I have been celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day for as long as I can remember. My father, an Irishman, kept the tradition alive in our family. The usual celebration consisted of Irish Soda Bread along with Corned Beef and Cabbage. Today, I think of celebrations in terms of both food and flowers.
You don’t have to be a trained floral designer to make pretty floral arrangements. However, there are a few basic principles to think about as you put together an arrangement. In this post, I will share these principles and how I applied to make a Saint Patrick’s Hydrangea Centerpiece.
This year, hydrangeas have inspired me. Thus, I went in search of hydrangeas at our local supermarket. Pleasantly surprised, I found both white and green hydrangeas. I never saw such beautiful green hydrangeas. The variety is called ‘mini variegated clover hydrangea’. They look like shamrocks. How perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day!
Fun fact. Did you know that, according to the Washington Post, the first Saint Patrick’s Day parade took place in 1601 in St. Augustine, Florida? Yes, right here in America.
Let’s get started making a Saint Patrick’s Hydrangea Centerpiece.
Assemble materials
This arrangement will lie in the center of my dining table. Therefore, the height of the arrangement is a key consideration. To ensure that the arrangement did not block people from seeing each other across the table, the total height of this container (with flowers) is 9 inches tall. It’s ok to have an arrangement up to twelve inches tall.
Here are the materials you will need.
- Plants. A common technique in flower arranging or container flower gardening is to think of including plants that fall into the categories of thriller, filler, and spiller. I will talk about that later in this post as we assemble the arrangement. Of course, you can use any flowers that inspire you.
- Four hydrangea flowers, two white and two green (thriller).
- A bunch of white daisies (filler).
- A bunch of green leafy branches (spiller).
- Container or vessel for your arrangement. I used a simple white bowl that is 4 inches high. When using floral foam, I recommend using a container that is not ‘see-through’. For example, don’t use a clear vase. The green floral foam is not attractive.
- Floral foam
- One pipe cleaner
- Scissors
Assemble centerpiece
Step One
The focus of this arrangement is the hydrangeas. The hydrangeas are the ‘thriller’ piece of this arrangement. In other words, hydrangeas are the primary focus. Let’s prepare the hydrangeas.
- Before assembling the hydrangeas, submerge the blooms, head side down in a bowl of water for 15-30 minutes. This process will rehydrate and fluff the blooms. Hydrangeas can be tricky, and you want to pick out the freshest looking hydrangeas. However, even hydrangeas that look a bit droopy can generally be revived with this method. Don’t be alarmed if the hydrangeas look even more droopy when removed from the water. They should recover.
- Place the stems in water and let the blooms dry out for approximately 30 minutes.
Step Two
Prepare the floral foam.
- Cut the floral foam to fit the inside dimensions of your container. To get an accurate measurement, turn the container upside down and measure the width and length. Cut the foam to the dimensions measured. I use a non-serrated knife.
- Next, the foam needs to be soaked in water. Place the foam block in a container, that is at least as deep and wide as the floral foam and fill with water. Let the foam soak in the water for 2-3 minutes. As it fills with water, it will sink to the bottom of the container.
- After 2-3 minutes, take the foam out of the water and place it in the container you will use for the floral arrangement.
Step Three
Prepare the greenery. The greenery is the ‘spiller’ of this arrangement. They spill around the arrangement. The goal is to have the green leaves hang just over the edges of the container. I like the green/silver color of the leaves and the reddish/brown color of the stems. It’s important to look at all aspects of the greenery you choose, like color, texture and size.
- Cut the greenery stems to 4-6 inches.
- Push the stems into the floral foam. You want the greenery to go completely around the circumference of the container.
Step Four
Assemble the four hydrangeas.
- Remove all foliage from the hydrangeas.
- Cut the stems at a diagonal 2 inches longer than the depth of the container. My container is 4 inches deep and thus I cut the stems to 6 inches.
- The goal is to ensure the hydrangeas hold tightly together, like a handheld bouquet. Therefore, use the pipe cleaner to wrap around the stems of the four hydrangeas. This will hold the four stems together in the arrangement. Floral wire can also be used. However, pipe cleaners are gentler on the stems.
- After the stems are secured with the pipe cleaner, place the bunch of hydrangeas in the center of the floral foam. Gently push them right into the foam.
Step Five
Prepare the daisies. The daisies act as the ‘filler’ plant in this arrangement. They will fill in under and around the hydrangeas.
- Removed all foliage
- Cut the stems to 6 inches
- Push the stems of the daisies under the hydrangeas and above the greenery.
That’s it, you now have a lovely St. Patrick’s hydrangea centerpiece.
Care for your centerpiece
Each day add approximately ¼ cup of water to the arrangement. To freshen up the flowers, you can also spray lightly with water. That’s it! The arrangement should last 4-7 days. I hope you have enjoyed learning how to make this simple Saint Patrick’s Hydrangea Centerpiece.
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