Autumn Table Wreath by Sarah Raven

Today on Floral Media I'm wanted to show you this real showstopper autumn table wreath by Sarah Raven. She has used many of my favourite colours that are around at this time of year.

I featured this video back in 2014 - but I like it so much I thought it deserves a second viewing - same video but I've written all new text this time. Enjoy!



Sarah's choice of plants are an unusual mix of scented pelargonium foliage, hydrangea flowers and seed heads, hawthorn berries and Chinese lanterns. There are also some unusual little surprises such as ornamental cucumbers and strawberry popcorn. 

In the middle are five flame coloured candles picking up all the colours in the wreath. Sarah has used an oasis base so both spent flowers and candles can be replaced which means that the whole centerpiece will last well into the holiday season. 

Floral Media - Sarah Raven's - How to Make an Autumn Wreath

Sarah Raven shows you how to make an Autumn Wreath, from start to finish. A lovely way to decorate your home in the glorious season.

Here is another brilliant video by Sarah Raven where she makes an autumn wreath that she then uses as a centerpiece with candles in the middle. She starts with a pre-made round shape that she adds autumn flowers, seed pods and foliage.

It will work for a big dining table, coffee table or hall table. She gives very good instruction on how to do it in the video - so I feel there is no need for me to repeat it in writing. 

I love sharing these videos in case you have not seen them before - so watch the video and try to make your own! 

Here is a little bit about Sarah in case you have missed my previous posts with her videos:

Sarah Raven is well known in the UK for presenting gardening programs on television, writing lots of books about gardening and plants, teaching floral workshops and flower arranging courses, giving talks and demonstrations and also for being an enormously successful business women running a plant, seed and gardening internet business.

Have a Great Floral Day and enjoy your flower arranging!

I will be back later in the week with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid

~ xoxo ~

[Text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

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Flowers of the Month - November 2014

Ornamental Cabbage

I'm back with 'Flowers of the Month' - where I'm highlighting all the different flowers I have used during the month of November.

The name of the flower - under the image - is also a link to the post where I featured the flower.

Cyclamens

Tulips, Ranunculus and Eucalyptus Foliage

Hydrangeas

Dried Hydrangea

Chrysanthemums

Dried Chinese Lanterns

Dried Miscanthus Grass

Tulips

Hydrangea, Viburnum Berries and Eucalyptus Foliage 

Chrysanthemums

I hope you have enjoyed the month of November in all its autumn floral glory!

Here are links to some of the previous months flowers: 

August Flowers

September Flowers

October Flowers

Have a wonderful Floral Day and I will be back in December with another 'Flowers of the Month' - but before that I will see you again later in the week!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]

FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Autumn Afternoon Tea

This time on 'FLOWERS by ingrid and titti' - the theme is 'Autumn Afternoon Tea'.

November sits between the last rush of autumn flowers, bright berries and colourful leaves and "Not quite ready to do Christmas yet". Or at least I'm not ready!

My inspiration came from this and the fact that I love getting cosy under a warm blanket with a good book. And like here light a candle, make a delicious cup of rose hip tea and enjoy a piece of cherry tart - just some of life's little pleasures.

The bright orange Chinese lantern are dried and still on their stems. They will stay this amazing colour for a long time. But keep them out of any strong sunlight - or they will fade.

Pick them when they are in full colour on a dry day. Tie with a rubber-band and hang in a dark, dry place for about two weeks. Once dried you can make arrangements using them on their own or mixed with other dried flowers. 

A simple willow wreath is beautiful just as it is or you can obviously decorate it in all kinds of different ways depending on season. 

Here are a few stems of dried Miscanthus grass - tied with some black twine. They are very easy to dry - I just put them in a vase with no water and that has worked for me every time. 

The very bright red cups and saucers I inherited from my grandmother in Sweden. They are called 'Karneval' - made in the 1930's by the Swedish pottery company Gefle.

I think this is a lovely time of year and I enjoy that little bit of a lull before the mad rush to get ready for Christmas starts. 

Titti Malmberg - my collaborator on FLOWERS - and who is based in Sweden - is also featuring an 'Autumn Afternoon Tea' over on her blog HWIT BLOGG - so please go over and see what she has done.

You can see all our FLOWERS posts HERE and also on Pinterest.

Have a Lovely Floral Day!

~ xoxo ~ 

Ingrid 

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for FLOWERS and Of Spring and Summer.]

Flowers of the Month - October 2014

I'm back again with 'Flowers of the Month' - where I'm highlighting all the different flowers I have used during the month of October.

The name of the flower - under the image - is also a link to the post where I featured the flower.

Chrysanthemums, Stock and Snapdragons

White Snowberries

Dahlias and Agapanthus

Crab Apples

Dahlias

Pink Snowberries

Dahlias

Sedum, Ferns and Ivy

Sunflowers, Chinese Lanterns and Crab Apples

Ornamental Cabbage and Chrysanthemums

Dahlia, Hydrangea and Vitis Grapes

Hydrangea

Sedum, Chrysanthemums, Heuchera Flowers and Grasses

Chrysanthemums x 2 and Soft Ruscus




Gerbera, Roses, Cornus and Crab Apples

I hope you have enjoyed the month of October in all its autumn floral glory!

Here is a link to the month of August flowers.

Here is a link to the month of September flowers.

Have a wonderful Floral Day!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]

FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Harvest Table

This time on 'FLOWERS by ingrid and titti' - the theme is Harvest Table.

My inspiration for this FLOWERS came from all the warm red, orange and yellow autumn colours that I saw at my local farmers' market and street flower sellers. I wanted to make a harvest table with a little bit of a difference. 

My pick for the day was some sunflowers - the only ones I found was yellow - even though the the burnt orange and more maroon ones are my favourite. I love the contrast between the bright yellow petals and the dark, dark brown centre - what a stunning combination. 

Next on my list was a handful of stems of Chinese lanterns - that has the tongue twister Latin name - Physalis alkekengi.

Chinese lanterns are beautiful when dried - hang them upside down - tied with a rubberband - that tightens as the stems dry out and the bunch will not fall apart. Hang them in a well ventilated, dark and dry place for a few weeks. You can then put them in a vase or container and enjoy their beauty for a long time.

The last flower/plant I choose was crabapples or Malus sylvestris as they are also called. There are many different kinds of crabapples and they come in yellow, red, light green and some are yellow and a bit orange blushed with pink - my favourite.

To decorate the table I just laid a branch straight on the table - quick and easy and I cut a few of the little apples off the bottom of the branch and scattered them around on the table - as a playful gesture.

Crabapples can be expensive to buy - but just one, two or three branches in a glass vase is very effective and stunning. If you have a tall glass vase - leave the branches as long as you can, just put a little bit of water in the bottom and leave all the apples and leaves intact at the bottom of the branches and enjoy the amazing woody stems of Malus apples through the glass vase. 

They can last for several weeks and when you are done with them the birds and squirrels will enjoy eating them in the garden. 

You can also harvest the crabapples and cook with them - you can pickle them and you can make jelly and cordial.

I also wanted to play around with other kinds of 'harvesting' or to be more precise 'collecting'. My husband has collected old classic Penguin paperbacks since 'forever' and the amazing orange colour on the spines is a perfect match with the Chinese lanterns.

Over time I have accumulated a collection of garden twines in all kinds of different colours. These brightly red and orange ones fitted right in with the Harvest Table colour scheme.

I just adore these colours - especially like on a day like today when it has incessantly been pouring with rain all day. Just looking at the colours makes me in a better mood! 

As well as putting a few stems of Chinese lanterns in a vase - I also cut off quite a few and put them in a vintage wooden bowl - adding a few green ones works well as a contrast.

Titti Malmberg - the other half of FLOWERS - is also featuring a harvest table over on her blog HWIT BLOGG - please go over to there and see what she has done.

You can see all our FLOWERS posts HERE and on Pinterest.

Have a Lovely Floral Day!

~ xoxo ~ 

Ingrid 

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for FLOWERS and Of Spring and Summer.]