make a fall centerpiece
To make a fall centerpiece more interesting, I love using seeded eucalyptus. One bunch has a generous amount of leaves, seeds and laterals. I'm going to just use the seeds, since I planned on using the leaves for boutonniere and corsage work. You can also order naked seeded eucalyptus, with no leaves.
Insert the eucalyptus the same way as you did the leather leaf fern, beginning close to the center and working your way out.
Let the greens hang naturally, falling with a gentle curve downward and outwards.
You can see that just a few sprigs here and there definitely added an interesting color and texture to this centerpiece.
Although I intend to make this centerpiece a Fall themed one, the basic greening steps so far work for any season. Leave out the pillar candle or change colors if you want a winter, spring or summer themed centerpiece.
If you want a Christmas arrangement, add in a few winter greens such as pine, Douglas fir or flat cedar. It will add a wonderful fragrance and change the look.
Before adding in the fresh flowers, it's time to seal those greens so they last a long time. Leaf Shine is a product used by florists to polish the leaves (giving them a shiny, glossy look) and keeps the moisture locked into the greens so they last longer.
Do not spray this on your fresh flowers - use a sealant made expressly for cut flowers such as Finishing Touch.
Holiday arrangements should be watered on a regular basis to extend the life of both your flowers and your greenery.
Now we're ready to add fresh flowers.
I'm just using assorted mixed fall flowers, commonly seen in stores around the holiday season packaged in cellophane sleeves. Look for different colors and textures. Some packs mix in thistles and unique greenery that will add a lot of interest to your final centerpiece.
Center one or two of the largest flower heads (focal flowers) in the middle to balance the arrangement. Tuck the bottom of the flower up close against the candle with the face of the flower pointed outward.
I generally add in one color and one variety at a time. This way you evenly distribute the color across the entire arrangement instead of making it look one sided.
See how I'm using the same orange chrysanthemum and adding it to all sides.
