T HIS P AS T J ANUARY we spent the afternoon inspired
by the sweet whimsical styles of Sarah Winward. Here,
the Salt Lake City native shares her flower recipe for
success when crafting large vase arrangements.
What inspires your design aesthetic?
We’re a bit obsessed! SW: I am inspired by
the outdoors. I love all of the different regional
flowers and foliage, and love watching them
change with the seasons. It is the textures and
color combinations that are constantly changing
in nature that really ignite the passion for
flowers in me.
I love that nature is wild, and unapologetic. I
try to show a bit of that in my work. I like lots
of different varieties in an arrangement, and I
like them to have a fairly loose shape so that
they look like they are still close to the garden
that they came from.
What is it about large vase arrangements
that sets your heart aflutter? SW: You can
go wild! It really does take giant branches off
of a tree to make a big arrangement. I usually
have to forage for the branches that become
the outermost edges of a large arrangement.
However, Florabundance found great branch
and bloom material to work with for this
design session.
I like that the shapes of these end up being
crazy, because you really have to work to your
material. I always seek out foliage that has a nice
leaf shape, but also has a nice branch shape. And
in these large arrangements you really get to
showcase that shape instead of being restricted
to more round, fluffy flowers like you would be
in a smaller centerpiece.
Do you have preferred urns or containers
that you think work best? SW: I like working
with footed vessels because I think it is nice to
see your flowers elevated and then isolated above
the surface they are on. It also gives them more
of an opportunity to spill over the edge.
Let’s get down to business! What are the
secrets to large vase arrangement success?
SW: Let’s! I love teaching!
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