SLOW FLOWERS: Week 6
February 13th, 2013
“A Display of Daffodils”
A trio of fresh, enticing elements creates this cheery arrangement
Ingredients:
15 stems black pussy willow (Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’), grown by Charles Little & Co.
12 stems ‘King Alfred’ daffodils (Narcissus ‘King Alfred’)
7 stems maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris), grown by Peterkort Roses
Vase:
8-inch tall x 6½-inch diameter green-tinted glass vase
Start with a framework of twigs…then add other stems of flowers and foliage
Eco-technique
Timing is everything: I love all three ingredients in this charming arrangement, but there is one drawback to mixing and matching them. The pussy willows gave me two full weeks of enjoyment; the daffodils looked great for a full seven days; and the maidenhair fern began to dry out after just a few days. Maidenhair ferns hail from tropical rain forests, meaning they prefer warm, damp, shaded conditions. Our homes are too dry for their liking.
The best way to extend the life of a maidenhair fern (as a cut ingredient or as a house plant) is to keep it out of sunlight, away from a heat source and frequently misted with water.
NOTE: Each Sunday of this year, I will post my photographs, “recipe” and tip for that week’s floral arrangement, created for my new book, Slow Flowers. Enjoy the floral journey through 52 weeks of the year~