Spring Design Tutorial by Joseph Massie

We’re excited to share this detailed design tutorial as a bonus Flower Class Session by Joseph Massie. With the excitement of Joe’s recently launched, Flower Class Membership, The Flower Class Sessions were created to offer you a little taste of the goodness you can expect to find inside the new membership offering.

At the end of the post we’ll include a link to our bonus episode with Joe. We discuss Flower Class in more detail, in addition, you can save through the end of February with a special offering for An Annual Flower Class Membership. Enjoy!

 
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How I Made It : The Alternative Spring Bowl

with

The Flower Podcast

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  • For this project, you will need :

  • 1 x Bowl, dish or vase

  • Chicken Wire

  • Paper covered wire

  • 1 x Kenzan or pin holder

  • A small piece of Oasis Fix or Cling

  • Scissors, Secatuers or a Floral Knife


Although often charming, Spring flowers can sometimes be a little too vibrant - a little too in-your-face, if you know what I mean?  Today I want to share a richer, darker colour palette, featuring a collection of my favourite seasonal blooms - Ranunculus and Hellebores. Depending upon where you are in the World, Ranunculus and Hellebore might not be blooming just yet, but as quintessential Spring blooms, they are the perfect blooms to use should you wish to recreate this design a little later in your local season. It’s worth noting that the techniques used in piece are very versatile and of course can be used for many other styles of bowl design too. 

A side note before we dive into this article - please know that this How I Made It article features gifted product - the wonderful stems of Hellebore, grown by the wonderful Marginpar. If you haven’t worked with their Hellebore before, you are in for a real treat! For further information, be sure to check out the Marginpar range of blooms right here. 

 
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  1. To begin, take a favourite bowl or container, and a small piece of oasis fix. Peel the paper from the fix, and roll it into a ball in your hands - you’ll feel it become more malleable as you the fix becomes warmer. 

  2. Take your pin-holder or kenzan, and place the fix to the back of your pin holder, ideally in the centre. 


3 - Place the pin holder directly into the centre of the bowl, and press down firmly, securing the pin holder into the centre of the bowl. I’m using a pin holder in this design as I want the security it provides to really hold my blooms in a certain form. If you desire a looser, less controlled form, then a pin holder may not be necessary, and you can skip the previous pages, and start this project on the next page. 

 
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4. Take a sheet of plastic coated chicken wire, and trim to a size approximately twice the size of the the diameter of your container. Begin by folding the corners of your chicken wire, and gently start to shape the chicken wire up into itself, forming a small nest to fit within your vessel, and being sure to create multiple layers of wire within the nest shape. 

5. Once formed, place the chicken wire nest into the bowl, so it sits level or just below the rim of your vessel. 

6. To secure the chicken wire within your container, thread the length of paper covered wire through the chicken wire, and loop it around, and underneath your vessel, bringing the ends back together on the rim of the vessel. Twist the ends of the wire together several times to secure. 

7. Repeat the process again a second time, securing the wire perpendicular to the first, intersecting in the centre of the vase. The chicken wire will be held snugly in place by the two pieces of paper covered wire, providing you with a stable base into which you can arrange your flowers. Fill your vessel approximately one third full with water.

8. With our mechanics in place, start by taking the stems of Hellebore, and remove most of the leaves from the stem. I often find that the beauty of Hellebore stems can be obscured by their heavy dense foliage - removing the foliage will also help the blooms last longer. Begin arranging by placing a couple of stems into the vase, arranging them asymmetrically as shown below. 

9. Continue to add Hellebore stems creating a stronger asymmetrical form, taller on the right of the vase, and shorter on the left. For the outermost stems, and the taller stems, try to arrange these into the pin holder, as this will provide the stems with additional support. Continue to add in further Hellebore, adding more open blooms within three key focal areas strengthening the asymmetrical form. 

10. Next begin to add in the Ranunculus to the design, starting by adding them lower into the design, at first, and then later adding them further towards the outer edge and taller parts of your design. The Ranunculus stems will likely be held in place in the chicken wire, however, you can insert them into the pin holder if you wish. 

11. Continue to add in further stems of both the Hellebore and Ranunculus until your bowl is full of Spring blooms. Once you are finished, ensure that you have no chicken wire on show, and top the bowl up with water until nearly full. Sit back, relax and enjoy! 

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I would like to thank Joseph Massie for providing this wonderful tutorial for designing with these beautiful spring blooms. It’s truly amazing what can be created with two types of blooms and a great design. I hope you feel inspired to try this design and when you do, please share it on social media and tag @theflowerpodcast and @josephmassie ! You have through February 2021 to use the links below to save $100 on the annual membership to Joe’s new online learning platform called ‘Flower Class’!

Be sure to listen to my chat with Joe or watch on our YouTube Channel. Serious content but with laughter and a lot of fun.


 
 

Bouquet Beauty from The Flower Podcast

A wedding bouquet can be some of the first flowers a bride and her wedding party might see just prior to her walking down the isle. It’s that bouquet that can stir the soul and bring the sparkle of happy tears from your bride. Connecting you, the floral artist, and the bride is a very special moment- one that can bring intense satisfaction. I hope these bouquets inspire you like they did us. Thanks to The Flower Podcast guests for sharing these moments with us and now you.

Bouquet by Holly Chapple, Photo by Abby Jiu

Bouquet by Holly Chapple, Photo by Abby Jiu

This amazing bouquet by Holly Chapple includes the following flowers: Peonies, Lily of the Valley, Nerines, Garden Roses, Ranunculus, Eucalyptus, Gardenia Foliage, Myrtle, and Deutzia.

Finding the right textures and colors to reflect the style of each bride can be a real challenge depending on the time of year. Every bouquet needs a combination of more robust flowers that draw the eye but also the delicate flowers that bring a level of sophistication to this masterpiece. Finding that balance can be difficult yet is rewarding when the artist sees that sparkle in the bride’s eyes.

 
Bouquet by Velvet and Twine, Photo by J P Pratt

Bouquet by Velvet and Twine, Photo by J P Pratt

This amazing bouquet by Velvet and Twine includes the following flowers: Garden Roses, Peonies, Ranunculus, Orlaya, Seastar Fern, Plum foliage, Riceflower, Lisianthus, Black Berry Privet, Autumn Eucalyptus, Astilbe, and Super Parrot Tulips.

Color can be very personal. Not everyone loves the same palette. Working within the parameters of your taste and style while supporting the bride’s wishes may be challenging. I always find it fascinating how color can evoke emotion.

 
Bouquet by Christy Hulsey, Photo by Jeremy Harwell

Bouquet by Christy Hulsey, Photo by Jeremy Harwell

This amazing bouquet by Christy Hulsey includes the following flowers: Peonies, Ranunculus, Scabiosa, Silver Dollar Eucalyptus, Leucadendron Foliage, Hanging Amaranthus, and Garden Roses.

Not ever flower lends itself to every style of bouquet. Whether small or large, wide or compact, the bouquet is the perfect accessory to any bride and her gown. Choosing flowers to compliment the bouquet’s movement adds character to the piece.

 

The Flowers included in this stunning bouquet by Joseph Massie: Roses, Peonies, Queen Anne’s Lace, Saponaria, Misc Vines and Grasses.

Some bouquets are strictly for editorial purposes. It’s imperative to take a moment for yourself to just create and stretch your creative boundaries. Explore different color combinations or styles, expand beyond your usual flower choices. Growing your skills and imagination is very inspiring. Adding these images to your portfolio can also let a bride know just what you are capable of creating for her special day.

 
Photo provided by Emily Newman, If I Made, Bouquet by Kelly Lenard, Photographer Lauren Balingit

Photo provided by Emily Newman, If I Made, Bouquet by Kelly Lenard, Photographer Lauren Balingit

This amazing bouquet is by Kelly Lenard of Intertwine and the flowers in the bouquet include: Spirea, Narcissus, Millet, Amaryllis, Butterfly Ranunculus, Hellebore, Flowering Pear, and Eucalyptus.

Sometimes using the most delicate of flowers can reflect your knowledge and confidence of flower material and your skill at showing restraint in a design piece. Even the smallest of bouquets can speak volumes.

 

This beautiful bouquet by Ginny Early includes the following flowers: Japanese Anemones, Garden Roses, Ranunculus, Butterfly Ranunculus, Chinese Pistache Foliage, Chocolate Cosmos, Carmel Plumosa Fern, Echinacea Pods, Autumn Eucalyptus, and Hellebores.

 

A memorable bouquet may contain minimal flowers or be composed of several varieties. No matter the composition of a bridal bouquet, designing to encompass your bride’s style and expectation for her magical day is the goal. When we are entrusted to interpret our bride’s dream for their memorable day, one finds the reward in seeing that dream come to fruition. Delight comes in the reaction of your bride. What a beautiful and fulfilling moment to know you as a floral creative have been instrumental in creating a memory.