Oriental Christmas Arrangement

Perhaps this is not strictly a Christmas design, although it has a Christmas theme. It was a competition entry entitled "Oriental Christmas".

It was made of dried and preserved materials only. A tall stem of Corylus avellana 'Contorta' painted black formed the height, and I stuck on some gold painted preserved catkins of Garrya eliptica.

The pagoda was made from cardboard, and sprayed gold, and the thatched roof was made from Pampas grass. The little bells on the ends of the pagoda roof were made from individual seed pods of Scabiosa stellata (Drumstick Scabious) stuck together one inside the other.

At the base of the design, flowers formed from silvery Honesty seed pods (Lunaria annua) have a small Alder cone as their centre. Other plant materials used were Fern leaves, Eryngium planum, Nicandra physaloides, and Plantain seed heads, all painted gold.

Some gold painted stones completed the arrangement, which was set on a black octagonal base.

About the Author

Chrissie Harten lives in Redditch, Worcestershire, England, with her husband, and her cute dog Toby. Gardening is her passion, and Chrissie loves to describe herself as a plantaholic. When she is not in her garden, Chrissie teaches Flower Arrangements and plays the Saxophone. She is the Secretary and Internet Officer of Bromsgrove and District Flower Arrangement Society, which is affiliated to NAFAS.

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