16. Flower Arranging — Sixty to Sixty

Do you think florists build their gorgeous arrangements one flower at at time?

I did too, until I took a flower arranging class with fellow dance mom, Nicole, who generously provided her time and expertise - not to mention a variety of beautiful flowers - to help me and my friend, Christina, learn the basics.

Nicole showed us how to use a bunch of Alstoemeria, or Peruvian Lily, as a base, and to build our arrangements from there:

Her career as a florist began with an arranging course, and as she practiced and improved, she donated her efforts to brighten up a non-profit helping at-risk young mothers. Soon she opened her business, Blooms of Hope, focusing mostly on providing flowers for weddings and other events. Blooms of Hope thrived for many years, but as her children got older, the physical demands of delivering a van full of arrangements became taxing, and the expectation of on-site installations grew (not something she wanted to do), Nicole eventually decided it was time to close the business.

Luckily for us, though, she still enjoys teaching.

And we learned a lot! Did you know that tulips will stand up straight if you put a penny in the water? Or that if you cut hydrangeas from your garden, dipping the stems in boiling water will prevent them from seeping sticky sap?

We also learned about changing floral styles. Like craft beer and artisanal cheese, flower arranging has evolved from traditional tightly-packed and symmetrical arrangements (like the one I made!) to looser, more asymmetrical designs using locally grown flowers.

Our personalities clearly showed up in our arrangements. Christina, the outgoing actress and playwright, used bold colors and asymmetry; as someone who gravitates towards a calm and peaceful aesthetic, I went for lower-key greens, purples, and pinks, using ranunculus, hyacinth, protea, and chrysanthemum buttons, and put them together in a more traditional way (yes, Nicole taught me most of those names …).

Here’s how mine came out: