On my online workbook this week: Standing in frond

Dear

This week's inspiration is these butterfly flowers (or poor man’s orchid or Schizanthus pinnatus). First time growing them and they are gorgeous to design with!

My tip for you this week is to create a double layer of support for your heavier or the delicate petals of your flowers by over extending the fern stems to rest below the frond.

Cut the blade of fern frond to the size of your container and then slot the two ferns into one another at the middle point so that they rest from the outside edge of one end of your container to the outside edge of the other side. This way the hard middle stem bit (the petiole) reaches from one side to the other below the water with a double layer of leaves (pinna) growing out of it in the middle part for you to design with.

Slip the flowers between these green leaves so that the flower heads rest on the fern leaves at the top layer and the stems gently held between the green leaves below in the water to be kept exactly where you want them for your design.

Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine