Back to School Arrangements

All images photographed by Stacey McDonald

Flowers for Teachers

It’s the middle of August and the break in rhythm that summer lends will soon come to an end. Trading in the spontaneous pool trips and forest hikes for the routines and commitment to bed-times elicits a mix of sad yet excited emotions. Can’t the pool stay open all year? Whether you have  children or not, the novelty of school starting back up is felt from the educational supplies at Target to the Instagram posts of children holding “first day of school signs.” This year my eldest son will begin Kindergarten and I am fully aware that these years will go by like a blink of an eye.

Mothers like me are gearing up to entrust the next eight months of their children’s lives to those who will inspire a love of learning in them. We can only hope that our teachers will welcome our young ones with ecstatic joy. I do not yet know who my child’s teacher is, but I have vested interest in making sure they love their job. What better way to get the school year off to a good start than through flowers?!

August and September breed some of the most beautiful blooms. As a last hoorah to summer, plan a trip to a pick-your-own flower farm and collect some sunflowers and zinnias to arrange. Imagine a classroom full of kids experiencing fresh flowers on their teacher’s desk during the first day of school. I picture each petal absorbing all the anxieties that first day jitters might bring. 

Below is a recipe of a flower arrangement for anyone who might be interested in gracing their teachers with some beautiful blooms.

Ingredients: (all sourced from my garden)

• Foliage: 3-5 branches of nine bark foliage

• Foliage: 3-5 branches of smokebush foliage

• Focal Flower: 12 large zinnias or sunflowers of various kinds and colours

• Filler Flower: 3 stems of sedum

• Secondary flowers: 5-7 small headed zinnias or calendula

• Fluttery Flowers: 5 stems of fennel

• Fluttery Flowers: 3-5 stems of cosmos

Arrangement Instructions:

1. Choose a container. Re-use a clear glass container from a previous arrangement you have received or go to your favourite antique store and select an old pitcher or vase. It is important that you bring teacher’s a centrepiece rather than a bouquet as they will not have time to find a vase and fill it with water themselves.

2. Fill the vase with fresh cold water.

3. Place the greenery in the vase first. I like to establish an asymmetrical shape and then add the filler foliage. Visualize a dancer with one arm reaching up and out, then with the other reaching low and out. The wavy nine bark branches are what I used to establish the shape and the smokebush I used for filling in spaces.

4. Imagine an invisible zig zag line drawing your eye up and down from the top of your shape towards the end. Place your focal flowers along the zig zag line with some behind and others forward. All focal flowers should come out towards you and add dimension. You do not want your zinnias looking flat.

5. Next, place the flower fillers lower in the arrangement. I used sedum.

6. Place the secondary flowers of smaller zinnias, connecting the space between the sedum and the zinnias.

7. Lastly, place the fluttery flowers floating above and around the arrangement.

I hope these arrangements bless your children’s teachers.

Gatherings, Garlands and Gallivants

This past November I hosted a small gathering of friends and strangers in my tiny, railroad-style Brooklyn apartment. Every time I host one of these little flower clvb events I get nervous that newcomers will make the trek from the train to my place and upon seeing the door, turn around and head back home. The front door to our apartment leaves much to be desired with silver metal scratches from what looks like a bear mauling  over a faded beige color. It is an aesthetically upsetting first encounter to a home. Shout out to a Flower Clvb first-timer, Alexa Rose who approached the door and chose to walk through it. 

Aside from the abrasive door, there is something about living away from the suburbs which gives guests a lack of assurance that there are enough closets to store all the clutter and a/c units from the season prior. Subconsciously, New Yorkers fear the idea of one couch houses or even worse futons, where you are required to sit real close to the host’s other acquaintances and make small talk. This is why most social encounters in the city happen over brunch or at the bar, where it is loud and too crowded to explain the type of work you do to strangers. 

One occasion where New Yorkers feel less apprehensive towards entering someone’s home is at book club. There is no fear that you will spend endless minutes talking about real estate or the kind of transportation you take to get from one place to another ( New Yorkers, you know exactly what I’m talking about). You are at book club and you are there to talk about books, drink some wine and connect with friends who are at the very least, interested in the same thing you are, reading! It is book club that has inspired Flower Clvb gatherings. Rather than read books we make  flowers while spending about the same amount of money as one would on a book (host included). 

My door…yikes

New flower friend, Alexa!

Just a few days before Thanksgiving we gathered at my house to make festive garlands. Some came for the hang, some came to learn and others to get inspiration for weddings and party hosting. Below I have listed the materials, steps and resources that we discussed during our time together. 

Materials

1. 1 bunch of Italian Ruscus (5-7 stems)
2. 1 bunch of seeded Eucalyptus
3. 1 bunch of Hypericum Berry (or a nearby tree, LOL)
4. Floral paddle wire, 26 gauge
5. Scissors

Step 1

Figure out the length of your surface and twist together the Italian Ruscus accordingly. This will serve as your garland's base.
*Note twist in the same direction until you get to the last stem and then twist together in the opposite direction.

Step 2

Bunch together small pieces of Eucalyptus and berries by placing the berries on top of the Eucalyptus. Using your wire, attach each bunch of Eucalyptus and berries to your Italian Ruscus base by winding the wire around multiple times until it feels secure. Cut the wire with enough extra wire to weave in any more greenery you might want or need. Repeat this step by placing bunches one after the other, covering up your mechanics as you move along until you reach the opposite end. Remember to begin going the other way for the last piece.

Step 3

Once your garland is complete, use the remaining attached wire to weave back in any extra greenery to balance out your garland.

Sourcing & Subscription

All greens were either sourced from the tree outside my house or Associated Flower Market  located here:
131 W. 28th St. New York, NY 10001
Hours: open from 5 AM to 12 PM on weekdays, 6 AM to 11:30 AM on Saturdays, Closed on Sundays.

While the colder weather can be a more difficult time to source things locally, a little foraging goes a long way. You can also find most of these greens and plants at your local bodega.

If you would like to come to the next Flower Clvb gathering, subscribe to the list below and get notifications about future Flower Clvb dates!

Rachel!

Rachel looking fly!

Keesha

Lauren and baby on the way!!

Me!!!!!