'Reuse to Reduce'

Floral designer Hanneke Frankema is always looking around for bases. That yielded her, for example, a set of beautiful wooden tables, one of which she was able to use immediately for this edition. ‘Keep your eyes open, I always say. For example, we had bought residual wood from a staircase maker, and what was at the bottom of the Big Bag? All beautiful cylindrical hardwood pieces in different sizes. I put them in a nice dish and incorporated the flowers in between. Waste can be beautifully reused in this way.’

'I also like to use (residual) wooden boards and beams as a base regularly. For example, a piece of beam that was left over from the construction of my classroom next to our house has found its way into an arrangement where it is used as a base. So what would normally be thrown away could now be used very nicely for an arrangement.'

'Old materials are also regularly given a second life. For example, I used dried Craspedia as the basis of a fine, sweet heart – so I never throw them away! You can make beautiful dried and therefore long-lasting bases or objects from it. You can also often remake the surfaces themselves numerous times with other and/or fresh materials. In short: reuse to reduse!

Nature, naturally!

For the special theme Nature, naturally!, vegetative floral arrangements, as they grow in nature, are the starting point. Transparency also plays a major role here. The arrangements have been created as much as possible through the use of sustainable techniques and responsible materials.

Exuberant

The base of the surface is a ready-made cylinder of branches. The branches are fixed with nails, allowing you to unfold the cylinder into a 'dish'. The base dish has been extended with pruned branches from the garden. Many tubes have been attached to this with wire, and tendrils of the Ceropegia sandersonii plant have been incorporated. This super strong tendril remains beautiful for months without water. Brightly colored French tulips and Gloriosa are woven through the branches and tendrils. A number of Talinum 'Long John' stems have been incorporated for extra details.

Spring love

The base of this fine, sweet heart is made of dried Craspedia, the stems of which are attached to each other in a heart shape with wire and mixed with fresh flowers. Beautiful to give at a birth, at a wedding as a ring cushion or as a funeral arrangement.

In a row

An arrangement made on a base of tubes. The tubes are connected to each other by rubber rings – and can be turned into all sorts of shapes. A versatile base that can be reused very often, ideal for subscriptions. Talinum ‘Long John’ is placed in the tubes first. The other spring flowers are woven through it. Simplicity with a grand effect.

Classic still life

This delightful bouquet, styled after still life paintings, features a wide variety of stunning flower types and colors. Certainly not the easiest floral work to create. To mix French tulips and Ranunculus with Bromeliads and orchids, each stem requires its own specific placement. The positioning, as well as the selection of which varieties are placed next to each other, is also very precise. However, the result of all the effort is more than worth it!