Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Grass and orchid octopus for a beachy summer display
- 30 July 2025
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Start placing smooth pebbles in a shallow display container
You can follow a pattern or simply place the pebbles every here and there...
Just as long as the pebbles are tight enough to offer support where you need it for your floral details...
Add water to almost (but not quite) cover the pebbles with water.
Start the design by arranging the pebbles...
Book readers turn to page 92 to read more about ways to make sure you have more creative options when you cut your flower stems. For more information about my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman
To get you started I also have a Tutorial for you below this post to show where to cut the Phalaenopsis orchid stems so that they can lift above the pebbles...
Did you see that!?!
This extraordinary orchid grew a modified petal (instead of a throat, lip and column) next to the sepals. A bit like a vanda orchid, don't you think?
Anyway... nestle the orchid stem to stand upright between the pebbles.
Nestle a blade of bright purple Pennisetum grass to drape over the orchid.
I wanted my grasses to be crawling like an octopus over the pebbles. Each blade of grass is positioned... just... so...
I explain more about the eight grasses and how I am positioning it to create this crawling octopus-like movement in our email this week. I send out an email every Wednesday morning (Vancouver time) the moment the latest design is ready for you to view. Each week I add a tip about something that I want to highlight that will make sure that you get the most out of each week's inspiration even before viewing the design. The sign up is below this post.
... And I am securing the grass in place by gluing it to a dry bit (this is the reason why we do not fill the container with water but rather let the top part stay dry) of the pebble to make sure I can use as tiny as possible drop of floral glue to keep the grass in position.
Add another blade of grass to curl around the orchid on the opposite side...
... And grass number eight (for the eight octopus limbs) to freely float above the design so that it moves in the slightest summer breeze.
And I am finishing my design off with a few dew drop crystal-suction cups on the octopus arms (long story, see this week's newsletter).
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