Gladiolus Foliage Collar for support

Start by rolling a long sword-like gladiolus leaf inside a display container.

This is harder to do neatly than it looks! If you find it a struggle to keep the leaf from sinking into the vase as you roll it I have a design note for you this week that might help.

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I am using the foliage from younger gladiolus bulbs to weave the supports over the main leaf.

Insert another leaf and wrap that around the band to build it up.

Design note: I grow gladiolus as much for the foliage than what I do for the flowers. Tiny new bulbs grow the cutest leaves that are ideal to weave with. You can rip the foliage into thinner strands to make ropes. The leaves are robust enough to use to tie bouquets. They last forever, it feels. And once they dry you can soak them and weave baskets with the swordlike leaves... brilliant!

Before adding the flower stems I temporarily secure the band with butterfly clips. This way I can concentrate on the placement of the design stems without having to hold the band up around the edge of the container.

A word of caution: if the band slips into the design it is going to make a next level mess fishing it out with a bamboo skewer... ask me how I know.

Clip it, it makes it so much easier to get the design details just right. And if you use clips for support remember to remove the clips when you display the design.

Slip a toad lily stem through the gaps in the band to keep that in position.

Add in a taller wisteria shoot for height. Secure the shoot with a small drop of floral glue so that it towers high above the design.