Red, White and Green
Michael Renaud of Horticultural Design in Toronto combines several sorts of greenery into lavish arrangements designed to last all through December and serve as frames that display a changing selection of seasonal flowers.
Designer's tip: Keep foam moist; check it daily. Lilies last from one to two weeks; replace as needed or add pinecones or ornaments instead.
You need:
• Poinsettia in 6-in pot
• Oval woven willow, vine or wicker basket, approx 15 cm (6 in) deep and 46 cm (18 in) at greatest width
• Approx 6 boughs of cedar, 25.5 to 30.5 cm (10 to 12 in) long
• Approx 3 stems each of blue spruce, blue juniper, boxwood, white astilbe and southern magnolia, approx 61 cm (24 in) long
• Approx 5 stems of 'Casa Blanca' lilies, approx 61 cm long
• Green plastic garbage bag, floral foam, kitchen knife and secateurs
To make:
1. Line basket with double thickness of bag, folding corners inside around rim. Set poinsettia, off centre, inside. With knife, carve out blocks of foam, place in water until soaked, then wedge between pot and basket sides.
2. Poke ends of greenery and lilies into foam and soil around base of poinsettia, trimming length as necessary and arranging them to form hills and valleys (avoid creating a symmetrical mound), which spill over basket sides.
Page 2 of 4 -- Be inspired by poinsettia arrangements from 'the wild' on page 3
