rose bouquet
I think this rose bouquet looks lush with different types of greenery providing a base. Both Italian and Israeli ruscus are among my favorites. It not only works well in bouquets, but these Israeli leaves are wonderful in matching corsage and boutonniere work.
I first determine how long I want the ruscus to be by holding it up to the framework I created with leather leaf fern.
As you can see, most stems of ruscus are pretty long, giving you several pieces.
The stems are pretty firm. If you cut them at a sharp angle, you'll be able to insert them into the foam easier.
Once you have the ruscus cut and at your desired length, you can manipulate the stem gently if you choose.
By gently flexing the stem, I'm able to give it a slight curve that enhances my cascade design and gives it a little more depth.
Don't get too aggressive or you may snap the stem in two.
This way I have the ruscus flaring slighting forward, giving me the look I want instead of looking flat from the sides.
Ruscus is also easy to cut into separate pieces and insert randomly into the upper portion of the bouquet.
Cut both the top and bottom part of the stem at sharp angles. This hides the cut from being view at the top and the bottom inserts more easily into the bouquet foam.
Don't be too precise with your placement. Insert here or there and it gives a lovely casual look to the greens while adding interesting texture.
You can see that the mechanics are being concealed, yet leaving plenty of open foam for your flowers that are being added later.
