Easter Celebration

Welcome the FlowerSchool.com video library. I'm Leanne Kesler, director of the Floral Design Institute. And today, I'm here to share with you an Easter Celebration. It's one of my favorite holidays. In my family, we divide up the holidays and Easter is mine. And it's so grand, it's so bright, it's so festive. I always love all the different colors. So today, we're going to work in a triadic color harmony, bright and festive, perfect for Easter. 

The base of the design, a 13" foam design tray. So it has the center all filled in. Then in preparation, rather than Easter grass, I want to keep it natural. So using fresh sphagnum moss, just setting it in. Now the tray is already soaked. I used flower food to make sure my flowers will last well. And you just set the moss in place, covering up the plastic. Then going back with the eggs and filling in the center. 

To cover all my mechanics, a base of foliage, some Italian Ruscus, long and drapey. Just giving it a cut, placing it in down low and the using a greening pin, bringing it around and pinning it into place. And again, starting down low, bringing a greening pin in. Keeping it winding in the same direction, so that it feeds around. You can go back with other foliages as well, maybe some lily grass. Placing it in, then winding it in place, coming back, adding your greening pin to secure. Galax leaves help to create contrast in shape and color to add interest to the design. 

The finished foliage gives me a beautiful nest to support all my flowers. You can see, I've just woven around, adds great texture, gives a good start to the design. Now, when you work with a contrast color harmony, like the triad or polychromatic, you've got to be a little careful because it can end up looking just garish if you do too many of the same things and not enough of one thing. In this one, I'm doing a triad. It's going to be orange, violet and green. Now as I work, one of the colors should be most prominent. And I've already established green as a prominent base. And then I'm adding green flowers as well. Then you'll have a second color, and for me that will be the orange. And then, the third color is just a small amount. So I'll do just a tiny bit of the violet. So mostly green, some orange and a bit of violet to finish it off. 

To enhance my green base, some Green Trick Dianthus. Looks kind of like moss on a stick. It’s one of my favorite things. Just giving it a cut and then placing it down into the foam. Some Miniature Hydrangea in that beautiful green, giving it cut, removing the leaves, and placing it in. And then, green Hypericum berries. The Hypericum berries, the foliage is very short lasting and not super attractive, so I’m removing that. Then using just the berries for their grand texture and color. You can see those three enhance the nest so well. So I just go ahead and add in. Brightening, enhancing and filling in. 

The base of foliages and green flowers is full, lush, and textural. You could stop there. Of course, I have a little bit of foam showing but I could finish that out with more greens. But, this is where I want to bring in the rest of the triad. I have vivid orange roses, called Nina, orange Pincushion Protea and then the purple with a bit of latifolium. Giving them a cut, tucking them in and grouping so that there's some emphasis, a little bit excitement, some bold areas, tucking low and then also bringing up a little taller, so that I get a variation, some pillowing to go with the pavé. And down to the sides. The deep purple will add a depth of color and texture. Just changing the dynamics of the design and the color harmony. Again, keeping it grouped for impact. The Pincushion Protea, more fabulous texture. And again, layering different levels, so one up a bit and then one tucked below. 

Once you have the extension of flowers, you can go back and add a few more eggs because you have greater depth to work with. Just filling in, having it be full, vibrant. Then adding dynamic movement. A bit of Curly Willow. Letting it drape across, sheltering. And then last, a little more vibrant green. Maidenhair Fern is so delicate. It always makes me think of Spring, that vibrant color. Just giving it a cut and letting it drape and shelter across the top. 

An Easter Celebration, so vibrant and bright with the triadic color harmony. For more creative inspiration, check out the website: FlowerSchool.com. If you have questions, you can reach us through there or pick up the telephone at 503-223-8089. And of course, I'd love to see what you create. Take a picture. You can send it to my personal email or better yet, post it on social media and tag #FloralDesignInstitute, so we all can see. Because now, it's your turn. Have fun and do something you love. For more creative inspiration check out the website flower school .com. The website contains hundreds of floral design how-to videos, floral design classes, online floral classes and DIY Flowers.