"Bringing the outside in"

It is a joy to have flowers indoors.
Sunday, 31 March 2019     

A new book on flower arranging

Much as I love flowers, I have never been any good at arranging them in a vase for the house. The only time I ever won a prize for floral art was when I got the gong for the least number of points in the overall yearly tally of the garden club I joined when I was 24. I do love receiving bunches of flowers and wish I could bring the garden inside at times, but books on flower arranging have always seemed too complicated, formal and technical for me, full or arcane rules of 'how it must be done'. So I was delighted recently when, out for a day with friends browsing in homeware shops, I stumbled across a just-published book on flower arranging that brings a breath of fresh air to the whole subject.

Written by Annabelle Hickson, a Sydney-born girl who now lives on a pecan farm in north-west NSW, A Tree in the House (2019) records her journey in flower arranging that began with bringing simple bunches of wild flowers into the cottage on the farm to brighten it up, then getting into gardening to grow flowers for the house, to a career in creating amazing floral installations and teaching others about her methods. The book is brimming with photos of her work, which are truly inspiring.

The author gives some very practical advice in the early part of the book about flower to vase proportions (something I had never thought about before); various clever ways to hold flowers in vases, the simplest being a ball of scrunched-up chicken wire; preparing the flowers for the vase; what to add to the water to keep the flowers fresh for longer; then ways to create the dynamic, free-flowing style that she espouses for her arrangements, which often resemble a fabulous floral explosion, covering points including line, texture, shape and colour. She also suggests lots of unorthodox vessels for holding flowers, including rusty buckets, soup tureens, teapots, mixing bowls - even the kitchen sink!

We are treated to any number of hints and tips, such as how to use multiple vases together to form a more dramatic picture; how to arrange and transport a bunch of flowers to take to a friend (including the ingenious use of a hole cut in a shoe box to pop in the jar of flowers whilst taking it in the car, so that it doesn't tip over); how to make a beautiful arrangement using a bunch of flowers from a supermarket; even how to dry flowers such as hydrangeas for winter arrangements, something that I am keen to do.

We are informed about all the sorts of flowers and other plant material that can be used in arrangements, including classics such as roses, hydrangeas, carnations and dahlias, and ones I would never have imagined to be suitable, such as Japanese windflowers, Clematis, begonias and nasturtium. The use of vines and trailing plants is recommended to give a sense of movement and spontaneity to an arrangement, and the importance of foliage is emphasised: some of Annabelle's arrangements use only foliage, often enormous branches of it! Some unusual material is suggested: stems from cotton plants; lichen-covered branches of deciduous trees; branches of citrus, chestnut and apple trees, laden with fruit; hunks of Australian mistletoe (a semi-parasitic plant seen growing on gum trees in the countryside); culinary herbs; and stuff foraged from beside the road or railway lines, such as wild fennel, grass heads and seed pods. Handy lists at the end of the books summarise this information, including plants that can survive well out of water.

Later in the book are wonderfully illustrated examples of some of Annabelle's big installations for various events, including weddings in wool sheds, lunches in paddocks, dinners in rustic halls, and funerals in country churches. Many of these feature spectacular and imaginative overhead arrangements and we are told how to actually go about creating these effects. Whilst I probably never will do anything like this, I found myself in awe and admiration about the effects that can be achieved, and an understanding of the basics of how it is done.

The personality of the author shines through the book and an ongoing theme is the importance of seasonality in flower arranging, as a way of providing a vital connection with the inexorable cycles and forces of nature. Also, she notes that picking flowers and foliage for indoors makes us more aware of the beauty of plants and better observers of them, which I am sure must help us be better gardeners too in how we create planting combinations in our actual plots! Another idea that resonates through the book is the significance of community in our lives: I loved reading the stories of how Annabelle collected huge bunches of material from a country garden of a generous friend for one of the wedding installations, and how a group of women all got together to cut flowers for the funeral service of one of the locals. The simple joys of giving a receiving a bunch of flowers between friends also struck a chord with me, and I vowed to be better at picking flowers from my garden for others. I have also created a list on this website of all the plants in my plant directory that are considered suitable for use in vases. However, as the book suggests, it is worth experimenting with all sorts of plant material, to see what works. I'd love to hear of your favourite flowers and foliage for arrangements.

This is more than a book about flower arranging: it is a spirited celebration of nature, and the importance of nature in our lives. I thoroughly enjoyed it!


 Reader Comments

1/8  Lyn - 4510 (Zone:11A - Sub-tropical) Monday, 01 April 2019

Thank you for directing attention to this book. I certainly need all the help I can get when it comes to arranging flowers. I agree that thinking about picking flowers does change the way of looking at my garden and planting. For a couple of years I have been an enthusiastic reader of a blog which shares pictures of members" garden pickings once a week - "in a Vase on Monday". See: here. All the best, Lyn Ebert Thanks so much for that link, Lyn. It is good to be able to realy closely observe flowers when they are inside in a vase. Deirdre


2/8  Sue - 2074 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 01 April 2019

Sounds a great book and your arrangement looks lovely, I would be very happy to receive that, lucky friend. In autumn I often use the coloured leaves of my liquid amber in small coffee table arrangements along with berries of nandina and the red berries from clivias can bring the season inside even if you have no flowers. Sometimes just a vase of varied green foliage with the old green stems of agapanthus acting like spikey flowers can even look good. A good book review. Thanks. I like the sound of the autumn leaves and berries and I agree green foliage and old aggie flower heads can look good. I have been looking at aggie deadheads in a new light since reading the book! Deirdre


3/8  Kerrie - 2104 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 01 April 2019

I rarely cut flowers to bring inside because I prefer to look at them growing in the garden & of course they last longer there too.I probably don"t have enough garden to do both. I do grow orchids though & will bring a pot in flower inside for a few days.Sounds like a lovely book thougn, one of those books with beautiful photos to lift your spirits? Yes often I hesitate to cut flowers for vases as I think they will lost longer outside but it is fun to experiment a bit. The book is very uplifting! Deirdre


4/8  Gillian - 2119 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 01 April 2019

Deirdre what an interesting blog you have written today. Close to my heart, I love bringing in flowers from the garden to brighten up the house. I especially love picking a small bunch for the dining room table when I have visitors over for dinner. My all time favourite is the simple, plain white daisy. I have a bright yellow jug that I use to put a large bunch of these white daisies in and it just looks gorgeous in the summertime, so fresh and adds a touch of country to the room. Gillian.I agree that white daisies in a jug look superb! I have put in a white daisy bush recently in the hope of picking some for my blue-and-white striped jug in spring! Deirdre


5/8  Linda - 2119 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 01 April 2019

While living in Japan, I attended formal ikebana lessons - wow! so-o-o formal - and was mightily impressed when our teacher gathered a few weeds from the roadside and arranged them in a glass on a social visit. She could obviously see the potential of even the most humble of plants!That is a lovely story, Linda! Deirdre


6/8  Patricia - 2100 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 01 April 2019

Flowers, what a blessing. Whether outside or in, always bring joy to our hearts. I agree! Deirdre


7/8  Janna - UK Monday, 01 April 2019

The flowers you brought me in Mosman were one of the most beautiful bunches I have ever received, Deirdre. You clearly have an amazing eye for them, even if you lack (or lacked) confidence arranging them yourself. Those hydrangeas look gorgeous though!We are so lucky to have a simply wonderful florist in our village. It is a joy to watch her work and I do like to suggest the flowers for her to arrange when I am getting a bunch for someone. Deirdre


8/8  Margaret - 2122 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 01 April 2019

Floral art is a good skill to have - it comes in very handy, when needing to take a posy or arrangement to friends. The book you bought sounds very easy to follow, and will bring you joy. It is so wonderful to be able to gather flowers and greenery from your own garden.Thanks, Margaret. I hope I can improve a bit with the guidance of the book. Deirdre


Make a comment

* You can only post comments on Blogs if you are signed in. If you are already registered please go to the Home page and Sign-In first. If you are not an iGarden member please click here to register now.

My eBooks (PDF)

Plant of the week

Most-recent blogs

Early-autumn daisies
24 Mar 24
Daisies contribute to the beauty of early autumn in Sydney gardens.

Paradise revisited
17 Mar 24
I revisit a stunning Sydney acreage garden.

A bromeliad solution
10 Mar 24
Bromeliads provide a solution to difficult, dry, shady spots in Sydney gardens.

Refreshing whites for hot days
03 Mar 24
These white flowers add a touch of coolth,

Grooming the garden
25 Feb 24
Prepare your garden for a renewed lease of life in early autumn.

Previously at this time

2009 - 17 Mar
2011 - 27 Mar
2012 - 25 Mar
2013 - 31 Mar
2014 - 30 Mar
2015 - 29 Mar
2016 - 27 Mar
2017 - 26 Mar
2018 - 18 Mar
2021 - 28 Mar
2022 - 27 Mar
2023 - 26 Mar
2024 - 24 Mar

Promotions