Geraldine's workshop design
She used a dark container, with pink carnations,  dark flax twigs, green/yellow flax, rolled aspihistra and and a heavy hairy vine. It is a design with the emphasis on strong horizontal lines, often parallel placemants giving a layering effect as opposed to the elongated design in a long, low trough container with emphasis on vertical and taller bunched stems.

Horizontal designs can be constructed on a large pot, preferably without handles as these tend to clutter the line. A low trough or low bowl of any shape, a base of interwoven natural twigs or tangle of vine, driftwood, two pots of varying height for split level, or two pots of the same height. There are many other ideas you can start with.

For this design choose a bold, shallow round container approximately 26cm (10") diameter or larger, Select a pot that will blend well with your final design. You also need a large pinholder, floral foam fix or plasticine,green floral foam at least one block that must come over the container, and large heavy wire U bends to hold the sticks down and wire cutters.A well equipped floral art box is essential. Your mechanics are really important so take your time so your base is not wobbly, use new floral foam and build a solid foundation for your design

Secure your pin holder to the base of the dish with floral foam fix or plasticine.After warming it in your hand, make the fix into a thin worm and circle it around the base of the pin holder.Press it firmly into the centre of the dish. Soak the green floral foam in water until it sinks, trim it to fit into your container and then press it down gently onto the pin holder. Make sure it sits firmly, about 2 cms (1") above the rim of the dish. Cut your wire into 15x12cm (5") lengths and bend it into U shapes

The design
Cut your flax sticks so they are in proportion to your container. An estimate is ¼ over one side, ¼ is the container width, and ½ out the other side. Look at the designs and you will see the proportions others used.Lay these sticks down over the container and secure with the wire U pins you made. These will go right through flax flower sticks, but if you are using other twigs, they may have to go over the top and into the floral foam. Use about 3 pins per stick.You may not need to use all of the twigs and cut them on an angle so that the cut is underneath the twigs when you lay them along the floral foam

Put a small amount of cooking oil on a cloth and oil the asphidistra leaves to make them shine. Then roll each leaf and staple to hold the roll in place.To roll, hold the tip, hold it underneath and make a double curl.Try to staple in a place that wil not be seen.Place the rolled leaves in the floral foam in a group, around one side of the bowl, by the short twig end. Have the rolls facing all different directions for interest

Cut the flax with an arrow head shape at the cut end, and insert into design under the rolled leaves. Extend the tip out onto the longer twigs and secure with floral foam fix or plasticine, well hidden

Add the vine you found for rhythm at the shorter twig end, extending it upwards. Make sure the vine is in proportion to the size of the design and container~ thin vine, small container, thick vine, larger container.

Add the flowers in a group beside the rolled leaves, with a bud extending out onto the twigs long side.Take any leaves off the flowers and bud to get a smarter line with less clutter.

Add the moss in areas where the floral foam can be seen, but make it part of the design, rather than just a cover

Now look at your work.
Make sure your eye flows horizontally all the time with your placements adding to this continuity.


Is your design balanced, or does it feel as if it is heavy on one side? You make need to add or take out something to make it better balanced.
Is it in scale? Have you used plant material that is in scale to each other part, or is one part too big or too small?
Have you got contrast, in your plant material for interest? Light and dark, shiny and dull, rough and smooth.
Does it have rhythm, taking your eyes on a lovely graceful dance as they move around the placings?

Interpretations from this workshop:

Chris H chose a black, yellow and white colour scheme for her elegant design.Black twigs were teamed up with black vine, and stunnning white lilies. Long shiny leaves contrasted with rolled yellow stripped flax, in a yellow, white and black bowl to create a stunning effect.

Elsa L achieved a formal style with her interpretation using pink, pale green and brown.The brown flax twigs rough texture was contrasted with the varigated flax in pink and green and the dainty pink camellias carried the colour theme through to the low pale green container.

Enid S has a bolder style, using proteas as her main flower. Because they are large flowers, she had to keep all other plant material in proportion, with bold placements of varigated flax rolled and taken the length of the twigs.Heavy vine, flax twigs and an inconspicuous container completed this beautiful piece of work.