A Wedding Flower Tutorial for Do it Yourself Brides
and Event Planners
Part Five: Pulling it all Together!
Blooms and stems, like you, are lively, gorgeous and sensitive to their environment. To create outstanding floral art (even simply) you must know your medium and it's handling preferences, care needs and requirements. With simple techniques and special attention they will be eager to grace your event with unparalleled success.
Here are my favoritewww.fiftyflowers.comCare and Caressing Tips and Techniques:
Morning Before Blooms Arrive:
1.) Pre-select a work room with craft space (counter, big non-metallic sink (or line with contractor's clean up bag), table, chair, cutting board, hangers, stem receptacle, etc.) and arrange your floral knife and craft supplies conveniently.
2.) Clean and sterilize work surfaces, sinks, vases and containers with a simple water and bleach solution. 1 part bleach to 9 parts water (wear gloves!).
3.) Remove all ethylene gas producing fruits and vegetables.
4.) Keep your floral room smoke, draft, pollution, excessive heat or cold, and direct sunlight free.
5.) Repeat this mantra, " I shall cleanse my hands and tools often."
6.) Have prepared cool water floral conditioning containers; since, a little water and floral preservative settling will reduce air bubbles in your containers and insure the free flow of solution to your posies, AND these S. American blooming guests will require immediate hospitality upon arrival. 1 TBSP per quart of water.
When Blooms and Stems Arrive:
1.) Introduce yourself to the roses first. Open immediately and carefully unfold them from cardboard and paper sleeves. Be kind and gentle at this phase because your blooms are in a delicate state from their journey. They will firm up upon hydration.
2.) In large sterile sink (or bathtub!) lay flowers diagonally in cool water allowing the water to cover leaves and stems. Roses drink from stems, petals and leaves! Keep flowers heads from total submersion.
3.) Begin knife cutting 1/2 to 1" of lower stems at an angle under water and removing leaves that will be below the waterline in your prepared preservative solution container. Cutting under water ensures that the residue stems produce upon cutting will rinse away and keep the free flow of hydration continual without clogs. Cutting under running water can introduce air bubbles that hamper the flow of water to the flower head.
4.) Transfer to your prepared container bloom upright and a water bead will form at the bottom of your stem prohibiting air from entering the fresh stem cut from cutting tub to conditioning container.
5.) Store bloom conditioning buckets in your prepared floral room and allow then to rest until morning the following day before handling - or, at lest 2-4 hours before handling.
Pro Bloom Tips 101
Never use ammonia products around your floral working area, or near your blooms.
Use care removing "thorns" and leaves from stems because stem "skin" abrasion can promote bacterial growth and prematurely open blooms and reduce bloom life.
Removal of lower stem leaves below the water line inhibits bacterial growth. Essential.
Removal of upper stem leaves above the water line and/or removal of "guard: or outer petals: though aesthetically pleasing for some uses (bridal bouquets, personal flowers, tight arrangements etc.) should be performed with care as doing so will promote faster bloom opening. Lovely, but gently my darling!
If you are fortunate enough to have a roomy cooler handy be sure not to refrigerate when the bloom heads are still wet, or until after finishing spray has dried (see below), and be certain the cooler is clean and free of ethylene gas producing foods.
Favorite Floral Pro Secret Steps: Besides selling a swell product called Crystal Clear water and floral preservative in one - Floralife makes two other handy products called "Quick Dip," and "finishing Spray." I adore these. A one second two inch stem dunk between cutting tub and conditioning container will ensure hydration of your blooms and finishing spray increases bloom protection, hydration and preservation after arranging and beyond...
Bloom techniques: non-ideal blooms? - don't despair!
Your selection of Fifty Flowers ensures you won't have bloom waste and wreckage due to their high quality, fresh florals; BUT, if handling, cutting, accidents and such mangles the bloom's usefulness for your project...
Bruised or droopy head?
Can be wired for support: http://www.save-on-crafts.com/lenstemtec.html
AND/OR
Outer petals can be gently plucked to reveal a beautiful (if slightly smaller blossom - not really noticeable).
Bloom too big and beautifully full for use?
Definitely a risk with Ecuadorean roses from Fifty Flowers - known for their plethora of petal counts! BUT, Pluck as above with very clean hands until desired size knowing that doing so will encourage opening and possibly reduce bloom life. I have had to do this when a groom's boutonniere preference is for a tighter, fussier small bloom. Gorgeous; however, personally I like a big showy open single bloom with naturally beautiful guard petal accents in garden splendor.. (sigh). It's a personal thing and these are YOUR blooms to fashion! Go with your feelings.
Bloom too small or tight?
Promote bloom by removing outer guard petal, upper leaves, OR if all else fails let them have a soak in warm (not too warm) water for about an hour, or until desired openness. Be assured that arrangements and displays of blooms are most awesome when a variety of bloom stages are present in it.
Cut too short?
Wire and tape stem for length, with water reservoir. This is also a helpful technique for slightly bending blooms in sculptural display. See above link.
Need water for an oddly positioned bloom?
Floral tubes - and more floral tubes - hide with greens, tape or ribbons etc. My wreaths and swags are often hiding them - as do my flower girl basket blooms... Crafty craft item.
Color needed not naturally available?
There is a bloom dye spray product available. I have never used it and probably never will (loving natural colors), but I know it exists and may be fun for you to experiment with for some special effects on a practice bloom, a stem or two. Design Master makes a great special effect paint - even 14 carat gold, and silver for fill and branches! Especially useful I hear for working with silk flower accents?
http://www.dmcolor.com/proddyes.htm
What You May Like To Know Before Planning:
The Types of Arrangement Shapes:
http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=howTo&p=HomeDecor/
flowr_arrng.html&rn=RightNavFiles/rightNavLawnGarden#ff11
The Floral Design Elements: Line, focal and fill...
http://www.michaels.com/online/departments/
interactive_projects/flower_arranging/flower_arranging.htm
Comfort with Your Skills: Practice Makes Perfect...
One fine idea is to familiarize yourself with your tools and a sample arrangement. Try ordering a rainbow rose pack form www.Fiftyflowers.com for practice color pairings, floral experimentation, arrangements, and gaging bloom opening times.
Still in Doubt?: You Have a Friend in the Business...
Ask the experts! Fiftyflowers has saved two of my most cherished events - they'll assist you too! I, and my 12 years of Commercial Art & Design experience are always available via email for any advice or creative sparking tips and budget conservation elegance too!
angelalynnevents@yahoo.com
Foolproof:
I have found it handy in the past to order what I call back-up blooms. Around 50 extra posies will give you some handling and creative freedom and provide a floral design safety net. If your budget will not permit this - then economize with extra fill stems and have them on hand instead. I was personally happy to have additional hypericum stems available to me for use! Lovely!
Happy Event!
Angela Lynn
San Francisco, California
