This dramatic vertical (and versatile) centerpiece will be a topic of conversation at any holiday party—possibly overshadowing the food!
For a home or office holiday party, this towering centerpiece will surely wow your clients and their guests, creating lots of buzz for your business. Imagined by Erik Witcraft, AIFD, CFD, this stacked composition is easily deliverable because it is designed to be assembled on site, where the visually and physically connecting bear-grass “ropes” and pieces of grapevine can be added.
This versatile centerpiece can be created in containers of the same size, as Witcraft has done here, or in containers of graduated sizes, to create a conical form reminiscent of a Christmas tree. Additionally, this design idea accommodates an open-ended choice of botanicals, colors and container styles, so you can create a custom piece for any holiday theme or motif. Have fun rising to the occasion!
Wire a variety of coniferous cones (pine, fir, spruce, redwood, etc.), at their bases, in groups of three ,with 20-gauge enameled florist wire. Create several cone trios. Spray paint curved pieces of grapevine silver, and set them aside to dry.
Create several “ropes” of bear grass. First, layer several blades of bear grass (six to 10), one on top of another. Next, bind the cut ends of the bear-grass blades in each bundle with stem wrap. Finally, tightly wrap each bundle of bear grass with silver bullion wire from the taped base of each bundle to the tip and back to the base, creating a crisscross pattern with the wire.
Wire a short wood pick to the tip of each bear-grass “rope,” for easy insertion into the floral foam. You also can wire a wood pick to the base of each rope, if you desire.
Place floral foam, soaked in flower-nutrient solution, into three ceramic containers so that the floral foam extends at least 2 inches above the rim of each container. Wedge pieces of floral foam into the gaps between the inner edge of each container and the center block of foam so that the center block of foam is firmly positioned and does not move from side to side. Secure the floral foam into the containers with waterproof tape. Stack the three containers.
First, arrange Port Orford cedar and mountain hemlock around the edges of the floral foam in all three containers. Next, insert the wired cone trios around the edges of the floral foam.
Arrange Rio’s ‘Crème de la Crème’ roses around the edges of the floral foam in all three containers, followed by white Ranunculus. At this point, the arrangement is complete until it is delivered, when you will add the bear-grass ropes and pieces of silver grapevine, on site, to physically and visually connect the three layers.
