There is a strong fascination in drying, pressing and preserving flowers and leaves, that carries the keen flower arranging enthusiast a step further in the never-ending interest of this artistic hobby. Although we, in Great Britain, are blessed with growing material at almost all times of the year, there are many who live in towns and cities, who, when flowers are expensive during the winter months, find that dry flower arrangements are a very useful standby.

Dry flowers, however, were never meant to take the place of fresh flowers or foliage, but they are certainly timesavers, for they can be made up in advance and brought out only when needed. In most homes, there is nearly always one place where a permanent arrangement of dry material can stand when flowers are scarce or expensive. These arrangements need not be dull. Whereas a few years ago most dry arrangements were made of dried fern and seed heads, today some of the most lovely designs are composed of dried summer flowers, the colours of which can be preserved by hanging them upside down in a dark dry cupboard.

Dry Flower Arrangements Methods

There are four methods of preserving material, and after a little experimenting you will quickly become accustomed to using the one that suits your purpose.

The upside down method

This method of drying is used for flowers such as Delphiniums, Larkspur, Astitbes, Golden Rod, Celosia, Love-lies-Bleeding, Helichrysum, Achillea—and many others. These should be picked just before maturity and hung upside down in small bunches in a dark dry cupboard or attic, preferably where air circulates. The dry atmosphere will absorb any moisture quickly and the darkness will prevent the fading of the colours. Flowers can be left hanging until required. Borax method

The burying in borax method is mostly used for more open flowers such as Canterbury Bells, Pansies, Zinnias, Marguerites, Daffodils, Scabious, forin this manner the form of the flower can be preserved as well as the colour.

You will require a deep box, the bottom of which should be covered with powdered borax. Strip all leaves from the flowers and shorten the stems, then stand them on the borax and continue to put more powder around, under and over the flowers until they are completely covered. Smooth out the petals as you cover them, so as to retain their original shape, and leave in this powder for about three weeks. The powder should then be poured off or removedwith a soft brush very carefully, as the petals will now be rather brittle.

Dry silver sand can also be used for drying flowers in this way, but do make sure the sand and the flowers are dry, otherwise mildew or brown spots will form. Glycerine and water method. Most foliage is preserved by this method and branches of leaves placed in this solution will keep indefinitely.

Wash the leaves to remove dust and split the ends of the stems or branches to allow the solution to be more readily absorbed. Place the material in ajar containing one part glycerine and two parts water which should reach about four inches up the stem. Leave for two or three weeks in a place where air circulates, otherwise the leaves may dry out before the solution reaches the tips. Beech, Laurel, Magnolia, Rhododendron, Camellia, Pittosporum, can all be preserved by this method although the leaves will turn brown. Mottled effects can be obtained if some leaves are removed at the halfway stage, and smaller leaves such as Ivy and Lily of the Valley are better if the whole leaf is submerged.

Pressing method

Ferns and other flat-surfaced leaves are preserved by the pressing between newspaper method, and although done in this manner they remain flat, some very interesting lines and shapes can be retained. Funkia leaves can be folded double and placed between sheets of newspaper, while Iris, Gladioli, Ivy, Raspberry leaves and all ferns can be dried in the same way, although it must be remembered the leaves will be brittle and not pliable as with the Glycerine method. Plenty of newspaper should be used as this will absorb the moisture and some weighty objects such as books should be placed on the top of the pile to ensure even pressure.

The subject of drying material is a vast but very interesting one and can only lightly be touched on in this chapter, but for those who are interested I do advise you to keep your eyes open for all kinds of seed heads and material which will make interesting lines such as dock and dry branches. Do not forget the value of grains and grasses, whilst cones, pods, nuts, fruits, globe artichokes and gourds are excellent for focal interest.

Pussy Willow and Bulrushes dry well if kept out of water and interesting shapes can be obtained with Broom if you wrap it in newspaper and bend it to the desired shape leaving it to dry in this position.

Another item which attracts the keen flower arranger during Autumn and Winter is the dried Hydrangea. These blooms should be left growing until they are fading or past their best. The colour then begins to turn and if they are cut at this stage and placed in about an inch of water, they will slowly dry out as they become deprived of nourishment. Not all Hydrangeas dry alike, so it is as well to attempt a number in order to vary the colouring. These blooms also dry well when hung upside down, but do make sure they are past maturity before picking and not as with flowers of the Delphinium family which are picked for drying before maturity.

Skeletonizing

In Victorian times there was a vogue for ” phantom bouquets ” and these skeletonized leaves are again returning to favour. Certainly they give a delightful touch to a dry arrangement. Magnolia leaves respond well to this treatment, although I have also tried Galax and old Iris leaves, but if you wish to try these you must boil the leaves for thirty minutes in a quart of water to which a teaspoon of soda has been added. After leaving the leaves to cool in the water, they should be spread out on paper and all the fleshy parts should be scraped off with the back of a knife, taking care not to split or tear the leaf. Then place the leaves in some bleach water and leave for an hour, finally rinsing them in clear water.

Finally, wipe them carefully with a soft cloth and then press them between sheets of blotting or newspaper leaving them overnight, weighted down with heavy books. False stems can be wired on and although these leaves last well and keep their shape, they appear very light and airy, and certainly give an ethereal appearance to a dry arrangement.

Clear cut designs and a contrast in forms of materials are two essentials for making successful dry arrangements, and although the subject is endless, the greatest interest is gained by experimenting.

Of course we all know that it is possible to put flowers into a vase without having a plan in mind. Sometimes a design may emerge without conscious direction, but you are more likely to have a satisfying and effective result if you have a design in mind. This is either suggested by the position in the room where it will finally rest, or perhaps by your container or the colour scheme of the room.

Flower Arranging Tips

For instance, you might make a triangular flower arrangement for the centre of aside table, whereas a curved arrangement would appear more suitable for the edge of a mantel. A low bowl, dressed so that it can be seen with equal pleasure from all sides, would be ideal for the casual or coffee table, but a rectangular design would prove a better complement to modern furniture. Again you can imagine that a full buxom bouquet in a copper urn would appear ideal if placed on the top of an oak chest in a Tudor style home, but try to visualise the pleasure you would experience by using one of the exquisite ewers of the Georgian period for a softened vertical arrangement, to be placed in a Regency room.

These, and many more, ideas will come to you, so try to look at your setting as though it were a frame and compose your flower decoration within this space. The frame, as you see it, may be one corner of the room, or just the mantelshelf. It may be a low table on which a lamp habitually stands. So for the mantelshelf, take everything on it into consideration. It may be that a clock is the centrepiece of attraction, then why not place some flowers each side, in containers and using colours that will combine with the clock ; this makes for good composition within the framework of your mantel shelf. Similarly, on the low table, you might compose this picture by adding a low flower design in a small round bowl, made of flowers that combine or contrast with the colour of the lamp shade.

Even the shapes of your containers all play a special part when composing within a frame. For instance, a round bowl would be used for a roundtable, an oblong shaped container would be more suitable for a long refectory table. A plinth urn is excellent for the centre of a side table backing a wall, for with nothing else but the background to detract our attention the beauty of the urn can be seen. Small glass goblets are charming and are usually in good scale when placed on casual wine tables, filled with delicate flowers.

But in all compositions scale is of great importance. I once entered a charming old house, and in the low-ceiling drawing room I noticed a tall vase filled with a dozen very long stemmed gladioli. They were meant to appear casual, but gladioli with their stiff, straight stems never seem to give the appearance of being casually placed. They just looked straggly and untidy, but in this case it was the scale that upset me, for the height and weight of these tall gladioli were all out of proportion for the low-ceilinged room, which I thought would have looked better decorated with a smaller arrangement, in scale with the height of the room, and made with a smaller type of flower, or, if gladioli were the only ones available then they could have been cut down, and some of the lower florets could easily have been removed and used as an extra arrangement in a shallow dish on the dining table.

If you know what shape or size design you wish to make, you can adapt your material accordingly. You can cut it shorter if you wish, or separate it if it is too full, or even ply it with your hands to make a bend if it is too straight. Trim one side of a branch if you wish swerves to flow one way only. In fact, ‘ Know what you want to do and why ‘ is the answer to a lot of the problems, and then adapt your material to your desires.

The word Christmas comes from Christes Maesse, the old English form of the Mass of Christ first found in 1308, and although we have since borrowed and adapted many ideas from other lands, some of which had pagan origin, Christmas is celebrated all over the World today by all peoples, all faiths and creeds. This includes the use of Christmas flower arrangements.

It is a time of giving, with no thought of receiving and in expressing our thanks, we can make our decorations gay or with a religious motif, as we think fit.

Red, green and white are the traditional colours for Christmas decorations, although today all kinds of coloured and shiny bobbles add delight and gaiety to the scene.

How To Choose Your Christmas Flower Arrangements

Heavy green arrangement tends to make a room appear smaller, while small rooms can be given an air of space and light by arrangements of white-washed branches and seed heads and ribbon. Lighted candles arranged in windows with the blinds left undrawn can spread the spirit of goodwill to all who pass by, just as a door arrangement, made by sticking pieces of yew and other greenery into a large potato and hung with a red ribbon, can bid welcome to all who enter.

A few ideas are depicted on the following pages, but whether our arrangements are made gay or symbolic, I feel we should remember the true meaning of Christmas in all we do, say or think, and give thanks.

This Christmas scene was made with Alabastine in an old tin tray. First brush over the branch with a weak solution of this plaster filler, fixing the branch to the base of the tray with Plasticine wedged between stones. Next place some stones or oddly shaped pieces of cotton wool to form an uneven surface in the tray and cover the whole with a thicker mixture oft he plaster. When nearly set add a little greenery at the left and the figure of an animal will complete the picture.

Whitewashed Broom will give a gay swish to a Christmas arrangement. Here it is used in a narrow necked black vase, whilst colour was obtained by the addition of shiny coloured hobbles placed near the rim backed with whitewashed Rhododendron leaves.

The dull beige colour of Teasels are not very effective for gay arrangements, but dipped in whitewash they assume a festive appearance. Here they are used in a low design, the base of which was strengthened by Rhododendron fronds and colour was increased by the addition of red hobbles.

Sprays of Pine swished through whitewash made the outline of another gay scene. Fir cones were wired on to sticks and placed low in the design while the tray was filled with plaster on which finally rested the small deer.

These leaves were brushed over with glue and then sprinkled with diamante glitter. The Ivy leaf veins were done in the same manner and the whole material was firmly held on a heavy pin holder. Cones formed the central interest of this buffet table arrangement which would also be suitable for a silver wedding design.

Greenery, sprinkled with glitter made this attractive table centrepiece, while red flower like candles added extra sparkle. Cones wired to false stems were added each side. The material was held by crumpled wire netting.

By stripping some of the needles from sprays of Pine, some interesting shapes can be achieved. Two branches are here placed in a yellow plate with a group of cones as focal interest.

Dramatic swerves were achieved by these whitened Cycas leaves. Next in order of creation came green Rhododendron leaves followed by three bright red paper Rhododendron heads. A further point in this design was the addition of whitened ears of Wheat, whilst more leaves were tucked in at the back to cover the wire.

This Christmas buffet table was arranged with three sherry bottles into which bright candles were fixed. These were held firm by a ring of Plasticine into which was inserted sprigs of Yew and berried Holly. Yellow Gourds and Ivy were grouped at the base.

What is it about Flower Arranging that gets into our blood and makes it have such a hold on us, that meditative feeling of calm? Why is it, that once intrigued by the spiritual, new age nature of this new art, we are impatient to go forward and explore every avenue of thought and technique on the subject?

I have completed a large number of instructional tours in Great Britain and abroad, where open enthusiasm, such as the British seldom displays, has always been evident. This has led me to believe, and I feel sure I am right, that the reason why Flower Arranging has such a broad appeal is because it satisfies a need in all of us to do something creative, and, because flowers are within the reach of us all, it seems natural that we should want to learn and practice a subject that we can not only easily execute, as and when we feel like it, but which can be employed to beautify our homes for friends and family alike to enjoy.

Flower Arranging

We all know that a sense of achievement brings with it pride and satisfaction and I am certain it is this feeling which is bringing so much joy into the lives of tens of thousands of men and women who are devotees of the art of Flower Arranging. I have much evidence of this from the thousands of letters I receive from happy people who tell me with great feeling that ” they had no previous idea that they could do it ” and I recall a simple incident which happened at a Flower Show and which seems to enforce this theory.

I had been judging the flower arrangements and had returned to the exhibits for a final look when a little boy about seven years old came up to me and, pointing to the design I was admiring, said ” Don’t you think that’s nice—my Mummy did that one.” His mother then appeared and after chatting she added, ” Please don’t take any notice of him, although I must tell you that since I have taken up Flower Arranging I have assumed a new importance in the eyes of my family and naturally I am proud.”

At first the desire on the part of the enthusiast is only to place flowers in a vase better than before and they usually impatiently say ” Oh just tell me how to do it quickly, that’s all I want to know.” But is it?

Soon afterwards comes a request to have color explained, then design. Design is fascinating for, if you really want to delve into it, it includes such subjects as line, rhythm and balance. Discussions on the merits of various types of flowers, the textures of plant material and their relation to the container to be used and the general decor of the room usually follow.

If you are not already a gardener, you cannot be interested in Flower Arranging for long without being led into Horticulture and for us, who live in Britain, what a blessing this is, for gardening is a British characteristic; it is in our blood, and there is more opportunity in Britain for developing a knowledge of plant material than anywhere else in the world.

Thousands of Horticultural Societies exist all over the country, and they are doing valuable work in encouraging this subject. Lectures are given and shows are staged. Most women’s organisations include flower arranging in their annual programme, and now an increasing number of Flower Clubs are springing up all over the country for the sole purpose of developing the interest in flower arranging, to raise the standard of show work and to establish a system of teaching and judging in connection with their exhibitions.

But this is not a book on horticulture, ceramics, art, or even how to do the flowers, for this latter is already covered by a number of books already on the market.

It is a book of basic ideas – ideas, that by their mere presentation may set off a whole train of thoughts and new creative ideas in your own mind. So many times when a friend has complained to me that she hasn’t a certain vase, I have suggested that perhaps she might use a glass powder bowl, or a sauceboat, or an inlaid work box, only to notice that in a short while she responds with a number of further suggestions. It was the little spark that was needed to set her own imaginative mind in motion. And may I remind those who are new to this subject not to be afraid to make a start ? There is no mystery about it, neither need it take up very much time or cost a lot of money.

We all have a certain amount of creative ability within us, and certainly anyone can be an artist with flowers. In the beginning it is just a question of accepting a few principles of composition and design, and at first you will probably only portray these first principles. But later you will branch out with free expression, and your arrangements will be motivated by feelings, moods or ideas. Later still you will probably break the principles that you at first accepted, but it will not matter, for don’t we all break rules as we develop our individual tastes and become confident in our personal style of expression ? It is this freedom to do as we like when creating a picture with flowers that makes the subject so fascinating, and it becomes all the more absorbing if we know why we are doing it.

When teaching, I try to encourage my students to have a plan when contemplating a design. A dressmaker would seldom commence to cut material without a pattern, neither would an architect start to build a house without first drawing a plan. Furthermore, the dressmaker, after deciding upon the material, will plan accessories. She might even introduce a prominent pocket, or a set of pleats as focal interest in the design of the gown.

So it is with flower arranging. Have a plan. First decide where the arrangement will stand. For the chosen location ask yourself whether you need a tall arrangement or a short one; a curved one if it is on the end of a shelf, or a low one if it is for a coffee table; a formal arrangement for a period room or a modern design for a town flat.

Having decided where the arrangement will finally rest, choose your container accordingly. You might use a tall one for a big area or a low bowl for a table ; an exquisite china vase will probably be just right for a mantelshelf or a low white pottery container could be chosen for a more modern setting.

Then, in home decoration, the colour and style of the room should betaken into consideration and should help decide on what colour and size of flowers to pick or buy.

Having made these decisions—and in time they become automatic—you will next go in search of this material, bearing in mind that you will make a more artistic arrangement if you use material of different forms, lengths and sizes. Having acquired the material, you next, if you are a newcomer to the art, place it in the vase according to some of the basic principles, principles which you will be conscious of in the beginning, but which will become automatic later on.

There are certain schools of thought which do not agree with any set of principles. They claim that ” principles ” make arrangements all look alike and that design becomes stereotyped. I disagree, for the teaching of certain principles (principles which flower arranging has in common with most graphic arts) is really only ” the drill ; ” they are the A.B.C. from which greater things emerge. At school we are all taught to repeat in a monotone the multiplication tables, or with similar precision to play scales at the piano. This is only the training in the beginning, we obviously do not all remain at the same level of instruction, we develop individually. I am a firm believer in clear instruction in the beginning. Of course, a person with a natural flair for the subject does not need this, but just as a novice cannot be taught to play the piano by listening to the rendering of an overture by an expert, neither do I believe that a prospective flower arranger can hope to learn by constantly admiring the designs of an expert. This latter method rather encourages the beginner to copy, which leaves her rather helpless when she attempts self-expression, whereas if, by instruction, she can recognise Wry “and how it was so designed, her advancement is quicker and she, in turn, by her own artistry, soon conceals the methods of early teaching.

A thorough understanding of the principles of the art will force a student to finally make decisions based on her own thought and expression, and if she knows why she has so expressed herself, then she is already well on the way to becoming an artist with flowers.

And what a satisfying aim this is. An aim that will lead us to the greater beautification of our gardens, homes, flower shows, shops, restaurants, schools and clubs. Everywhere it is an aim within the scope of all, for flowers are in abundance in our gardens, shops and countryside and, as an artist with flowers, just think of the marvellous palette that is at our disposal. The seasons are for ever changing, and if we open our eyes we can see in growing material every size, shape and colour we could wish for. Different textures are ready made for us in foliage and other plant material. High-lights and depths are there for our choosing and drama is supplied by the silhouette of bare branches or dried seed heads.