floralartmall.com
Subscribe to floral design magazine
Mary Taylor
Mary Taylor is a qualified Floral Art judge and teacher from South Africa. She has attended and been successful in many world shows and uses her talents to help others in her area enjoy the pleasures of working with flowers.
More of Mary's work  can be seen in the January 2003 issue of floral design magazine, back issue available here.

Floralartmall.com
33 McDonnell Street
Omokoroa
New Zealand

Phone +64 75482866
Fax +64 75482868
info@floralartmall.com

All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise stated
floralartmall.com and all its trusted partners have a comprehensive refund policy
 
 
 

 

free stuffshopping cartflower arranging bookssubscribe for lessons and inspiration

A horizontal table design from South Africa reflecting the flora and traditions of the area. In this free, easy to follow lesson, Floral Artist, Mary Taylor gives you step by step instructions so you can try it using plant material from your area. Floral design invites talented floral designers from all over the world to create projects for you every month in 'floral design', the magazine, available delivered by email or post. Take the time to check it out here

the completed design
The completed design.
To see a larger view, click here

I have used Gerberas which we originally discovered in  Barberton, which is in Mpumalanga,where I come from, and Limonium which grows on the West Coast of the Cape. Also, I have used umbellatums, Eucalyptus bark and fungus in the design. I used one of my favourite containers which is a clay pot made by our Zulu people, into which I have placed a plastic bowl and Floral Foam."
getting started Secure the floral foam in a plastic bowl that fits snugly into the top of the round container you have selected. Use plastic covered wire netting if necessary over the top of the foam to hold it firmly in place, with florist's wire attaching the netting to the rim of the bowl. Note that the foam goes over the rim of the bowl by at least 1", and it has been soaked first to wet it as Mary is using fresh flowers in this design.
Add the fungus or the large round plant material you have as three placements,low front, mid back and on the topside of the foam. If these cut the foam you may find hot gluing 2 small parallel sticks onto the fungus and then pushing that into the foam would be easier.
Now loop the bark and push that into the foam, one horizontally and the other at more of an angle. If you are using quite delicate bark, once again a glued stick on each end will help them go into the foam more easily.
 
add the flowers
Now it is time to add the gerberas and umbelliums.
As you place the gerberas. make sure they are not all the same distance from the foam, yet all grouped around the one side of the container.
Add the umbelliums to the other side of the container, placing them so they face towards the bark and extend out into this area.
Notice that the flowers and buds are not closely packed together, and you can see through them to the fungus and bark.
 
Now add the Limonium between the other flowers to add transition and colour to your design.
Place some reaching out past the main flowers and others tucked right in to cover the floral foam.
View your design from all sides to check there is no foam showing and it is balanced from all angles. Place on a coffee table or area where it can be admired.
finished



"The Book of Dried Flowers: A Complete Guide to Growing, Drying and Arranging" by Malcolm Hillier.
Malcolm Hillier  has authored many books,  each gives you  great value for money, this one is no exception. Featuring 192 pages of  information, designs,  instructions and ideas makes this the book you will have  in your library for  quite some time as you will always get new ideas from it.
The first section gives ideas for plant materials to dry in  the five basic colour ranges, and the second deals with tools, techniques and materials you need. From there,  the next  4 sections are full of  page after page of  instructions for  fans, posies, bouquets, wreaths, ropes, swags, tables, walls, ceilings, pedestals...the list could fill this section! Finally you find the list of suppliers, and drying skills you need.
Colour photos are clear, the  text easy to follow, and instructions are well written.
Great for you if you are a beginner or experienced, as you will find new ideas to try, gift ideas to sell or give away or techniques to master.