With Camellias, Swedish Ivy, Jasmine Vine & a few purchased flowers

What you need:

• 15 Camellia blooms cut as long as possible ( 7-12 inches) you can substitute Garden Roses or Peonies
• 3 stems coral Geranium (cut 5-8 inches)
• 1 bunch pink Ranunculus (cut 8-14.5 inches)
• 1 bunch white Spray Roses (cut 9-12 inches)
• 1 bunch assorted greens [mine had 5 Eucalyptus stems (cut 15-17 inches), 4 Lemon Leaf stems (cut 8-14 inches), and 3 stems of pink Wax Flower (cut 7-15 inches)]
• 1 pedestal vase.  Here's a similar one:(purchase here) 

Supplies Used:

• packet of floral food (purchase here)
• one half brick wet pack floral foam (purchase here)
• pruning shears (purchase here)
• produce knife 
• floral stripper (purchase here)
• 1/2 inch clear waterproof floral tape (purchase here)

Steps: 8

Flower Cost: $20.00 excluding Camellias, Swedish Ivy, Jasmine Vine

Rated: Intermediate Arrangement

Beautiful Camellias along with Swedish Ivy are used in this arrangement.  Last year my friend Darlene, who is also a florist ( http://www.flowersbydarlene.blogspot.com/) gave me a few pieces of Swedish Ivy from her yard and I planted them.  You just put them in the ground and away they grow.  They look pretty in the garden bed and in an arrangement.  I also have Jasmine Vine covering a fence, so I look several cuttings of it's wild and winding vines to add to the flowers.  You will notice a few sprigs of coral colored Geranium too.  Geranium, like Swedish Ivy, will grow if you just stick some stems in the ground and water them.  They are quite drought tolerant too.  I supplemented these cuttings with Ranunculus, Spray Roses, and a package of greens mixed with Wax Flower from the store, to give some variety to the flowers.

Here's a tip:  The Ranunculus stems are hollow and bend easily like tulip stems.  If you think a stem might break inserting it into the floral foam, make a hole for the stem an inch and a half down with a rose stem.  If the Ranunculus stem does bend, carefully insert a piece of heavy floral wire up the stem, navigating the curves and being careful not to let the wire pierce the stem and stick out the side.  This, along with the ready made hole will give the stem the support it needs.

If you have you flowers, let's begin.