Summer Dahlia Linear Design
Dahlias are the darlings of summer and come in so many colors, shapes, and sizes. In this Flower School How-To Video Leanne creates a linear design using the round dahlia in a bold color, as well as drumstick allium, lily grass and one beautiful bromeliad spike. Enjoy!
Video Transcription
Summertime, dahlias are at their peak. They're so fabulous. Today, using them in a linear design for a little extra drama.
Flowers, dahlias of course, and then the beautiful bromeliad to bring in the linear feel. So gorgeous. Glass vase, midnight foam, anchored in place with clear tape. Before I even begin, taking a few Galax leaves, giving them a cut and inserting them to make sure that I can seal where the tape is. You don't want that to show, tucking it in, terracing and repeating on the opposite side.
Once you have that concealed, you can go back to carve down the front and the back just a bit, and then go ahead and place the lines. Thinking about your height, giving it a cut, repeating and then angling it in, going to a central binding point. Not perfectly straight, you can come back with additional lines. Maybe some allium coming out. Again, following that same binding point, and even a few greens. Some sword fern would be beautiful coming out towards the back.
Now the stars of the show, the dahlias. Bringing them in nice and low, letting them come out towards the front, capturing your attention and then drawing your eye inward, terracing them, making sure they're down deeply into the water. They're heavy water drinkers, so you don't want them to dehydrate, but by keeping them low, they should hold so well and notice how they finish covering over the mechanics.
One more dahlia to finish off on the side, tucking it across, adjusting the facing. Then filling in with just a bit more foliage, maybe some Camellia, possibly another galax leaf, but making sure that all the mechanics are concealed. The bright Camellia adds such contrast and gets the three foliage, you know that's what I love. Then adding in a little bit of texture. Letting it enhance and create a little bit of contrast.
A final touch to draw attention to the emphasis area. Three strands of lily grass picked on the end. Insert it down low, and then just bring it up and over. Sheltering the beautiful dahlias.
The recipe, one beautiful Bromeliad Blossom, five Dahlias. Then I used five Allium, five stems of the Nigella, a bit of Camellia, a few Galax Leaves, five stems of the Sword Fern, and then three stems of the Lily Grass.
Dahlias are so fabulous. Their heads sometimes a little difficult, but notice working on the horizontal, how beautiful. Adding in with exotic blooms like the bromeliad, perfect. You'll find more creative inspiration on our website. FlowerSchool.com. If you have questions, you can reach us through there, but now it's your turn. Find some beautiful dahlias. Create a design. Be sure to take a picture, post it on social media and #FloralDesignInstitute. That way we all could see what you do, as you do something you love.
