The menu is complete. The table is set. It’s time to place the exclamation point on it all.
We turned to Liz Mattingly, owner of Lilia Flower Boutique, for ideas for creating fall centerpieces with easy-to-source elements. She says low, wide arrangements work best for dining tables because they don’t intrude on table space or block views.
Begin: Make a grid (using tape) over the container’s opening. This helps with design and holds elements in place.
Layer: Develop a layer of greenery, with stems in the water and the greens just popping over the top of the tape. Branching greens are best, and avoid straight and thin types of greenery.
Add: Use mixed blooms (three bunches of three varieties), and gather more greens.
Design: Arrange in clusters, a group of five at a time. Place the largest blooms alone, like hydrangeas or peonies. Or mirror everything you do on one side on the other. Use remaining blooms to create movement in your arrangement.
Takeaways:
- Position (and cut) the flowers at an angle.
- Use different heights of each bloom.
- Fruits and vegetables can add a whole other dimension.
- A good pair of clippers can make flowers last longer.
- Wooden picks, stabbed into produce, act as a “stem” to hold them in place.
- Dried flowers can fill in arrangements. (Dried hydrangeas are a great choice, and grasses are another sure bet.)
Lilia Flower Boutique
18172 Minnetonka Blvd., Wayzata
952.473.0366
Facebook: Lilia Flower Boutique
Instagram: @liliaflowerboutique
Pinterest: Lilia Flower Boutique
