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feature
designs
smart
start
to
Mother's Day
Six do-able designs, with guidance
for planning, ordering and assembly, to help get your holiday off to a
bright beginning.
Designs by Christina M. Burton, AIFD
Mother’s Day is among the most
special of days—for moms, children and floral retailers alike. At this
time of year, when the sky is brilliant and clear and the sun warm and
bright, floral gifts seem the perfect choice to recognize the most
wonderful of women—our mothers!
For floral retailers, the holiday typically represents about 25 percent
of dollar volume*, so taking time to plan ahead, order carefully and
maximize profits is critical.
With the help of designer Christina M. Burton, AIFD, we’ve developed six
Mother’s Day designs, all of which are easy to replicate and deliver.
One example is even complete with a detailed recipe and step-by-step
assembly instructions. The process can be adapted to the remaining
designs, giving you a ready-made Mother’s Day menu and guidance for
efficient, profit-producing assembly-line construction.
* Information provided by the Society of American Florists (SAF).
step-by-step production
 The
lush look of this pretty arrangement belies its simple design,
which can be accomplished in just seven easy steps, making it
ideal for assembly-line construction. Our list below shows the
ingredients needed for one arrangement as well as for six (the
number of the featured containers that come in each case),
enabling easy plan-ahead ordering.
Before getting started, assign one staff member to rinse all
vases and fill them with properly mixed flower-food solution.
Position three or four designers around a large work table that
is prepped with materials needed for each step. Depending on the
number of designers, each may complete one to three steps.
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One Arrangement
5 roses
3 Gerberas
2 Hydrangeas
2 stems spray chrysanthemums
3 stems Godetia
4 stems Bupleurum
7 stems salal |
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Six Arrangements
30 roses
18 Gerberas
12 Hydrangeas
12 stems spray chrysanthemums
18 stems Godetia
24 stems Bupleurum
42 stems salal |
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step 1:
Arrange seven stems of salal, positioning them to create a sup-port
structure for the flowers.
step 2:
In the center of the vase, place two Hydrangea blooms through the
network of salal stems.
step 3:
Position two stems of spray chrysanthemums vertically through the
Hydrangea cluster.
step 4:
Arrange five roses in a stair-step fashion between the Hydrangeas
and the chrysanthemum blooms.
step 5:
Add three Gerberas, two in the front and one higher toward the back.
step 6:
Position a cluster of Godetia toward the upper right side to fill
out the triangular form.
step 7:
Arrange four stems of Bupleurum to fill gaps and enhance the
triangular form.
MATERIALS: Hydrangeas, Gerberas and Godetia from Golden Flowers;
‘Aalsmeer Gold’ roses, spray chrysanthemums, Bupleurum and salal from
favorite suppliers; Reception Vase from Syndicate Sales.
personalize with monograms
 Nestled
inside a large lidded basket—the lid is adhered to the base with
adhesive dots—an inexpensive plastic liner displays a glorious
gathering of bright blooms for Mom, which is evident from the
foam monogram that decorates the citrus-hued container. Tucked
between the liner and the basket are bits of excelsior, making a
snug, secure fit. The base remains lightweight, however, so the
gardeny mound must maintain a modest posture to prevent
toppling.
MATERIALS: Ranunculi and hyacinths from Flower Transfer;
stocks from Golden Flowers; spider chrysanthemums, waxflowers,
salal leaves and lily grass from favorite suppliers; Straw
Basket and Glue Dots® from burton + BURTON; Spring Fill Crinkle
Shred from Nashville Wraps; foam letter from craft store. |
maximize short stems
Teen shoppers will shriek with
delight at this pretty, out-of-the-ordinary offering for Mom.
Featuring tall magenta-colored branches that draw visual
interest to the lush bed of flowers in the beribboned planter,
this composition possesses a grand presence with a mix of
short-stemmed blossoms. Beatific butterflies, which flit through
the vibrant garden, can be affixed to branches with floral
adhesive—recommended since it is designed to hold securely, even
in the cooler.
tips for recipe planning and efficient assembly
• Keep costs in check by following a basic recipe. Plan your
recipe to use flowers in quantities relative to bunch sizes so
that whole bunches are completely consumed.
• Plan to assemble the same number of designs as containers in a
single case so that all are used. (The stylish green vase in our
example on Page 39 is sold in six-packs.)
• Create samples, and take note of the flower quantities and
stem lengths, the latter being important so materials can be cut
before assembly, saving time during construction.
• Replicate our guide to step-by-step instructions for
foolproof, profit-producing Mother’s Day designs.
How-to:
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Step 1:
Place a saturated block of floral foam inside a
lined tin planter. Ensure that the foam is recessed
about 2 inches below the container’s rim.
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Step 2:
Arrange branches into the center of the foam in a zigzag
pattern, leaving some space
between each branch. |
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Step 3:
Arrange florals between and around the branches,
concealing the foam. Insert
butterflies’ wire stems into the centers of sturdy
blooms, such as carnations. Apply other butterflies with
floral adhesive. |
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MATERIALS: mitsumata (Edgeworthia)
branches from Accent Décor; Planter Tin with Bow from burton + BURTON;
‘Attaché’ roses, carnations, miniature carnations, miniature Gerberas,
dyed daisy spray mums, Hydrangeas, heather and butterflies from favorite
suppliers.
easy assembly
 This
cheerful mound of bee-topped blooms is sure to make any mom
break into a radiant smile. The whimsical insects, on thin-gauge
wires that easily pierce the blossoms (an assembly-line step for
novice designers), are a novel addition that will appeal to both
’tween and teen shoppers as well as moms of all ages, as will
the charming polka-dot pot. Long-lasting florals such as these
will impress with their bright, stay-fresh faces, so they’re
excellent for Mother’s Day.
MATERIALS: ceramic container from Diamond Line
Containers; carnations, daisy and button spray chrysanthemums,
and bees from favorite suppliers. |
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