“I wanted to create an arrangement that can be made for any day of the week. The colors and the shape make this one very “me.” I lean toward neutrals and textures, and I think its overall soft and airy nature makes it fit perfectly anywhere in my home.”
MATERIALS: Use cosmos, dahlias, pieris, ‘Distant Drums’ garden roses, Queen Anne’s lace, tropical foliage, mountain ash, bunny tail, and various grasses. I wanted to use mostly neutrals with just a pop of color.
1 | Form a ball with floral wire, and stick it into the container. I start with the thickest, woody stems first—the pieris, mountain ash, and tropical foliage. Create the frame of the arrangement, while also crisscrossing the stems in the container to give it strength.
2 | Add the Queen Anne’s lace, following the line of the branches. I love how delicate this flower is. It can also create height and fill in some of the negative space if you cut it at all different lengths.
3 | Add one of the dahlias. Stick the largest one in low, keeping it just above the line of the vase, but make sure the placement looks natural.
4 | Go back and include lighter elements with the cosmos. I like to group a few of these smaller blooms together so that the eye has a place to rest.
5 | Bring some texture with wild grasses and bunny tail. These are so California—I often pick them from the side of the road. Keep grasses tall and asymmetrical in the design while also looking for holes to fill.
6 | So far, the tones are all the same, but the roses add a different note. Stick the blooms low, and keep them together to create depth. Before adding, cut off the thorns. It doesn’t have to be all of them—just enough on the bottom so that they slide into the wire easily.
7 | Finally, add a few smaller dahlias to add volume.
“My rule with finding holes in arrangements is that if you think there is one, then it’s probably there. Don’t overthink it.”—Natalie Bowen
More Natalie Bowen Arrangements
MATERIALS: Dahlias, ‘Distant Drums’ garden roses, Koko Loko garden roses, Anthurium, Ranunculus, Pieris, Bunny tail, Smoke bush, Heuchera foliage, Mountain ash, Various wild grasses
MATERIALS: Cosmos, Dahlias, Pieris, ‘Distant Drums’ garden roses, Queen Anne’s lace, Tropical foliage, Mountain ash, Bunny tail, Various grasses.
Produced by Jena Hippensteel | Photography by Aubrie Pick