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Ngaire adds,"When Gregor Lersch from Germany demonstrated in Auckland in 1989 I decided this was the way to work with flowers - free, bold and beautiful. Thoroughly inspired by the European design styles I was very fortunate to be able to attend Ecole Francaise de Decoration Florale, in Paris. These French and European designs have been the basis of the workshops I have been invited to teach throughout New Zealand."
The completed design. |
Vines in a Vase
First find a vase that has a lovely shape. Ngaire found hers in a junk shop for $2, all shiny and covered with flowers. Then assemble tissue paper, and wall paper paste. Dip the tissue in the paste and cover the vase with it, making a paper mache that covers over the vase completely. The tissue gives a finer texture than newspaper, so if you want a bigger, bolder texture, use that instead. When it is dry, paint the container in the colour of your choice. "Work quickly" says Ngaire, "don't fuss, and it's fun" Ngaire touched up her container with spray paint, "but talk to someone as you do it, "she says, "so you don't get too meticulous." |
.  When you have the colour you like let it dry and then add the mechanics Find a container that will fit inside the rim of the vase snugly and extends into the vase for at least 100 mm . Ngaire saves all sorts of plastic containers from her groceries just for this purpose. Soak green floral foam if you are using fresh flowers, and then put into the container, with the foam extending slightly above the rim. Put the container into the vase. Add chicken wire over the top of the foam and rim. | ||
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When it has dried a little, use paper twist
wire to join each vine to the one beside it with a
gap between. Ngaire used the new season's growth from
the Philadelphus and she loves the way the bark
comes off as it dries leaving a bone colour
underneath.
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Add the first set of vines vertically to give the design height. Normal dimensions to decide on the length of the Philodelphus stems are: the container is 1/3 the vertical line is 2/3 . Then add one of the curved Philodelphus sets from the base of the vase up into the vertical set. Finally add another curved set from the top of the vase to almost the top of the vertical set. Secure with paper twist if necessary. |
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Ngaire then added 3 heliconias around the design followed by big red gerberas. "If you place them full face," says Ngaire,"They will be eye catching so try to place them all on different angles to give the design dimension, with one near the top". Place the others as you find pleasing. |  |
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Now add 2 Aralia leaves, cut very short, into the floral foam , a few bracts of leucodendrum, and some hypericum berries. These will hide the floral foam at the base and complete the design. |  |
Tricia Legg, a New Zeland floral designer will show you how to create 6 simple but very effective arrangements if you have never used New Zeland Flax before: on DVD
CLICK HERE
Learn how to manipulate Flax, Palms, Strelitzia and Aspidistra on CD CLICK HERE
