SLOW FLOWERS: Week 7
February 17th, 2013
“Lilies, Two Ways”
Two “lily” elements fill my antique majolica cachepot, set in the dining room window to catch the rare winter rays of sunshine
Ingredients:
12 stems lily-of-the-valley shrub (Pieris japonica), harvested by Oregon Coastal Flowers
5 stems white ‘Navona’ Asiatic lilies, grown by Peterkort Roses
Vase:
9-inch tall x 9¼-inch diameter majolica cachepot from the late 1800s. I found this unique piece in Palm Springs, in a shop otherwise filled with 1950s art glass. I simply couldn’t resist the botanical charm of the piece, so I splurged and ended up flying home with it on my lap!
A detail from inside the vase . . .
Eco-technique
Flower frogs: I’ve made it a personal goal to stabilize flower stems with organic methods rather than the conventional florist’s foam or “Oasis.” That product, I have learned, contains formaldehyde and does not break down in landfills. An old-fashioned flower frog (in ceramic, glass or metal) is a great alternative. You can find flower frogs at flea markets or tag sales for a few dollars (or raid your grandmother’s supply). One of my favorites is a half-dome cage. It sinks to the bottom of the container and has ¾-inch square openings, ideal for woody stems. This is an arranging tool of the past, seriously useful for the present-day!
NOTE: Each Sunday of this year, I will post my photographs, “recipe” and tip for that week’s floral arrangement, created for my new book, Slow Flowers. Enjoy the floral journey through 52 weeks of the year~