flowers | jane packer

you may already know that jane packer is one of my favorite florists in london.

i really wish that i would have taken a course at jane packer's flower school while my husband, bob, and i lived in england.

so now, i'm settling for the next best thing...a diy course using some of jane packer's floral design books.

jane packer | jane packer's flower course

photo credit paul massey 

my goal:  to learn how to make a hand tied bouquet

jane packer | jane packer's flower course | pages 22-25

photo credits paul massey

first stop:  the san francisco flower mart

to create simple, contemporary flower arrangements, packer suggests:

using no more than four types of flowers
selecting flowers with a monochromatic or tonal color scheme
choosing flowers with complimentary textures

i had already decided upon a white color scheme, because i love the way that white flowers look in our home.

so, i purchased:
(3) bunches of white hydrangeas
(3) bunches of white star of bethlehem
(1) bunch of mint

 


















photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace

first:
-i prepareed the flowers by removing the excess foliage

then:
i just followed the instructions...

step 1:
-use one flower as the center of the bouquet
-tie some string or twine to the stem of the center flower at the binding point
-hold the center flower in your left hand
-then, with your right hand, cluster several more flowers around the center flower, rotating the bouquet counterclockwise, and winding the string around the stems at the binding point

 


















photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace 

step 2:
-add flowers in layers around the center of the bouquet
-hold the center of the bouquet in your left hand
-then, with your right hand, add flowers by slanting the stems at an angle, rotating the bouquet counterclockwise, and winding the string around the stem of each new flower at the binding point
-you can add flowers individually, or in clusters
-continue adding flowers until the bouquet is the right size, or until you have used all of the flowers
-wind the string around the binding point several more times, then tie the string in a knot to secure the bouquet

photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace 

step 3:
-cut the ends of the stems, so that they are all the same length
-cutting the stems at an angle helps the flowers to absorb more water, which helps the bouquet to last longer

photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace 

step 4:
-tie some raffia or ribbon around the binding point to conceal the string

photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace  

voila!

photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace  

maybe i'll try making a hand held, instead of a hand tied bouquet next time.

don't you think that it would look more garden and less florist?

flowers | jane packer

in admiration of jane packer (1959-2011)

jane packer is one of my favorite florists in london.  i just love their simple, contemporary style...

jane packer's styling suggestions

use four or fewer types of flowers in an arrangement

choose flowers in monochromatic or tonal colors
choose flowers with complimentary textures

arrange the flowers by clustering each type of flower together
photo credit jane packer

and, i also love how they artfully choose containers that compliment the color, and texture, and composition...

hall table with sweet peas, zinnias, dahlias, and peonies clustered in vases of different sizes, shapes, and heights
jane packer | at home with flowers | page 18
photo credit catherine gratwicke

i really wish that i would have taken a course at jane packer's flower school while we lived in london.  their shop in marylebone is only a few blocks away from the flat where my husband, bob, and i lived for five years.

jane packer | 32-34 new cavendish street | london united kingdom | W1G 8UE
photo credit jane packer

so now, i'm settling for the next best thing by acquiring some of jane packer's floral design books.

jane packer | jane packer flowers design philosophy

photo credits catherine gratwicke 

on friday, i made an early morning orchid run to the san francisco flower mart.  in addition to the orchids for one of my interior design projects, i couldn't resist purchasing the materials to create a jane packer bouquet.

jane packer | jane packer flowers design philosophy | pages 52-53

photo credits catherine gratwicke 

even though it requires some assembly to measure, cut, and tie them together with raffia...

photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace

...bundling the tulips and branches together makes it much easier to arrange the flowers in the container.  the pussy willow branches also help to support the tulips, which continue to grow after they have been cut. 

photo credit lisa walsh | innerspace 

to extend the life of the bouquet, jane packer suggests cutting the stems on the diagonal, then changing the water and misting the flowers every day.

i hope that misting the flowers really does help the bouquet to last longer!