LIFESTYLE : Centerpiece Foraging

Ever since me and the fiancé moved to the Mid-West the idea of lawn care and gardening was completely foreign. Owning a lawnmower? Bagging leaves? I have what species of grass? It’s funny how in a matter of four years we’ve gone from palm trees and beaches, to religiously spraying down our hostas in the early spring so the deer don’t eat them.

Our home sits on a corner lot that backs up to a wooded area filled with deer, chipmunks, squirrels, and a variety other woodland creatures which most days makes me feel like Snow White. The upside of our lot is how well maintained It was upon moving in. Large and lush hydrangea bushes that bloom every summer, hostas planted throughout, a Japanese maple tree that greets you upon walking up to the front door, and rose bushes with pink blooms near the back deck.

Surrounded by so many beautiful blooms and greenery, I enlisted one of my good friends and gardening enthusiasts, Whitney to educate me on the plants in my backyard as well as help me create a beautiful centerpiece in honor of Mother’s Day!

The Vessel:

The beautiful thing about creating your own arrangement whether it's for a dining table centerpiece or a small side table, is that there are a multitude of options when it comes to choosing a vessel. A wine glass, to a mug, or even a pitcher; you can get creative and visit your local vintage shop to pick up something special that can be used even after the arrangement has wilted away. It’s a great way to add that extra step of personalization that your receiver will love and appreciate. For our arrangement we used this vintage hobnail milk glass dish.

Vintage milk glass vessel purchased at The Town Peddler

Tools of the Trade:

While a pair of scissors and some water in your vessel are all you really need, depending on the vessel shape you can use several techniques for holding the flowers in place, such as a grid of tape across the top, using flower foam (what we used for this arrangement) and in some cases a floral frog. And while a pair of scissors will do, Whitney suggests using a pair of multi-use flower and stem cutters.

"The milk glass dish was too shallow to hold longer stems in place using a tape grid, and the glass floral frog on hand did not allow for the whimsical, wild arrangement I was going for. I used a floral block that you can easily find at your local arts and craft stores and cut down to size. Just remember to soak the block in water before transferring it over to your vessel. Also, while prepping the flowers, make sure to cut back any unnecessary foliage further down the stem. I like to cut the flowers diagonally as I add them to the arrangement."

Foraging for Flowers:

Walking around the yard it’s easy to overlook certain flowers and shrubs, especially when they aren’t in full bloom. So when walking around your home keep in mind its less about what you can use as ‘filler’ but more so, what special textural qualities and colors do certain plants add to the overall arrangement. To add in more focal pieces we picked up a few stems at our local florist which added to the overall look.

"Add the filler (greenery) around the bottom working up to the top. This creates the dimension of the arrangement. Once you've done this, begin to add in part of the secondary flowers (smaller flowers, branches) you have on hand, then add in the focal flowers, filling in spaces or gaps. While adding in these layers make sure you spin the piece around looking at it from different angles."