It’s been a long slow winter in most of the country and the Pacific Northwest is no exception. What keeps many of us going is the hope of spring! And for a floral designer, eking out beauty from the simplest of materials.

I’m scheduled to do a demonstration at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in a few weeks and have been contemplating the importance of “line” in eastern floral design. Although these kinds of designs do not typically show up in western weddings, the understanding of the role line takes in design is an important foundation for any designer.

In these two small examples, we see how the beauty of the coming spring can be transformed into simple, but effective arrangements.

First some photos from the garden stroll.

 

Now the arrangements.

 

One note about spring flowers — they are often very fleeting and do not last long in an inside environment. The hellebores featured in both arrangements, for example, may droop and fade within hours. A tip about these, be sure the stamens (inner seed containers) are full. These will look like fat, green, seed pods. You can cut these earlier, when the seed pods are forming as well.

I’ll be posting about my demo later this month. Or if you’re in the area, you can come join me at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland on Saturday afternoon, March 18.