then, I'll work inwards with the lamb's ear. This is also from Charles Little. Rid of the side shoots, placing it in. And by radiating around, from side to side, weaving the stems, creating a solid binding point, everything will be supported naturally with the foliage. 


As I place my flowers, I want to remove anything that's low below the waterline, making sure that it's just a nice bare stem. The salvia is so gorgeous. It drapes out nicely. Placing it on the outer edges first, just as I did with the foliage. That way, as I work, each stem is building a supporting network for the next stem and you actually fill in the center, then, very last. But just stripping down the sides, placing it in. You can mix blossoms, maybe going with some of the freesia. Giving it a cut and then angling it towards the center. And again, working at the lower edges. Now, the freesia is so fabulous. It has these great buds, as well. Go ahead and tuck those in. They give nice movement to the design, make it look so delicate. Radiating around, continuing. Always stripping the edges. And then, going from the sides and the bottom first. 


Now, the vibrant yellow of the Toulouse Lautrec garden rose. Removing the thorns a bit so that they don't catch onto the leaves. And then, placing it down, feeding it into the weave. I think I want that a little bit shorter, tucked down in. There we go. Coming across. And the beautiful nadia, of the scabiosa pincushion family, letting it dance over the top, so delicate. It's delicate, I say, but the stems are strong and sturdy so I can just feed it right down in. I'm going to separate those two so that I can get that to go exactly where I want it. And then, that one come up. and then, this one beside it because as it was squishing in, it was making it go into a different area than I wanted. And I can add a few more buds. And another bloom. And some more roses, getting a delicate play over the top of the bouquet. 


To finish, just a tiny bit of the eucalyptus, bringing it up towards the top, carrying that color and texture from the bottom up into the design, tucking it between the blooms, sliding it in. And then, I have two absolutely exquisite ranunculus, also from Peter Court. And taking those, placing them down close to the center will add an accent to the design. 


Designing with summer flowers in summer brights is so much fun. I hope you have the opportunity to go out and gather fabulous local products, maybe even from your own garden and then create away. Sit down and enjoy it with a tall glass of lemonade. 


For more creative inspiration, you can find us at the website, Flower School.com. The website contains hundreds of floral design how-to videos, floral design classes, online floral classes and DIY Flowers. 


If you've got questions, you can reach us there. And also, you can pick up the telephone and give me a call. 503-223-8089. And I'd love what you create. Take a photo, send it to my personal email, leanne@floraldesigninstitute.com or even better, post it on social media and tag Floral Design Institute so we all can see. Now, it's your turn. Have fun and do something you love.

  • Fresh Flower Food Individual Pack 10 ounce tub
    Fresh Flower Food Individual Pack 10 ounce tub
  • Quick Dip Individual Pack One Pint
    Quick Dip Individual Pack One Pint
  • Crowning Glory Individual Pack 32 ounce spray bottle
    Crowning Glory Individual Pack 32 ounce spray bottle