Jane Packer's Flower Course E-Book

Jane Packer

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

This book imparts the secrets of successful flower arranging to every reader, novice and expert alike. In Jane Packer's Flower Course, celebrated florist Jane Packer covers the same ground as the highly regarded four-week career course taught in her flower school, putting her wealth of experience and her celebrated designs within the reach of every reader. This beautiful new book is divided into three sections. covering irresistible floral gifts, gorgeous arrangements of all shapes and sizes, and fabulous party and wedding flowers. Jane Packer is one of Britain's best-known floral artists. She established Jane Packer Flowers in 1982 and now has outlets in London, New York, Seoul, Tokyo and Kuwait City.

Leseprobe

Photography by Paul Massey

Prop styling by Jo Barnes

JANE PACKER’S

FLOWER COURSE

Easy techniques for fabulous flower arranging

LONDON  NEW YORK

Senior designer Megan Smith

Commissioning editor Annabel Morgan

Location research Jess Walton

Production Patricia Harrington

Art director Leslie Harrington

Publishing director Alison Starling

Prop styling Jo Barnes

First published in the United Kingdom in 2008 by Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields

London WC1R 4BW

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4

Text © Jane Packer 2008

Design and photographs

© Ryland Peters & Small 2008

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

eISBN: 978-1-84975-313-5

ISBN: 978-1-84597-737-5

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

Printed and bound in China

Contents

INTRODUCTION

FLOWERS TO GIVE

FLOWERS FOR THE HOME

FLOWERS FOR CELEBRATIONS

CHOOSING WEDDING FLOWERS

COLOUR SWATCHES

RESOURCES

INDEX

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

WHEN I FIRST OPENED MY SHOP BACK IN 1982, it was a small affair in London’s James Street. Although I believed passionately that flowers added so much to an interior and that fashions in flowers were influenced by wider fashion trends, it took me some time to convince others. With a lot of help from certain magazine editors, I began to see my name mentioned in features that I had supplied flowers for. Slowly, my reputation grew, and so did the understanding that, for many businesses and homes, flowers had become more than just a token gesture — they were now a fashion statement.

By this time, we were inundated with requests to train with us and so the idea of the Jane Packer flower school was born. It opened in 1990. Nearly twenty years later, the school is located in Marylebone village at 32–34 New Cavendish Street, and I am amazed at how many people from all over the world have crossed the threshold. We have opened several stores and schools internationally — in Tokyo, Korea, New York and, most recently, in Kuwait — something that I never imagined possible. Thank goodness now floristry and gardening have become well-respected creative industries. I am extremely proud to look around the world and know that we have trained so many people in the Jane Packer philosophy, and that so many successful businesses have been influenced by our work.

Over the years I have been asked countless times to define my own personal style. It’s an impossible task in many ways, as my taste and inspiration is constantly evolving and changing, in tune with other trends and fashions. However, what is important is learning and mastering basic floristry techniques, as this will enable you to change and adapt your own style as you encounter exciting new influences. This is what we teach at the Jane Packer schools and the ground that I cover in this book.

I’ve tried to cram as much as I can into the book, starting off with simple tied posies and progressing to intricate wired bouquets and large-scale pedestal arrangements, with so much in between. So, whether you want easily achievable looks for vases, dramatic table centrepieces, or even bridal bouquets, it’s all here. Enjoy the book, and good luck. Who knows: maybe I’ll meet you at one of our schools some day — I hope so!

BUYING FLOWERS

When you’re shopping for flowers, you want fresh blooms that will enjoy a long vase life. Look out for firm petals, leaves and stems, and flowers with a good number of buds that haven’t yet opened.

There are also some telltale signs that inform you when blooms are past their best. I always look at the foliage — wilted, soft and yellowing leaves (or stems) are an indication that flowers are old and tired and may have been left out of water for some time. Inspect the leaves and stems too, avoiding any that are crushed or damaged.

With roses, peonies or other large-petalled flowers, study the petals. If their veins are prominent, the flowers are dehydrated and not worth your hard-earned cash. Examine the base of the stems. If they are black or discoloured, they haven’t been cut for a while and have probably been hanging around for some time.

If you are doing the flowers for a party or wedding and want them to be at their peak, bear in mind that you may need to buy them at different times. Lilies, for example, take time to open, as do amaryllis and hyacinths. Allow enough time for them to come into flower; otherwise the flowers will be green and your arrangements lacking in colour.

AMARYLLIS

These arrive from the grower in tight bud and will open slowly. The stems should be strong, and bright green, and will be crisp when cut.

CARNATIONS

These should be bought while still quite tight. If the petals are soft or curling inwards and the centre stamens are showing, avoid them. With young flowers, you will be able to brush the firm petals open with your hand.

LILIES

A full-blown lily is obviously in the late stages of its life. But sometimes lily stems are stored in a cold store and their tight buds conceal the fact that they are past their best. Look out for drooping or wilting leaves.

SUMMER FLOWERS

Stocks, dahlias, delphiniums, scabious and alliums all have soft stems that deteriorate quickly in water, turning soft and slimy if the water is not changed regularly.

TULIPS

Fresh tulip stems will make an audible squeaking sound when they rub together.

CONDITIONING AND REVIVING

I once purchased a huge number of stock flowers only for them to die overnight — panic! Thank goodness we are close to Covent Garden Market, so we made a mad dash to buy more flowers and save the day. My fatal error was storing the flowers, still in their cellophane wrappers, in a damp basement; the result being floppy, wilting flowers. Whatever the flower, as soon as you purchase it remove the cellophane and release the flowers from any bindings, so air can circulate freely between the blooms. Many times I see bunches of roses stored wrapped in cellophane. The giveaway is usually one or two brown petals amongst the heads. Avoid them like the plague, because as you unwrap the bunch it’s very likely that a flurry of petals and whole heads will fall to the floor.

CONDITIONING CUT FLOWERS

When you get flowers home, it is important to re-cut the stems before arranging them. Stems dry out very quickly, leaving a surface that will not absorb any further water. Cut the stems at an angle to enlarge the surface area and enable more water to be taken up. Next, remove any foliage from the lower part of the stem. This will help keep the water clean. Often you’ll find a little sachet of flower food attached to your flowers. Use it — it works. Flower food will help keep a vase clean and bacteria-free, prolonging the life of your flowers, as well as helping buds and flowers to open.

CONDITIONING FOLIAGE

When I first started working with flowers at the age of fifteen, it was my job to prepare the foliage. I had to spend hours outside in the cold, hammering woody stems. Poor little me, with my frozen hands! Now, years later, we are told that a quick sharp cut at an angle is far better for woody stems, as it doesn’t damage the capillaries that take up the water. I wonder if I could sue on the grounds of cruelty?!

REVIVING FLOPPY HEADS

Flowers can be tricky. Roses, tulips, gerberas and hydrangeas can all be sensitive and hang their heads. However, there is a quick and easy way to revive them. Take several sheets of paper that are strong enough to support the flowers (newspaper is fine). Lay the stems flat on the paper and tightly roll it around the flowers so any drooping heads are held completely upright. Re-cut the stems at an angle and plunge them into deep water. Leave for several hours then unwrap. Hey presto: revived flowers!

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT

When it comes to working with flowers, there are a few basic items that you will use over and over again, some of which are illustrated below. Apart from these items, I think the most important thing has to be a good pair of florists’ scissors – sturdy little devils that grip onto the flower stem as you cut. Some people prefer to use secateurs (or a gardening knife), and if you’re creating enormous displays you probably will need one to slice through tough branches. If you are planning to make a lot of wire arrangements, invest in some wire cutters to snip through chicken wire or heavy florists’ wire without ruining your scissors. Floral foam is another essential – it’s used for arrangements that need to last for any length of time, as it holds flowers in place and provides them with water at the same time. A sharp knife comes in useful for cutting up large blocks of foam.

FLORISTS’ TAPE

Shown here is Oasis tape – a sturdy tape used to hold floral foam firmly in a container. Other types of florists’ tape are available. The thinner tape is used for covering wires for bridal or funeral work. It comes in rolls and is available in white, green and brown. There are several brands available, but I prefer gutta percha.

REEL WIRE

Fine wire is available on reels and is used to support and strengthen delicate flowers, such as lily of the valley, or single leaves that require support to maintain their form or hold them in place. The wires shown above are heavier, and mainly used for decorative work or holding moss in place on wreaths and other arrangements.

TWINE AND STRING

String or twine is used for binding flowers together in a hand-tied bouquet. It’s also used to bind moss to a frame. I like to use Oasis Bindwire. It looks just like twine but is in fact a paper-covered wire that holds flowers together effortlessly.

FLORISTS’ WIRE

Wiring strengthens and supports flowers. Fine wire begins at 32–34 gauge and is cut into 15cm lengths. The 56 gauge wire is more supportive, while 71 gauge wire is stronger again, and is the most commonly used. Stronger, thicker 90 gauge wire is used to support heavy items such as fruit, pine cones or large flower.

PEARL-HEADED PINS

These are perfect for finishing off the ribbon-covered handles on bridal bouquets, or holding in place leaves that have been wrapped around a group of stems. They can be purchased in a variety of colours, so can even become a major part of the design.

SECATEURS

Secateurs are so useful when it comes to tackling strong stems — you’ll find them invaluable if you’re cutting woody foliage or other tough stems. Always keep them clean and sharp.

FLOWERS TO GIVE

CLASSIC FLAT BOUQUET

This hand-tied arrangement is an updated version of the traditional ‘flat’ bouquet. The flower stems are left longer, so the flowers can either be displayed as they come, or may be re-arranged by the recipient. Flat bouquets are the ideal gift for friends who enjoy arranging flowers.

INGREDIENTS

9 × stems alliums

10 × stems salvia leucantha

3 × stems eucalyptus

8 × stems Cool Water roses, stripped of their lower leaves

3 × ornamental cabbage heads

2 × purple-tinged hydrangea heads

reel of twine

1 Begin by taking three stems of allium and grouping them together so the heads are staggered in height. Cut a length of twine and tie them together two thirds of the way down the stems. This forms the backbone for the bouquet, so it’s important to choose flowers with strong stems.

2 Add three stems each of salvia and eucalyptus to the bunch of alliums, placing the salvias on one side and the eucalyptus on the other. Make sure the foliage curves away from the centre. Tie together, two thirds of the way down the stems.

3 Place the roses and the remaining alliums on top of the hand-tied bunch, with five roses on one side of the bouquet and three on the other. With a flat bouquet, the idea is to display the flowers rather than arranging them, so the taller pieces should be at the back and the shorter, larger-headed pieces at the front. Take the ornamental cabbages and gently open out the leaves for a more rounded, flower-like effect.

4 Now place the two ornamental cabbages on top of the other flowers, towards the centre. Finally, add the hydrangea heads, placing them just below the cabbages. Now grasp the stems tightly towards the bottom and tie them all securely in place. Neatly trim the ends into a ‘wheatsheaf’ shape (the ends should be about a third of the total length of the arrangement). The bouquet is now complete.

Flat bouquets began to lose popularity when the continental hand-tied posy arrived on the scene in the early 1980s. In the bad old days, I remember seeing dreadful flat bouquets containing all the odds and ends from the florists’ shop. Fortunately, things have moved on since then, and this luscious arrangement reinvents the flat bouquet’s old-fashioned image.

I love these Majolica white spray roses, with their porcelain pink tint. Here they are tucked in and around large-headed, creamy-white Blizzard roses. Flawless white hydrangea blooms are positioned towards the base of the bouquet, and variegated weigelia foliage is entwined among the flowers. The overall effect is soft and gentle — the perfect pew end at a wedding, or presented wrapped in tissue to celebrate the birth of a baby.

The cloudlike bloom of the white hydrangea flower is ravishing in close-up. Use it with other white flowers, or gather an armful for a dramatic vase display.

Casually wrapped in brown paper and tied with brown cord, the overall effect of this flat bouquet is spontaneous chic. It’s amazing how the wrapping can influence the look. The flowers are blood-red Grand Prix roses, cordyline foliage and artichokes tinged with burgundy.

A classic flat bouquet of tactile pussy willow, peony tulips and pink roses. The rich burgundy foliage is photinia and skimmia, and was chosen to add depth to the gentle pinks.