In an Oval Vase with a Tea Leaf wrap

What you need:

• 1 doz. Pinky Purple Roses (cut 11 inches)

• 3 stems Stargazer Lilies (cut 12 inches)

• 10 stems of Bear Grass

• 1 bunch pink mums with green center (cut 11”)

• 1 bunch lime green coffee beans (cut 11.5”)

• 4 large Tea Leaves (these were cut from the garden)

• 2 hands full of light blue sea glass  (purchase similar here)

• 1 packet of Floral Food (purchase here)

• 1 oval vase (purchase here)

• green Oasis Bindwire (found here)

  Supplies Used:

• wire cutters

• pruning shears (purchase here)

• packet of floral food (purchase here)

• 18 gauge floral wires cut into thirds

• floral stripper (found here)

• produce knife

• fork

Steps: 10

Flower Cost:  $19.99

Rated: Intermediate

I was really taken by the intense color of these flowers. “Pinky Purple” is actually the name of this rose! And I love the bright button centers on the mums, which are the same color as the coffee beans. This is considered a hot color palette because the colors are so vibrant. Hot color palettes work well in modern flower arrangements. On the color wheel below, you will see that pink and purple are located between red and blue, which are “primary colors” pink being right next to red, and purple located beside pink. In color theory, purple is a “secondary color” made up equally of red and blue. Pink is a “tint” made by adding white to red.

Purple is the shortest wavelength of the visible spectrum and is associated with imagination, luxury, extravagance, and mystery. Pink is a longer and less powerful wavelength and is associated with love, romance, affection and sensitivity. The combined emotions of these colors — the purplish small mums and the pinkie lavender roses — create the mood of this arrangement. For more about the colors pink and purple:

https://www.bourncreative.com/meaning-of-the-color-purple/

https://www.colormatters.com/the-meanings-of-colors/purple

This arrangement is made in a contemporary glass pillow vase, which looks like an oval or bubble bowl from the front, but it has a slim 3.25 width at its widest part. It is versatile and can be used with many different types of arrangements, but I love it because when you look at it, it’s got something going on. Here is a link for the pillow vase: (purchase here)

Floral Tip: Use a fork to remove the anther from the stamen filament of the lily. Be careful, the orange pollen stains fabrics and fingers, so remove these over a trash can or piece of paper!

Floral Tip: Wire your roses so their heads won’t droop. For instructions see: https://www.floristinyou.com/prep

Floral Tip: The great challenge with this arrangement, believe it or not, is lining the vase with the Tea Leaves. You will need to remove about four inches of the thickest part of the spine of the Tea Leaves from their backs with a produce knife so that they will be flexible enough to bend. Start at the end where they are thickest. Only slice off the top third of the spine and keep the knife cutting at an upwards angle away from you as you cut along the spine, or you will slice right into the tea leaf as the spine thickness narrows. (I know. I cut right through four of them! Poor things were lying all over the ground.) You then will have to press the edges of the leaves tight into the edges of the vase, as the leaf wants to bend at a relaxed angle and the inside edges of the vase come in at a very tight angle. It will take four Tea Leaves to wrap the inside of the vase up to the very top of the vase. You want to leave about 1.5 inches showing below the bottom of the tea leaves so you will be able to see the beautiful bright blue sea glass at the bottom of the vase. See the step by step photos below:

If you have your flowers, let’s begin. You are going to love the beauty and fragrance of this arrangement. it’s a show-stopper and worth the effort.