Funerals are deeply meaningful opportunities for florists to create arrangements that speak to the life of the deceased. Often loved ones request “in lieu of flowers,” because typical funeral flowers are less than inspiring to say the least. When you are commemorating someone’s life you want nature to celebrate that person, not cause further grief.
As it stands, the funeral industry is not made to accommodate foam-free designs. Funeral directors need to transport flowers to gravesides or family members must collect them and take them home. Foam often ensures spill-free situations even though it is a toxic material. Despite the obstacles of flower hydration, I am deeply committed to a foam free practice.
A few weeks ago when a friend ordered a funeral spray for a grieving friend, I rose to the challenge and got out some grapevine and twine to create a green arrangement. Using foam free materials, I created something beautiful and compostable, able to return to the earth and help feed it rather than deplete it.
Below, I am going to share with you the mechanics I used to create my compostable spray. I recommend flowers that do well out of water. The flowers in the picture below are beautiful but they do not last out of water long.
Ingredients:
Twine
Grapevine
Hay
Newsprint
5 Ferns
5 Italian ruscus stems
7 Carnations
3 protea
9 Roses of various kinds
6 spray roses
5 Rice Flower stems
Instructions:
Using your grapevine, twine and hay create an oval shape full of hay, secured by grapevine and twine. Criss Cross lines over and over.
Pour water over the nest to wet hay
Using twine, connect nest to spray structure (the spray structure is not compostable), stand up on towel to let any water drip.
Add your greenery to establish shape. First add the Italian ruscus to create line, then add ferns along the edges. I like to create a sort of “S” asymmetrical shape.
Add carnations flowing in a flowly and curvy line up and down the arrangement as a sort of a color carpet.
Place protea as your main focal flower, towards the middle and making a triangle line in their placement.
Cluster roses in threes and place them in a similar triangular line throughout the arrangement. Then come along with your spray roses to accentuate these rose clusters.
*Tip: Use ripped and soaked newspaper print to wrap around the bottom of the cut rose stems to add hydration
Fill in the remaining gaps with rice flowers
I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Sign-up for my newsletter or follow me on Instagram @flowerclvb to stay updated with more ways to design with sustainable mechanics.