Wildflower Beauty

Video Transcription 

Welcome to the Flower School .com video library. I'm Leanne Kesler, director of the Floral Design Institute, and today I want to share a wonderful design featuring wildflowers for the professional florist. 

The term "wildflowers" and then the term "professional florist" don't always fit well together, because as a pro, you have to be able to gather flowers, lots of them, and design, and they have to last well. So, in reality, my wildflowers are commercial flowers, but I chose them because they gave that essence, the illusion of wildflowers. Now, one thought. Some of them seasonally, field-grown, are going to look a little bit more ratty, less polished. But when they're paired with other faux wildflowers, they give that look that everybody is striving for and craving. That natural, just went out into the field and gathered and brought them in. The mechanics, fresh water, foam-free, using the floral netting. Just tucking it together, getting various levels, and then forcing it down in till you have a nice armature that will support all your stems. 

I taped the floral netting in place with waterproof tape and added fresh water pre-mixed with flower food. Now I add my base materials, and I love, love, love, love the viburnum berries. They're so heavy, so large. Definitely want to break them down. Remove the lower foliage, and then feed it down in, making sure that it's settled. You don't want it to flop around. And repeat that, bringing berries throughout. Double-checking the leaves. This one's got a little bit of damage. Removing that. Then for a softer look, some umbrella fern. So lacy and fabulous. I can give it a little twist, grouping it together, then giving it a cut, and placing it in, letting it break the line of the container. And, to bring out the color of the container, some bleached and preserved ruscus. Breaking it down, feeding it in, and then repeat with additional ruscus, additional umbrella fern, and additional viburnum berries.

The base is full and looks good all by itself. That's the trick with good floral design is each step looks beautiful and then the next step enhances. To continue on, bringing in some of my faux wildflowers. Strawflowers are great. Breaking it down a little bit. These are going to dry and look fabulous. Tucking them in, feeding it into the design, finding the perfect hole. The smaller blooms can tuck in with, making sure that it's in deeply enough to catch into the floral netting but doesn't fall out. Then some of the cornflower, or bachelor button. Bring it in. And some beautiful white scabiosa, giving us a very delicate look, adding a bit more height to the design, so you have a base layer and then a second layer. 

As the final touch, adding a little more texture and a feeling of weeds, maybe some grasses. These are actually dried. Letting them come in, adding a little intensity of that more beigey-brown color. Repeating. Even a little bit of astilbe to go in the middle between the white of the scabiosa and the beigey brown of the grasses. Then looking at it from all sides, making sure there's no holes, no gapping, and that everything works well together. 

Based in floral netting and using materials that will dry beautifully, this is a very long-lasting arrangement. I started with three stems of the umbrella fern, and then I broke apart two stems of the viburnum, added a bit of the bleached ruscus, then I worked in fives. Five stems of strawflower, five stems of the bachelor button, five scabiosa, five astilbe, and then five of the bunny tail grass. Together, super fabulous. 

The wildflower look is on-trend. As a professional florist, we have to think outside of the box to create that look. It is a ton of fun but takes a little bit of practice and experimenting with materials. You'll find more creative inspiration on our website, at Flower School .com. If you have questions, you can reach us through there, or pick up the telephone and give us a call at 503-223-8089.

Now it's your turn. Go gather the beautiful wildflower look. Create a way, 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.