My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Grow a floral craft pantry

If you have been following along for a while you probably remember me mentioning that I am still struggling to find quality cut flowers to design with. And I have been hearing that some of you have been struggling too. We just can't find flowers... and those that we find are so ordinary.

It's really frustrating.

It is now at the point that I have decided to see it as an adventure... and do something about it.

I am launching something new this month. I am teaming up with Plant Something BC , and will be writing articles for them to explore creative ways we can grow our own little "floral craft pantry" to design with.

Now most of us will not be able to grow everything we need to design with. But the aim is to explore where there are gaps... and grow that, regardless of how much space we have. For me this will mean growing in pots on our balcony so it is really going to be quite an adventure.

Let's go beyond what we normally would think of as a "cut flower garden" to see growing plant material as a natural part of exploring and developing our own effortless design style- see what I did there?

Yes, this is a natural extension of what I explore in my book... but this time from the roots up.

I hope this will inspire you to grow along. Please let me know what you think. And huge please let me know if you have growing tips and thoughts about growing your own "floral craft pantry".

The link to the Design and Tutorial is below this post.

You can read the introduction announcement for my monthly flower arranging inspiration articles on the Plant Something BC blog . Follow @PlantsomethingBC on Instagram and use the hashtag #growafloralfcraftpantry to show us what you are growing to design with. We would love to hear your hints and tips to grow a floral craft pantry as well.

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Tutorials
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in
22 March 2023
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in

The easiest unfinished nest idea... simply shaped from roots discovered while Spring cleaning and preparing to plant.
Slow down tulip growth, after the stems have been severed from the bulbs
11 May 2011
Slow down tulip growth, after the stems have been severed from the bulbs

Tulips continue to grow after being cut. Sometimes when you make a very small design or for competition or bridal work you want to minimize growth. The best way to do this is to divert their energy.
Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals
8 July 2015
Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals

It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.
Lily grass spiral in a vase
22 June 2016
Lily grass spiral in a vase

Twist lily grass slightly to create a spiral for the orchids to nestle in
Breezy lily grass ripple
20 July 2022
Breezy lily grass ripple

A radiating design that has the freedom of movement to add a bit of a cooling effect on the warmer days of summer.
A Three level Kenzan skewer stack to Radiate Gladiolus spikes flat in a shallow container
7 August 2019
A Three level Kenzan skewer stack to Radiate Gladiolus spikes flat in a shallow container

Build up a design in a shallow container by stacking it by threading the plant material into the teeth of a pin cushion in three levels.
Cinderella Spiral Pumpkin from Midelino Cane Coils
1 May 2012
Cinderella Spiral Pumpkin from Midelino Cane Coils

Tie Midelino Cane coils to make a spiral armature
A Double vase, Sticky tape, Reflexed AND Woven Nestled Grass and Tulip Whirl
23 March 2022
A Double vase, Sticky tape, Reflexed AND Woven Nestled Grass and Tulip Whirl

so many techniques rolled into one rather pretty tulip nest. Perfect to celebrate new beginnings: Spring and my book birthday... and my online workshop!
Spiral twig frog
22 May 2012
Spiral twig frog

Multiple tiny twigs create a flower frog to keep the delicate buds and leaves in the exact spot you want.
A Spring Sprout Wreath Flower Frog
24 March 2021
A Spring Sprout Wreath Flower Frog

Craft an everything is still growing spring design to celebrate... what we love!
Tapping away Tulip pollen
19 June 2012
Tapping away Tulip pollen

Tap away most of the pollen from a fully opened tulip
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets
2 August 2017
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets

Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.
Grow a wheatgrass patch for an almost entirely edible Easter display
29 March 2023
Grow a wheatgrass patch for an almost entirely edible Easter display

Grow wheatgrass to create a Spring patch of green for your mini Easter egg hunt.
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in
22 March 2023
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in

The easiest unfinished nest idea... simply shaped from roots discovered while Spring cleaning and preparing to plant.
Related Designs
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!
22 March 2023
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!

A spring spiral design... with a hint of a root nest. Easy to do
Perfection
22 June 2016
Perfection

Spiral grass to create a nest for the lady slipper orchids
The tiniest drop
20 July 2022
The tiniest drop

A radiating summer design that waves in the slightest of breezes.
Point Out: this is a single bunch of gladiolus!
7 August 2019
Point Out: this is a single bunch of gladiolus!

Cut stems of Gladiolus to place in a radiating summer design.
Center the more adventurous design ideas on your centerpieces
1 May 2012
Center the more adventurous design ideas on your centerpieces

Designing adventurous Contemporary Floral centerpieces Article in the Canadian Florist Magazine.
Chockablock!
23 March 2022
Chockablock!

Luxuriously filled design... filled with flowers... filled with grass. But most fun, for us as designers filled with hidden techniques
To two too!
24 March 2021
To two too!

A Spring Tulip celebration design... with a special message
Lean
22 May 2012
Lean

Place short twigs, leaning to one side to create a flower frog
Grace
2 August 2017
Grace

Use snips and snippets and leftovers to create a design of it's own
To grow a patch of grass of our very own
29 March 2023
To grow a patch of grass of our very own

The first of my new monthly articles about growing the material you need to design with. This month we are taking stock of what we need... and growing wheatgrass.
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!
22 March 2023
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!

A spring spiral design... with a hint of a root nest. Easy to do
Favourite Flowers
Tulipa
Tulipa

Plaited tulips in my I’ve got my head in the clouds design.