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9. WINTER ARRANGEMENTS

How do you dry plant material ? - Where do we find our winter arrangement materials ?

Fall Harvest –

The end of the summer does not necessarily mean that we who en­joy flower arrangement, shall put away our pruning shears and wait placidly for the next Spring to arrive. Autumn brings us a host of new plant material for designing. Oak leaves are now a rich, red brown; cat tails are ready for cutting, the grasses have gone to seed leaving a slender straw colored staff, and many of the trees are producing un­usually formed seed pods. Some of the winter fruits are appearing. Bitter sweet lends enchantment to the browns and reds with its orange and yellow berries. Even the bare branches of many of the trees and shrubs show promise of adding the lovliest of curves and accents to the lines in your winter arrangements. To complete our supply of plant material for fall and winter, we receive straw flowers from Cali­fornia and shafts of wheat from all over the country.

Plant material must not necessarily be domesticated. You may gather it from the woodlands or banks of brooks and ponds. It is woody in its natural state, although some of it must be dried before using.

Drying Procedure

A - Remove leaves from flowers quickly after picking.   Do not place material to be dried in water.

B - Tie in bunches and hang upside down in a dry, cool, dark place.

C - Leaves and ferns should be flattened in books or on a flat surface under a heavy object.

D - The drying process takes from two to three weeks.

Another way for preserving leaves is to slit the branches in several places and emmerse them in a mixture of equal parts water and glycer­ine. Many anti-freeze compounds are also suitable in place of glycerine.

Drying Fresh Flowers

There are many methods for drying fresh flowers, but the most suc­cessful to the author has been the use of 2 pounds of borax to 5 pounds corn meal, to which has been added 2 tablespoons benzoate of soda. Mix thoroughly. Place about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of the mixture in a shallow box and insert the stems of the flowers to be preserved at an angle. The stems should be cleanly cut to about 2 inches below the flower head. Cover any protruding flower parts with remaining mix­ture.

If the character of the stem is needed, cut at desired lengths and lay them in the box being careful not to bruise the head. The mixture is then spread completely over the flower and stem.

Make the box as airtight as possible by taping a piece of glass, alu­minum foil or plastic over the top.

Unlike gathering flowers for fresh arrangements, which are cut be­fore or after sunrise or sunset - flowers for drying should be cut in full sunlight when there is a minimum amount of moisture on the plants.

Using the term "fresh flowers" is the generalization of much of the material possessing a flowery appearance or texture. Yet, many of these plants can be dried.   The specimens vary according to locality.

Dried Plant Material Charts Figure 52

A - Woodroses - These are the seed pods of the morning glory

B – Okra

C - Manzanita branches

D - Lotus seed pods

Figure 53

A - Queen Anne's Lace and Red Clover

B - Pine Cones.   Spruce and hemlock cones are also very effective.

C - Joe Pye weed and thistle. Pick while in bud to avoid color change.

(thistle) D - Goldenrod and Milkweed

Clover and goldenrod should be picked when in full bloom.
Figure 54

A - Pitcher plant

B – Sumac

C - Cock'scomb.   Pick while in full bloom

D - Milkweed pods

Figure 55

A - Oak and Beech leaves

B - Tulip seed pods

C - Squash, Indian corn and ornamental gourds. The gourds should be picked when ripe and dried. Be careful not to rest one against the other.   They must be completely dry before arranging.  Several coats of clear varnish or shellac should be applied to add high­lights and preserve the color.   Roll back the husks of Indian corn and spread to dry.

Figure 52.   Dried Plant Material

Figure 53.   Dried Materials

Figure 54.   Dried Materials

Figure 55.   Dried Materials

D - Lichen covered tree branch.   Most usable during early fall.

Gathering Tips for Winter Arrangements

c Cattails should be cut when the seed heads are small. If a larger head is desired, pick it in the fall and cover it with a thin coating of lacquer to prevent opening. Dipping in parafin wax is also a suitable method to guard against early seed dispersal.

Sumac, Bittersweet, and Bayberry retain the richest color when picked in early autumn.

Scotch broom is one of the most versatile dried materials. Before it is dried, it can be shaped into sweeping arcs to add grace and line to your winter arrangements.

Spiraea (also spelled "spirea") should be gathered before it starts turning brown.

Pussy willows are cut in springtime when the gray tufts dot the branches.

Rhubarb should be gathered after going to seed, before it starts falling.

Fungus, when picked in its natural form, is excellent for dried ar­rangements.

At the Fireplace Figure 56

In Colonial times, bunches of dried materials and fruits were usual­ly seen hanging around the open hearth. Here is a more formal recol­lection of those times.

A chicken wire holder supports the plant material. Cattails and goldenrod are placed for height and texture, shafts of golden wheat create form and movement, while the Japanese lanterns offer another point of interest as they playfully call attention to the jug handle. The container is a large wine jug.

Lengthen short cattails by wiring a stick or branch to the stem. Cover the mechanics with floral tape.

Woodroses and Cattails Figure 57

A - Diagram showing proportion and line.

B - Diagram of proportion, line and added form.

C - Arrangement of woodroses,  cattails, heather, Gerberas daisies, wheat and mullein.

In this design combining dried materials with fresh flowers, a con­tainer of water for the thirsty stems is concealed in the focal point. The dried material is anchored in the larger container which is part of the visual picture. The unseen container of water, however, is the difference between success and failure in this type of combination. Dried materials must remain just that - dried. Exposure to water will cause rot which is usually accompanied by 3 equally unwelcome com­panions; foul odor, discoloration, and mildew.

 

Figure 57.   Woodroses and Cattails

The appearance of the arrangement can be changed to suit your wishes by rotating the fresh flowers from time to time.

Every locality has something to offer for your winter arrangements. Don't let autumn and winter slip away without taking advantage of their abundance of crisp, colorful plant material. It is indeed a shame to let all that beauty go to waste

Autumn . . . Birch

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