HOW TO CREATE A CHRISTMAS FLORAL DISPLAY

Chris Price, a designer with Interflora, an international association of more than 58,000 florists worldwide, gives his top tips for making a home-made Christmas table decoration

Choosing your flowers

• Ensure that your arrangement is eye-catching by using some fun alternatives to traditional Christmas flowers and foliage. Red phormium and chamaerop leaves are great sculptural foliage which will shape your arrangement whilst maintaining the Christmassy feel.
• Glittery gysophila, chrysanthemums and red roses are all flowers which will look striking within a festive arrangement, especially when surrounded by the traditional elements of conifer, mini cycleman and ivy.
• Add colour and sparkle to your arrangement by incorporating coloured pine cones, festive red ribbons or glossy red baubles.

Colour harmony

• Arranged flowers always look their best when they are all the same colour or shade. A combination of perhaps two or three colours also works well. A mishmash of different colour blooms often cheapens the look of a display.
• Always try to buy blooms which have the same vase life, ie that last about the same amount of time. Nothing is worse that having a beautiful display in your house with half of the arrangement dying before the rest. Your florist will be able to advise you when you purchase the flowers.