This was one of three lovely arrangements made Tuesday. (Here it is sitting on a makeshift lazy susan.)
Cliff View, the stunning home of Jenny and Randy Boyd, offered a perfect setting Tuesday for an elegant lunch and flower arranging lesson by one of Knoxville’s best experts in the field.
Lillian Jones, an interior designer by trade, has designed over 125 homes in Charleston, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island and the Isle of Palms. But she also has a passion for flower arranging – and for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. These interests came together Tuesday as Jones shared her expertise with 24 guests at the luncheon, which was part of the Knoxville Symphony League‘s “Elegant Dining” series of fundraisers to benefit the symphony.
Here are 10 of Jones’ many tips:
- Any container is fair game for a flower arrangement: a margarita glass, a coffee cup or a pitcher are all nice.
- Any flowers or greenery in your yard is fair game to use in an arrangement. Dogwood leaves in the summer are beautiful to use. Azaleas, blooming now, are great.
- When using oasis in an arrangement, be sure that you use enough to make it higher than the edge of the container. That way you can make your arrangement cascade down for a pretty look.
- Always remove the bottom leaves from stems of flowers you are using in an arrangement. If you don’t, the leaves suck up water and keep it from getting to the blooms.
- Previously used oasis will not hold water. So, if using it, you will need to check the water level of your arrangement frequently.
- Use a glass or plastic liner (even an orange juice glass will do) inside your fancy vases. That will protect the flowers, which don’t like some metals, for instance, and the vase.
- Cut your flowers at different lengths and press them into the oasis at different depths to give dimension to the arrangement.
- Put greenery in the arrangement first and then add the flowers. The greenery will give your arrangement a shape. Also, if you put the flowers in first you may bruise them when adding greenery later.
- When making an arrangement for a dinner party, sit at the table to determine how short the arrangement will need to be to avoid interfering with the guests’ line of sight.
- At a dinner party, dim the chandelier or overhead lights and use lamps at the sides of the room and candles on the table to provide flattering light and romantic, relaxing ambiance.
Symphony Leaguer Jane Venable plates the congealed cranberry salad.
Lunch was chicken crepes with mornay sauce, congealed cranberry salad, marinated asparagus and cheesecake with strawberries. The hostesses made all the food - it was not catered. Impressive!
Lillian Jones demonstrates how you are supposed to put enough oasis in your container to allow for a cascade effect.
One trick she uses: take a large tropical leaf, bend it in half and staple it! You can see the effect in the container at left.
This is a $15 candlestick from Steinmart with a plastic dish attached with floral clay. Jones has been using it for years!
It was a wonderful leisurely afternoon for symphony supporters.
These two friends drove in from Tellico Village.
Our hostess, Jenny Boyd, left, and Angie Pugh, of the Symphony League.
This arrangement was made in a plastic margarita glass!
I could never do this!
You can see why the Boyds call their beautiful home "Cliff View." This is the view from their back terrace.
The infinity pool was breathtaking.
Jenny said they found these statues at an antique store in New York. "It was like they were made for our house," she said.
You can see from this shot that the statues are a perfect match with the color of the tile on the terrace.
The setting alone was worth the trip!
