Apple Centerpiece
It’s harvest time and in the pacific northwest that means apple season. The farmer’s markets are filled with literally hundreds of varieties of apples. Each apple has a distinctive flavor, but to the designer it’s the wonderful myriad of colors to be enjoyed. Green, yellow, gold, pink, red, and burgundy. A delight to the designer’s eye. In this Flower School Video How-To Leanne demonstrates the techniques for designing with apples as she creates a lovely apple centerpiece. Enjoy!
Video Transcription
Welcome to the Flower School .com video library. I'm Leanne Kesler, Director of the Floral Design Institute. And today want to share with you a fabulous centerpiece featuring apples.
The mechanics, I started with a pottery dish from my collection, soaked a brick of foam with flower food, then I anchored it in place using anchor pins with floral clay, that way I don't have to tape. The apples, preparing those ahead of time by using wood picks, six inch wood wired pick, piercing directly into the flesh and do that twice. You want two so it doesn't just spin in the foam. Then, to make sure that it doesn't come loose and to lock it, using a bit of your oasis floral adhesive, right at the point of insertion, then let it dry and you're ready to design.
The green hydrangea, late autumn bloom, is perfect for the base. It goes well with the green apples and it's so long lasting. All you want to do is give it a nice cut, then dip it in alum, the pickling spice, because that will help it and drink even better. Then placing it down low, creating a base for all the flowers and repeating that, using a central binding point so everything coming in towards the center of the design and covering all your mechanics.
The hydrangea all alone is pretty, adding in the apples makes it even better. You can cut the wires off if you want or leave them. Mine I'm just going to leave. Doesn't really matter. Kind of settling it down in, angling some forward. Making sure I'm bringing some around to the back so that you've got nice apple coverage all the way around.
Lastly, just adding texture, contrast, a little bit more using some green trick dianthus, cutting it and tucking it in, adding that deeper green. Little bit of green hypericum, feeding it through, tucking it in. Even the soft light green of miniature carnations, bringing out a little bit more contrast. Adjusting and then filling in until everything is coordinated and unified front to back.
When the design is complete, be sure to spray it down with crowning glory, apples and flowers. It locks that moisture in. The recipe, I worked in 10s. 10 of the hydrangea and 10 of the apples, 10 hypericum, 10 green trick, the mini carnations, one bunch with about five stems tucked throughout.
Combining apples and flowers, it's the essence of the season. What a wonderful way to create an arrangement. You'll find more creative inspiration at Flower School .com. If you have questions, you can reach us through there or pick up the telephone and give me a call at (503) 223-8089. Now it's your turn. Run out to your favorite produce stand, gather some apples, pick your favorite flowers and then design. Be sure to take a picture, post it on social media and hashtag Floral Design Institute. That way we all can see what you do as you do something you love.