DARLING DAHLIAS Gather your supplies

• Floral foam brick, dry, 23 x 11 x 8cm • Round pot or container, about 14cm dia. x 13cmh • Magnolia leaf (5388) x 2 • Fuchsia dahlia spray with bud (6091FU) x 3 • Grey/red eucalyptus spray (5825GYRD) x 2 • Pink dahlia spray with bud (6091PK) x 2 • Pink/cream hybrid lilac (4960PKCR) x 4

• Green eucalyptus spray with seeds (6230) x 3

You’ll also need

Secateurs; knife; heavy-duty wire cutters

NOTE: Cut stems, as required, to suit height of arrangement as you go.

Here’s how

STEP 1 Arrange flowers and foliage by type and colour on your work surface.

STEP 2 Shave foam

brick, shaping it to suit container. Aim for a snug fit that is almost level with the container.

STEP 3 Insert magnolia stems into foam at left front and back right of container. If you have a round container, as here, imagine the pot as being square. Spread leaves out. STEP 4 Place 2 fuchsia dahlias, 1 short stem at the front, angled outward toward you, and 1 in the centre, almost upright but leaning slightly right. Place another

short-stemmed fuchsia dahlia at the centre back of the arrangement so it looks balanced right around.

STEP 5 Add grey/red eucalyptus sprays as filler foliage. Aim to create a triangular shape when viewed from the front.

STEP 6 Add pink dahlia sprays at each side of the triangle, with their heights being the difference between tall and short fuchsia dahlias.

STEP 7 Use lilacs to fill gaps in the arrangement,

again staying within the triangle and also ensuring the front of the arrangement looks full. STEP 8 To emphasise triangular shape of arrangement, insert into foam a green eucalyptus spray stem at bottom left and right of triangle. The eucalyptus spray should be almost parallel to your work surface. Use remaining eucalyptus spray as filler, especially at back of arrangement.

STEP 8

STEP 6

STEP 4

STEP 7

STEP 5