Friday 9 September 2011

Silk Flowers (Hydrangeas)

Hello there and welcome to Floral Friday: always flowers, every Friday!

Today I am going to show you how easy it is to make this fabulous display using silk burgundy hydrangeas and some everlasting twigs. I like to use old containers in stark contrast to new flowers so I keep mine in an old French enamel water bucket.

Lella Loves... Silk Flowers

If you wanted to have this arrangement in your home, you will need:

9 large burgundy hydrangeas
11 everlasting twigs or similar greenery
Old enamelware container - bucket or a bread bin
Gravel (or any similar aggregate)
Wire snips

Lella Loves... Silk Flowers

To get started, take your hydrangeas and trim them so the flower head just sits proud of your chosen container.

Lella Loves... Silk Flowers

Take your everlasting branches and if you bought pliable stems, wrap them around three fingers to make a corkscrew twist.

Lella Loves... Silk Flowers

When you trim your twig stems, make sure you leave enough room for the hydrangeas to nestle in the space.

Lella Loves... Silk Flowers

This is how your faux stems should sit together after you have curled the twigs and trimmed the hydrangeas. If you could not find everlasting twigs or toning greenery with pliable stems, don't worry.

Lella Loves... Old Enamelware

If you have a rusty old bucket sitting in the garden, give it a gentle soapy wash and let it dry. Don't worry about rust as it adds to the charm of the container. Remove a damaged handle if it has one as you don't need it.

Lella Loves... Old Enamelware

Be careful if you are using enamel items as enamel chips are, in fact, glass and you can cut yourself or get a shard splinter.  Ouch!

Lella Loves... Silk Flowers

Take your container and fill it with several large handfuls of gravel. In my display bucket, I used about 4 kilos of marbles. (I have been hoarding for years as I gather them for my indoor arrangements.)

Marbles are very useful for holding stems in place when using containers which are not glass. You could use river pebbles, shingle or granite chips. Use whichever aggregate you can purchase cheaply.

Lella Loves... Silk Flowers

Start off by placing six hydrangeas around the edge of your container. When you are happy, start to infill with the twiggy stems. Place a stem in between each flower and then fill the middle section with the remaining branches. Pop the last three hydrangeas in the centre and feed their stems through the twigs.

I do hope you will try this display as there is something rather charming about a bucket full of hydrangeas.

Have fun buying your flowers and if the bucket inspired you, look for a similar item at a reclaim yard. I have used a bread bin before.

We all have an neighbour or two who needs a helping hand with the weeding so why not offer to help someone in exchange for something tatty (but shabby chic to you) out of their shed. You might just come across my most-wanted: a sky blue wooden pony cart.

Have a great day.  :)

Lella  xx

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