Spring flowers are on their way, and if you want to know how to show them off to their best effect, consider signing up for Introduction to Floral Design at Tower Hill Botanic Gardens, which will be led by Southborough resident Nancy Vargas. A member of the Southborough Gardeners, and with 25 years of experience under her belt, Vargas does beautiful work. The class will give you all you need for spring and beyond.
Here are the details from Tower Hill. The class runs on Thursday mornings from April 19 to May 17. Sign up here.
This will be a 5-session course focusing on the foundation skills and knowledge necessary to execute one’s own basic floral design creations. Each session will include a lecture on basic technique, followed by a hands-on tutorial to utilize the techniques discussed.
Session 1 – “The Basics.” Design tools, materials and an introduction to design with floral foam. A simple but visually impressive floral topiary will be created. This first session is a “confidence-builder.”
Session 2 – “Color & Composition.” The topic of specialty floral foam products and their possibilities merges with a discussion of both color and composition. The use of pin frogs will also be discussed. A mixed monochromatic composition will be created.
Session 3 – “The Rose.” This class will focus on the queen of all flowers in floral design – the rose – and will merge with the technique of design in glass. More challenging than design using floral foam, the fresh and contemporary look of design in clear glass makes it very popular. We will discuss techniques to make this type of design easier and will create a simple cross-stemmed rose arrangement.
Session 4 – “The Hostess Bouquet” What to do when someone brings flowers to you as a hostess gift. We will discuss a few alternative ways to handle the flowers which will impress your guests, flatter the giver and simplify the process. This class will also focus on glass and other standard containers you might have at hand.
Session 5 – “The Finale.” The French, hand-tied, spiral bouquet. The French bouquet is created in the designer’s hand and not in a container. This technique requires proper selection, conditioning and preparation of materials. We will build upon our previous discussion of composition and color with a focus on texture. Each student will create their own European masterpiece.
Nancy Vargas, owner of Le Jardin Blanc, has been working nearly 25 years in the fields of interior, architectural, floral and landscape design. She holds a bachelor’s degree in interior design from Cornell University and a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Virginia. She received formal training in floral design from Longwood Gardens, Temple University, and the “Flower School” at the London studio of Paula Pryke. Her design style has been greatly influenced by her travels, including Europe, New Zealand and Australia, as well as extensive travel throughout the U.S. all these influences are evident in her stylistic focus and philosophy.
