Simple Vases

As a florist I love leaves almost as much as I love flowers. I think choosing the right foliage to complement your colour scheme and flowers can make all the difference to an arrangement. So this week I wanted to show you some different ways of using foliage in vases. 

How sweet is this little grouping of autumn leaves? Pretty delicate bud vases really show off the individual leaf shapes and colours. Try grouping different types of foliage in recycled bottles. Interesting shaped vinegar and oil bottles are worth holding onto for displays like this. Keep an eye out at antiques fairs and in your local charity shops for vintage perfume and milk bottles.

Large tropical leaves like Philodendron, Monstera, Cycas, Strelitzia and Palms are bold and architectural in shape.  You only need one or two per vase for a striking yet minimal effect.  Use them as a backdrop or let them take centre stage. 

For a softer feel choose branches with lots of leaves in lighter tones. These gorgeous russet shades of yellow and orange stop the arrangement being too dark and heavy.  This would look lovely for a sophisticated take on Halloween or for an autumn wedding. 

 

Show off the natural beauty of leaves by placing one or two length ways in vases of different heights.  Pick variegated leaves and look for interesting textures. Hosta leaves suit this sort of treatment. Some strong foliages can withstand being submerged for a long time, but in general I'd advise using only a little water to avoid foliage turning to mush.

For the more adventurous, make like Constance Spry and experiment with different types of foliage. These kind of arrangements are not necessarily simple, but you'll have a lot of fun playing, and as you can cut stems from the garden, and trim a little here and there on a walk in the woods, they won't cost you the earth.

For the less creative types, masses of one type of foliage, especially eucalyptus, in an urn or footed vase always looks fab. What do you think, could you fall in love with foliage?

images top to bottom from here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here & here

Simple Vases - Fern-tastic

Thought I'd share a little leafy love for this weeks simple vases. Foliage table centres are perfect for those who aren't keen on flowers (weird I know but there are some out there). Also great if you're allergic to flowers of pollen or want to minimise the discomfort of friends and family who suffer from hayfever.

Green table arrangements can be both classic and modern when pared with crisp white linens, and fresh and informal with natural linens and rustic hessian or burlap.

This week though I wanted to look specifically at ferns. There are so many varieties of ferns available to suit different wedding styles and themes you can't fail to be inspired.

Here a just a few ways you could make them work for you:

Use different types of fern, individually, in a display of mixed glass vases and they become a botanical installation, like a real life version of lovely old botanical drawings. Above, the tints of blue and green glass are really subtly pretty.

These single stems above with their well defined leaves have a really graphic feel too, making them perfect for minimal modern styles.

On mantlepieces, drinks or sweet tables use varying vase heights or raise some up on a custom made ledge, a piece of wood styled with bits of moss or lovely old books.  

Generous amounts of soft bushy ferns create a more abundant display. I love the opulent feel of these gold vases. The contrast between the high gloss and matt textures of the vases lends more drama to this otherwise simple display. The gold runner grounds the display and adds warmth.

If you're considering a natural green palette for your wedding you might want to incorporate vintage brown pharmaceuticals bottles, and other details like wood slices and bell jars to make a feature of pretty foliage leaves and plants. 

This last example is more of a planted arrangement. Use low glass dishes and a mixture of foliage plants, or experiment with oasis foam and different foliage. If you are going to have a go at this, try it out in advance of the big day because not all foliage (or flowers for that matter) like oasis. And do make sure you condition your foliage really well before adding to the wet foam.

So what do you think? Would you forego flowers for foliage? Have you seen any gorgeous green weddings? As ever, would love to hear what you think..

Images from here, here, here, here, & here