How to make a dried flower arrangement - FLORISTRY/FLOWER ARRANGING -Using pampas grass

My first look at a dried flower arrangement using a fantastic selection of dried and preserved materials. This design uses a different type of foam to create this beautiful pumpkin arrangement.
This arrangement follows a more contemporary style with the materials used grouped together to create more visual impact. This style can be used for dinner parties, wedding table centres or for the centre of a coffee table, it would also look fabulous in an alcove or against a wall.
There is another pumpkin design to follow over the next few days, bringing you 3 different styles of arranging using the same style of base.
If you are new to arranging, take a few minutes to view my Back to Basics series which will explain how to create a very all round arrangement using a minimal amount of flowers.
Container
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Fresh pumpkin
Dried floral foam
Dried Flowers
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Dried hydrangea
Barley
Bracken
Bleached ruscus
Palm spears
Dried pampas grass
Preserved and dyed
Gypsophila
Tillandsia moss

[@francesmcgrath5663]

This was extremely easy to follow and looked lovely. You explain thing very clearly. Thank you so much. I will be out walking my dog this afternoon with secateurs in hand.

[@sharondower]

Have fun! Enjoy and thanks for watching

[@arlenegamble1974]

Gorgeous

[@sharondower]

Thanks for watching

[@molindacraig2266]

NICE!

[@sharondower]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@victoria3241]

Very pretty 😍

[@sharondower]

Thank you! 😊

[@annesims7924]

Beautiful arrangement 👏

[@sharondower]

Thank you very much!

[@jackieellison9546]

I don’t care for the white, but it’s a beautiful arrangement. You are VERY talented.

[@sharondower]

Thanks for watching

[@denisedavies649]

I feel this looks a lot better than the fresh as it is a tall pumpkin it definitely needs the height.

[@sharondower]

Thanks Denise - the orange pumpkin uses different proportions, I've used 3:5:8 proportion, when the ratio of the pumpkin and the flowers and the pumpkin lid, create a ratio of 3 (lid) 5 (flowers) 8 (pumpkin). In the dried design the proportion are more traditional and use 1/3 to 2/3. so the floral part is twice the height of the pumpkin. Hope that helps

[@natalierobus3883]

Lovely arrangement. Are you going to teach us some Christmas arrangements soon?

[@sharondower]

Hopefully yes, Is there anything you would like to learn?

[@natalierobus3883]

@@sharondower I would like to do a foral arrangement for Church on Christmas day.

[@juliespeer2364]

An interesting design, especially using dried hydrangea. If you cut they hydrangea head off now, does this damage the plant? I haven't yet created a dried arrangement! Thank you for sharing.

[@sharondower]

If you are in the UK, then now is a good time to cut off the hydrangea heads, as it will give plenty of time for the new flowers to grow in time for next year. Its best to cut them before there is too much autumn/winter moisture in the air and before they get too damaged. You'll possible get frost damage if you cut them during the winter.

[@annesims7924]

Would it be advantageous to glue product into foam?

[@sharondower]

Hi Ann - thats a good question and probably doesn't have just one answer. If you were moving the arrangement around, storing it in a box, using it year after year, then yes using glue will give you that extra security. If you're a florist creating a design for a customer, then again, yes I might use glue to add extra security. But if you're making the design for just practise or as a one off, then no, you don't need to add glue. The grey/dry foam has a much firmer consistency, so it tends to hold onto the artificial stems much more securely that the green fresh floral foam. And of course, don't try and push your flower stems in and out of the foam many time, creating unnecessary holes.

[@annesims7924]

I would love to understand the Fibonacci sequence in floral arrangements! I’ve tried to but it scrambles my brain 🤣

[@sharondower]

The orange pumpkin is a good example of 3:5:8 proportions. The lid represents a ratio of 3, the flowers a ratio of 5 and the pumpkin base a ratio of 8. So if you equate 3:5:8 to small:medium:large, the lid is small, flower section is medium and the pumpkin is the large. There is so much more to the Fibonacci sequence, and this is just one explanation.