Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
NATIVE SPLENDOUR Gather your supplies
• Floral foam brick, dry, 23 x 11 x 8cm
• Rectangular container, about 25W x 13D x 13cmh
• Magnolia leaf (5388) x 4
• Green eucalyptus spray with seeds (6230) x 2 • Green eucalyptus berry spray (5772CU) x 2 • Green leucadendron stem (6231GR) x 2 • Hanging succulent (6204) x 2
• Brown berry spray (6233LB) x 2
• Rust hybrid leucospermum stem (6095RU) x 3 • Yellow hybrid leucospermum stem (6095YE) x 3 • Green sedum stem (5822) x 2 • Cream/green cabbage stem (5815CRGR) x 1
• Gypsophila spray (6203) x 2
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 if necessary. Aim for a snug fit that is almost level with the container. STEP 3 Insert magnolia leaves into foam at front left-hand corner and back right-hand corner. Spread leaves out. Insert green eucalyptus sprays
with seeds at the back just left of centre.
STEP 4 Add green eucalyptus berry sprays at centre back. Working on the left half of container, insert leucadendron stems into foam. Ensure flower heads point in different directions with 1 leaning toward the left of the container.
STEP 5 At the back of the arrangement and alongside eucalyptus spray, insert hanging succulent so it leans to the right.
STEP 6 On the right-hand side of the arrangement, add brown berry spray stems. Manipulate a few of the berry shoots so some face up and others fan out toward the right.
STEP 7 Angling each stem, insert rust leucospermum
in a group of 3 at front left half of arrangement. Note how these flowers spill out over container edge and how they face slightly different directions.
STEP 8 Repeat Step 7 with the yellow leucospermum arranged on right side of container. Ensure flower heads stand slightly higher in placement than their rust counterparts. Ensure 1 flower head angles out to the right and that the other 2 are shorter and straighter but still angled slightly.
STEP 9 To finish, insert a sedum stem into the foam at centre front.
STEP 10 Centre and arrange cabbage stem directly under the lower pair of yellow leucospermum. Fill in any gaps with gypsophila sprays and remaining sedum and foliage.