I have always arranged flowers in a natural way, so when I first went to night classes to study flower arranging, I found it very restrictive. The idea of counting out how many stems I would use seemed very rigid. However, after completing the course I realised that the rules made a certain amount of sense as they bring good structure to an arrangement. I also found that by using a good amount of foliage, you can get better value from the flowers. As a tutor of mine once said: “It’s difficult to mess it up when you have beautiful flowers and fresh foliage as the ingredients.”

For anyone interested in having a go at a Christmas arrangement, the first thing to consider is where you will position it when it is completed. Think about where it will be viewed from: will it be up against a wall or viewed from all round? Another consideration is to keep it low if it is to be used as a table centre, and try to figure out just how much space will be left for the arrangement once the table is dressed for Christmas dinner.

The container, too, can play a big part. If you have a container you love or is very festive, why not try to work with it for a very unique arrangement? This would make a lovely gift idea too.

Once you have decided what type of arrangement to create, you will need to decide on the colour combination you will use. Traditionally, red, white and green are popular, but why not have a bit of fun and choose your own colour scheme? The choice is endless, but whites and creams mixed with gold or silver accessories can be elegant. I like to use burgundy instead of red sometimes, but any of the rich red tones work really well with the dark green foliage.

Top Tips

  • • The more variety of flowers and foliage you have, the more interesting the arrangement will be.
  • • When selecting roses, check to see if they are firm.
  • • Regular misting of the arrangement along with re-cutting the stems and adding plenty of water will prolong the life of the flowers, as arrangements can dry out quickly in a warm environment.
  • • When you are ready to start, you will need to wet the oasis. Don’t be tempted to push/force it into the water: just drop it into a basin/pan of water and allow it to absorb the water (this usually only takes a minute).
  • • Remember to dry off the tray/bowl after inserting the wet oasis so that the tape will stick properly to it.
  • • Note, flowers should be bought a day or two in advance as they will need to be well conditioned before use (kept in a bucket of water ideally for 12-24 hours). Remove the lower leaves at this stage so that the water reaches the flowers as easily as possible.
  • • Before you rush out to buy your foliage, look around your garden and see if you have any foliage you could use and check if you have any containers you could recycle.

    • So, are you ready?

    As a general rule, begin with one variety of foliage to make a skeleton framework, making sure that all the lower leaves are stripped. Cut the stem at an angle so that it is easy to insert into the foam.

    Next, introduce a second type of foliage, again inserting it at different angles. The second variety should be roughly of equal lengths also as this will result in filling in all the spaces.

    CREDITS

    Flowers: Maura’s Cottage Flowers, Tralee, Co Kerry. Supplying natural, unique and locally grown arrangements for weddings, funerals, special occasions, and businesses. Contact 087-061 2622 or visit www.maurascottageflowers.com.

    Photography: Ciara O’Donnell Photography is an award-winning photographer based in Kerry but travels nationally. See www.ciaraphotography.com. ciaradesignpod@gmail.com | 087-226 4626. Follow on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for latest offers.

    Location: Special thanks to Ballyseede Castle, Tralee, one of the best known castle hotels in Ireland with a history dating back to the 1590s. Set in 30 acres of native woodland, Ballyseede has been transformed into a luxury, family-owned hotel offering formal and casual dining, 23 en suite bedrooms and three beautiful private rooms complemented by enchanting formal gardens. Visit www.ballyseedecastle.com or call 066-7125-799.