Kelly Perry of Philosophy Flowers and Team Flower believes in the transformative power of small, exquisite moments. “Once I really started noticing the beautiful little things, like poppies blooming along the side of the road, a life shift began to happen,” she says. Although Perry had always engaged in creative endeavors, from baking wedding cakes (a business she started while in middle school) to event planning, she found her true calling in flowers.
Today, Perry shares her love for making arrangements that are uninhibited, artistic, and freshly picked from the garden. Her approach to designing an arrangement involves three layers, each with a specific purpose.
What You’ll Need:
- Vessel with a wide opening (6-8 inches in diameter is ideal)
- Flower Frog
- Floral Putty
- Clippers
- Waterproof tape
How-to
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Kelly’s Tips for Garden-Style Arrangements
TIMING MATTERS. Cut flowers either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when they’ve had the opportunity to cool down from harsh midday sun. Also, clipping from more established plants means that they will hold longer in an arrangement. For example, hydrangeas or dahlias harvested early in their blooming season will not last as long as those cut later.
TEXTURE TELLS THE TALE. If the flower feels soft, damp, or sticky, it generally will not hold very long when cut. If it feels leathery, papery, and dry, it will usually last longer.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A PLANT’S ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE. Use the foliage even after the flowers are gone. I love hellebores, forsythia, and peonies, for instance, but after their blooming seasons are over, I still use the branches and leaves in my arrangements for line and shape.
USE A SECRET WEAPON. Joyce Chen Unlimited scissors can cut anything. And Quick Dip, a magic potion, revives flowers in desperate need of hydration. Dip a withering flower in it for 3 seconds, return it to water, and 15 minutes later something that had keeled over is brought back to life.
Produced by Alexandra Schmitt | Photography by Heather Payne