Everything's Coming Up Roses
Roses, roses everywhere. And nepeta. And alchemilla. We celebrate the garden in its full late June flush with a Jodie masterclass in flower arranging.
Jodie, of whom I am certain you have heard us speak, is our resident botanical expert. Currently studying horticulture; gardening for private clients; finessing her own beautiful acreage and somehow finding time for some shopfloor work at The Hambledon, Jodie adds floral arrangements to her impressive skillset. Brand new, and delightfully old school, hair pin holders, provide the framework; garden blooms the inspiration.
Hairpin flower holders (so named, go figure, because of the shape of the pins) have their origins in 14th century Japanese kenzan, used in traditional Ikebana arrangements (as well as in all sorts of modern displays now, see our Niwaki frogs). In the 1930s flower arranger Ida Sinclair decided that glass flower frogs, kenzan and moulded chicken wire weren't up to snuff when it came to her displays. A chance encounter with her son's metalwork machinery and her own well anchored hairstyle, led to the soldering of hairpins to a metal base and the establishment of The Blue Ribbon Flower Company for the purveying of her invention. Blue Ribbon is now Floral Genius but the product, with a few tweaks (domestic hair accessories are no longer the principle ingredient) remains the same.
With a riot of roses, nepeta, alchemilla, penstemon, astrantia, spirea, geranium and a solitary dahlia (the lone survivor from marauding slugs), we've chosen to use simple white vessels to show the flowers in all their glory. Minimal chic from Olsson and Jensen’s pouring bowl (3 ½” round, sized in inches, how quaint), classic Americana with the Mosser panel tumbler (2” round) and traditional utility enamelware with Falcon’s loaf tin (3 ¾” oval).
Place the flower holder in the vessel and add water (don’t fill it, you can top up at the end). Freshly cut the stems on the diagonal to ensure a generous take up of water. Build up your display using the thickest stems and chunkiest flowers first. If there is an optimum viewing point for the display put the shorter flowers towards the front and increase the height towards the back (it’s like a theatre and all the flowers want a good view). Weave the stems between the pins. These holders work best with fatter stems so Jodie started with the blowsy roses, the lonely dahlia and the spirea . Add to the display using taller blooms with finer stems and finish with the most delicate flowers so that they can be anchored by the existing display.
Try it Yourself
Everything you need for these beautiful displays is here. With the exception of the flowers. Help with which, with many apologies, I am afraid we can’t lend Jodie.
