“Spring is the inspiration for this arrangement, which features flowers that are true to the season and not necessarily available year-round. The star, and one of my favorites, is a giant ranunculus called a ‘Cloni’. It’s dramatic—and rare. It’s only around for a few, too-short weeks every year. Two other floral features in this one are the fragrant hyacinth and beautiful andromeda, which is an incredible bloom that does double duty because it’s both floral and foliage. There are essentially only three colors in this arrangement (pink, yellow, and white), and they come together beautifully. This linear design is perfect for a living room coffee table, but it would brighten up any room.” —Jackie Reisenauer of Munster Rose in Minneapolis
MATERIALS
- ‘Cloni’ ranunculus
- Pink ranunculus
- Peach ranunculus
- Sweet peas Garden roses
- Daffodils (‘Pink Charm,’ ‘Ice Follies,’ and ‘Pinza’)
- Hyacinth
- Andromeda
1 | Start by making a grid using tape over the lip of the container. I prefer using white tape so that it blends with the white vase.
2 | For the foundation of the arrangement, we’re going to use andromeda. Cut several branches at different lengths (short, medium, and long). Place the longest pieces on opposing sides, positioning them at a severe angle—while still keeping them in water—so they extend beyond the edge of the vase. Place shorter pieces in the front, back, and middle to balance the arrangement.
3 | Next, we add the focal flowers. In this case, it’s two to three stems of the ‘Cloni’ ranunculus. We’ll place them at the bottom of the arrangement to anchor it.
4 | Now we’re ready to add secondary flowers: the ranunculus and hyacinth. These help with the overall shape. Start with the smaller ranunculus in one color, like pink. I continue to place these far off to one side. Next, add hyacinth for depth. Because they’re fuller flowers, place them low and fairly clustered in the middle or off to one side.
5 | Three varieties of daffodils are next. Daffodils are great here because they’re similar in scale to the ranunculus but add a different color and shape. I keep the bright yellow ones concentrated on one side for an asymmetrical look, placing them opposite the pink ranunculus. Next I add the other two colors—soft yellow and white—in the middle to add more dimension and color without having to introduce another type of flower.
6 | Add the filler flowers, the sweet peas, to take up any empty space. They’re more delicate and smaller than the other flowers, which makes them great for adding depth. Place the sweet peas on the side by the ranunculus, mirroring the daffodils.
7 | Let’s focus on the back now. Because this arrangement is for a coffee table and will be seen on both sides, we need to make sure the back isn’t bare. In this case, I’m adding a few garden roses and more daffodils. If you don’t want to use roses, use whatever leftovers you have.
8 | Time for final touches. Turn the arrangement back around to the front. Add a few stems of peach ranunculus in the middle. These help bridge the color gap so that the tones gradually change from left to right. Then include some of the ranunculus buds, which I snipped off the other stems. The tiny buds add a nice variety of scale and a touch of extra green.
And there you go! A low, compact arrangement to bring spring to the living room.
Floral Design by Jackie Reisenauer | Produced by Jena Hippensteel | Photography by Liz Banfield