This time of year, easy pickings abound for great bouquets. You can gather flowers in myriad shapes, sizes, and shades. The beauty of the
arrangement shown here lies in using only a few of each kind of bloom, so plenty remain in the garden.
Green, Green Grass
Wheatgrass is the easy-to-grow base of this display. Two weeks prior to your event, fill an empty plant tray with moist potting soil. Press winter wheat seeds
on top in one thick layer. Cover the container with clear plastic wrap, and place it in a warm spot, such as the top of the refrigerator. After seeds sprout,
remove the plastic. Place the tray in the sun, keeping soil slightly damp. The sturdy grass blades stand up straight and tall, and a thick root mass quickly
forms.
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MATERIALS
plant tray
potting soil
winter wheat seeds
clear plastic wrap
garden shears
assorted spring garden flowers
tiered cake stands
sharp knife
spatula
small vases or bottles
tiny garden statuary (optional)
kitchen baster
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Cut Flowers
Take a small container filled with warm water into the garden. Cut a few stems of the season's current offerings. We used miniature daffodils and jonquils,
wild sweet Williams (Phlox divaricata), and a few late-blooming Lenten roses (Helleborus orientalis). Small flowers work best.
Easy To Create
This process gets a little messy, so work outdoors or somewhere you can sweep away the dirt.
Assemble the cake stands. Moisten the wheatgrass, and slice the turf into pieces using a sharp knife. Lift the grass gently from the flat (a spatula helps),
and fill each tier, keeping soil and roots intact. Cut daffodil stems about 3 inches long, and gently push them into the moist soil, clustering blooms for
maximum effect.
Move the arrangement to its permanent location, and surround the base with small vases and bottles. Fill these containers with the remaining flowers. If you
like, add small garden statuary pieces among the vases. Look for these at flea markets and
antiques stores.
Daffodils last for several days in the wheatgrass, provided the soil stays damp. Use a kitchen baster to add a small amount of water neatly.
Recommended Search Results:
Sources:
Tiered iron stand was found at Stray Cats, Irondale, Alabama, (205) 956-5060 (R); chicken garden statuary was purchased at Tricia's Treasures, Homewood,
Alabama, (205) 871-9779 (R). You may find similar items at antiques stores or flea markets.
This article is from the April 2005 issue of Southern Living.
