FRESH FROM THE FARMS INTO CASCADING BOUQUETS - Creative Edge September 2020
DESIGNS & TEXT BY HITOMI GILLIAM AIFD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLIN GILLIAM
“For this month’s article, I created 3 hand-tied bouquets using 3 distinctively different armatures, with sustainability in mind. ”
It’s also the perfect time of the year to see what’s growing at local flower farms in your area! So, ALL of the flowers used in this month’s article were gathered from @FlowerFort in Langley, BC, @CharnwoodFarms in Chilliwack, BC, and also from my home garden on Bowen Island, BC.
BOUQUET one
‘Unexpected Guests’
“This design showcases beautiful cut garden flowers harvested straight from our local flower farms.
To transfer the visual excitement that was felt at the farm…. The flowers’ natural beauty and attitude as they grew… seeing them cultivated in beautiful rows of nature’s perfection….
And then there’s the weeds, or what’s considered as invasive undesirables & things which are not considered ready to harvest, or have not been tested to use as cutflowers…. The unwanted guests, who’s often left out of the design recipes … they were screaming to be included.
Its all NATURE, they all have their place…. So the unexpected guests were invited to join, in this design to portray what really happens in the garden…. To naturalize the beauty of the mix.
”
BOTANICALS Dahlia var., Cosmos bipinnatus, Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota), Phlox Paniculate, Nigella damascene, Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), Calocephalus ‘Silver Stone’, Clematis sp., Malus sp.’Louisa’, Creeping B lackberry (Rubus pedalus), Grape clusters on vine (Vitis sp.)
SUPPLIES Chickenwire Pillow (see YouTube Video), Midollino Extenders (see YouTube Video), Bindwire
This year’s Trend Summit 2020 Report has been a guiding inspiration, to help create current design work that resonates with today’s lifestyle trends...
Today’s Consumer Values: Includes Gardening & concerns for Sustainable Practices
Design Style Trends: Adventurous; Interesting combination of materials; Design that pique curiosity; Authentic; Transparent & Light
Bouquet Styling: Romanticism; Garden Style; Botanical; Using hand-crafted armature to shape bouquets
Top Trending Flowers: Dahlias, Sweet Peas, Pansies, Zinnia
Top Trending Greens: Maidenhair Fern, Herbs, Vines, Blackberry vine, Cuts from potted plants
BOUQUET two
‘Inviting Handmade Details’
“In the world which now appreciates beautiful craftsmanship…. and can see the value of hand-made detailing… to combine handcrafted details with Flowers make total sense. The flattering blending of handwoven strips of Midollino & Bindwire to create the initial structure for flowering can be an exciting option to explore.
The final 3D cascading flower bouquet can literally flow through the prepared structure harmoniously. At different viewing angles, you see the interplay of hand-crafted by man details playfully flattering the beautiful flowers.”
BOTANICALS Dahlia var., Phlox paniculate, Honeysuckle vine (Lonicera japonica), Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), Zinnia elegans, Amaranthus caudatus, Oregano (Origanum dictamnus), Green Beans Vine (Phaseolus vulgaris), Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris)
SUPPLIES Midollino Extenders (see YouTube Video), Chickenwire Pillow (see YouTube Video), Woven Midollino/Bindwire Strips (accompanying Video Tutorial), Bindwire
BOUQUET THREE
‘Inspired by Structure’
“Sometimes it’s the structure, the armature that inspiress the method for flowering. The double midollino tatami circles with 1”Flatwire spacer allows for double-decker design opportunity. It also offers waterfall-like cascading from each tiers. When you design in a technical structure such as this, its artisanship need to stay visible so the flowering is done more transparently. The see-through value allows for light, delicate and airy finish.
Combining technical structure with garden flowers provides an interesting dichotomy that often exists in the garden…. referencing trellis structure as support for the growing flowers.
”
BOTANICALS Grey Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Viola tricolor, Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus), Dahlia var., Amaranthus caudatus, Nigella damascene, Oregano (Origanum dictamnus), Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris), Alocasia amazonica, Ceropegia woodii
SUPPLIES Midollino tatami circle, 1” Flatwire, Yarn, 18ga wire, Bindwire
ORDER YOUR LIMITED SIGNED PRINT TODAY
Support Creative Edge by purchasing a Limited Run 8x10 Creative Edge print. Signed by Hitomi and printed on a high quality 320gsm photo paper, this month’s print features her ‘Inspired by Structure’ Bouquet.
*Limited to 50 Prints / Available for a Limited Time
