This free lesson is a table decoration in the style of Bart Hassam. It   was workshopped in June 2002, from a design he constructed for the AGM of the NZFAS in Queenstown, New Zealand in April 2002. Here you will find step by step instructions to try a variation of this design yourself, and you'll see the interpretations of other floral designers.Be inspired every month by top florists worldwide with a subscription to floral design magazine, delivered to you by post or email. More details here

. Bart's original piece as seen after his demonstration in May 2002 in Queenstown, New Zealand. He uses skeletonised leaves,  roses, freesias, seed heads, lambs ear, ivy leaves, hydrangeas, and twigs in a white and green colour scheme .

.  You will need a 30 cm diameter shallow dish, the plastic drip tray for a pot plant is ideal. Soak 3 blocks of floral foam and insert them into the tray so they are well above the tray rim.	Cut the foam with a knife so the blocks fit snugly and then chamfer the edges so they slope in towards the centre gently.I marked the middle of the foam with a circle (using the bottom of a bucket) so I did this evenly.
	You are now going to add leaves around the outside of the rim in 3 layers. Ivy or Fatsia works well or a mixture if you haven't enough. Put the first layer sloping downwards right on the rim of the tray spaced so each leave just touches the one beside it. The second layer is above the first and inserted  in the gaps between the first layer. The  third layer is again above the second in the gaps. This should have taken the leaf layers to the top of the chamfered floral foam.
Arrange group of flowers in the top, not in formal pattern, and have some raised up and others level with the floral foam.	Keep adding until the foam is completely covered, and extend some of the flowers on long stems out to the edges of the design.
Add the caspia or similar above the flowers, extending out past the  edges of the leaves, outwards rather than upwards	Add skeletonised leaves and you are finished! To see a larger picture click here

Tricia Legg used orchids, chrysanthemums and leucodendron flowers, with a mixture of ivy, magnolia and fatsia leaves, overlaid with caspia.

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Jessie McLeod used ivy leaves with roses, carnations, and the amethyst Heuchera leaves with a vine overlay

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Ivy Wright uses red roses, yellow carnations, geranium leaves, and mingimingi vine as the overlay

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Dorothy Davies used pink roses, carnations, aloesmeria, variegated honesty leaves with magnolia and fatsia leaves.

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