My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Agapanthus

A ball shaped clusters of trumpet or funnel shaped florets that resembles a lily on a long stem.

Agapanthus florets used in my Hold on to the knot design

Common name

African Lilies, African blue lily and Lilies-of-the-Nile

Origin

Native to South Africa

Varieties

Colors

White, lilac, blue, purple

Vase life

The flowers will take up to a week to open and will remain open for a further 7 to 14 days

Scent

Slight floral scent

Uses

The large flower heads are showy and dramatic. Individual florets can be cut and wired or glued into a design. The dried flower heads (with or without seeds) are popular to use in Christmas designs in South Africa. I also use the dried flower heads as floral frogs or guides for hand tied designs

Conditioning

Purchase or pick the flowers when one third of the buds are open. Condition in deep water overnight

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Related Designs
Hold on to the knot
21 August 2013
Hold on to the knot

Bend and knot wire into a heart shaped armature
A snowball’s chance
9 November 2011
A snowball’s chance

I designed my posy to be light and feathery but also earthly, like a fresh snowball gathered from a forest floor.
Easter Parade Demonstration and Accessory Workshop
2 April 2011
Easter Parade Demonstration and Accessory Workshop

Advanced level Workshop: For my Easter Parade Demonstration I made 6 hand-tied designs within armatures. The concept was to pick up the design while demonstrating and to literally "parade" from country to country around the world (and from table to table around the audience) to explore how Easter is celebrated in different cultures.