FLORAL DESIGN

Stylist Willow Crossley shows how to create four simple yet beautiful seasonal flower arrangements to brighten your home and lift your spirits

Simple yet beautiful seasonal flower arrangements to brighten your home and lift your spirits.

Bringing flowers into the home can be so life enhancing. Arrangements do not have to be masterly creations; a few stems in a vase makes all the difference. In my new book, Flourish, I want to inspire you to think differently when choosing flowers and colours. When you go for walks in parks and woodlands, look at the way plants grow in their natural habitat and study their shapes, colours and tone. My style of arranging is wild and natural; I am not good at tight, neat symmetry. Foliage is key, the more the better. In spring, I love the fresh, lime greens of young branches, but six months later, in the autumn, my displays are filled with deep reds and oranges. Just heavenly.

Containers are also important; try using something you would not usually think of as a vase. Flowers are not really hard to do – they just take a little practice and patience and will unfailingly light up your home.

1| amaryllis have hollow stems, so use the canes to make them more sturdy. lay an amaryllis flower on a table with its head hanging over the side. Taking care not to bash the delicate petals, slowly and gently insert a wooden cane the full length of the stem, until you reach just below the head – you will feel the cane jam. repeat the process for each stem. This will make the flowers last for up to 14 days without snapping.

2| The bases of the stems will curl over time so if you are using a clear glass container (a vintage pickle jar works well), wrap the bases with waterproof tape to stop them from splitting, or trim the curls off each day.

3| arrange the amaryllis with the hydrangeas and mixed foliage in a loose, natural style.

4| Keep the water topped up and, if possible, change it for fresh every other day.