Behind the Blooms
Fall Artichoke Arrangement
Friday, October 24, 2008

Here is a simple arrangement to capture the essence of our spectacular harvest season. When most folks think of flowers, they think spring and summer. Fall is my favorite time of the flower year. Rich oranges, burgundies, yellows and chocolate colors combine to create earthy, warm arrangements. It's also a fantastic time of the year to incorporate vegetables into arrangements.


Here Brenda is turning a fresh artichoke into a flower container. Note the artichoke on the right, this is how we purchased them. First we cut off the stem to create a flat bottom for a stable foot. Then we begin to cut out the center. There is no real trick to this, just start with some scissors and cut the center into shreds. Then pull/cut/tear it out until you get to the bottom shell. Preserve the outer third of the 'choke, it's important to have that layered effect for the visual texture.


Once you have it looking like the one in Brenda's hand, just slide a small vase (votive candle glass works perfect) and you're ready to design. A stem or two of just about anything will work, just make sure you hide the mechanics. You can even put a frog in there to create a tall, contemporary design, or even a candle for a unique votive.


Gords, pumpkins, cabbages and more could all be used this way. Just realize they will only last a day or two, so don't make them too early.


We created nine of these for a recent corporate event. I meant to take a photo of the finished version, but got caught up on a client call. When I returned to the design studio, Brenda had them finished and gone! Have to move fast around here. Beware of the cost of the artichokes. These 'chokes were $4 each, and would quickly add up if you put a couple on each table for a large event!.

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Posted by Manny Gonzales
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