My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Point Out: this is a single bunch of gladiolus!

Point Out this is a single bunch of gladiolus floral art design

Spread... out

Radiating Gladiolus flower arrangement

Fan... out

Cut Gladiolus flower spikes arrange in a shallow container

Branch... out

Lime green Gladiolus flower spikes floral design for summer

Middle… out

Cut spiked flower stems shorter

Center... out

Gladiolus flower spikes in a foam free design

Radiate... out

Using a Kenzan to place Gladiolus flower spikes in a vase

Inside… out

Gladiolus flower spikes in a foam free flower arrangement design

From this point… out

Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Tutorials

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.

7 August 2019 Where to cut Gladiolus spikes shorter

Gladiolus stems can be cut into sections so that it appears natural and well groomed.

7 August 2019 Use a drinking straw to push foliage horizontally deep into a Kenzan to leave space for stems to rest on top of them

The teeth of a Kenzan (or pin cushion) is rather sharp. Here is a pain free way of pushing down the plant material into the teeth to keep it securely in place.

7 January 2015 Securing a kenzan

Temporarily adhere a traditional Ikebana Kenzan or pincushion to a shallow container.

7 January 2015 So many ways to use a Kenzan to hold floral materials

How to place various sizes of plant material in a Kenzan

15 February 2012 Gladiolus Composite

This looks spectacular but it is the easiest composite flower to make

16 August 2011 Cut spiked flower stems and foliage into short sections

Orchids grow in long flower spikes. It is great to use the entire stem but sometimes you need shorter section. There is a trick to cutting the stems without leaving a visible...

Favourite Flowers

Gladiolus

Gladiolus, Sword lily, Corn Lilies, gladioluses, glads, plural: gladioli

Related Designs

6 November 2019 Dance lessons from the Autumn leaves

A fun and easy contemporary floral design to display foraged autumn leaves and just a touch of flowers that can easily be replaced.

24 February 2021 Picked up some proper Pruning

An early Spring design with a twist on using an old favourite: composite flowers.

14 April 2021 a Yay! You

A tiny Spring detail to add to a cute little floral design.

19 May 2021 In the little gap

Use the petals of your flower to cleverly keep all the other floral details of your design firmly in place.

25 May 2022 Grateful Heart

Frame a single perfect Bleeding heart flower in a leaf dot.

8 June 2022 Make Believe

Ever seen an eucalyptus flower? This is... and is not one.

29 June 2022 But for this… let’s not rush

A take your time and mindfully craft a pretty design to celebrate the summer solstice- it is officially summer here in Canada.

20 July 2022 The tiniest drop

A radiating summer design that waves in the slightest of breezes.

22 March 2023 Grow a floral craft pantry

I am launching something new this month. I am teaming up with Plant Something BC, our local government and the landscape and nursery societies here in British Columbia, Canada and...

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

10 May 2023 By the cone full

A small design to display those last Spring snippets from your garden...

30 August 2023 Courage, now

A bit of a rethink as the season is getting ready to change. How can I give my design idea a fresh twist?

6 September 2023 Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near

It's the little sun-washed coloured hints that makes you look again to see if you really saw what you thought you saw... yes! There really are signs of autumn everywhere!

11 September 2013 Making it last

Split and spiral a few gladiolus flowers in a way that the stems remain intact, to spiral in a water filled filled vase for a long lasting composite flower

7 September 2012 Just Right! Floral Art demonstration: Own It!

My fourth design in my demonstration at the BC Floral Art Society meeting

15 November 2017 Alchemy

Gently stand leaves upright in a Kenzan

6 June 2018 Hi-Lo

Perfect stems, perfect flowers. Needs nothing more.

12 July 2017 Sparkler

A radiating twig design

2 October 2013 Prickly

Build a twig porcupine armature for fall flowers