Long shelf life

Inspired by early autumn mornings. An Oasis Eychenne All Black cushion (Ø 50cm) was used as a base, the edge of which was covered with plastic tape then oats (Avena sativa) were sandwiched behind string and tied. Then the thin birch stems were placed and all materials including Papaver somniferum, Scabiosa stellata, rapeseed, teasel, wheat and ground elder were inserted into the oasis. Miscanthus sticks out above the birch trunks. Ornamental fruits, sunflower hearts and loose leaves were placed on top as a finishing touch. All materials dry in nicely.

Windspinner

Straw was wrapped around a sturdy iron wire with wrapping wire and then twisted around a sturdy tube to create a spiral shape. Nicandra and Malva were individually wrapped together with bouillon wire, sweet chestnut bolsters were wrapped with twine and then tied to rope, and Raphanus was strung on winding wire. All these strands are tied into the spiral shape with raffia. Eryngium is glued onto the spiral, Tillandsia is added here and there below.

'Autumn is full of admiration and amazement'

Flower binder Willy Pardijs of Vrij Geschikt loves every season but autumn is her preference when it comes to the many beautiful materials to work with. She works from rural Wichmond in the Achterhoek region. 'If you look carefully around you in late summer and autumn you see so many beautiful materials in nature that it is sometimes even difficult to choose what to use.'

'There is also something magical about autumn, the early morning, the fog slowly lifting and the beautiful warm autumn light slowly making its appearance and showing the beautiful colors of nature.'

'I get my inspiration mainly from nature and otherwise like to work from my feelings, not thinking but doing. Nature, it creates admiration and wonder. The leaves on the trees take on the most beautiful colors and flowers and plants often develop the most beautiful fruits and seed pods.

Mushroom hat

This autumn bouquet was inspired by the hat of a mushroom. 'A free interpretation, admittedly.' As a base, a frame was made from welding wires that was then wrapped with Oasis Rustic Wire. The flowers - Gloriosa, Kniphofia, Crocosmia and tendrils of Rosa 'Smeralda' - were woven through the frame with some of the flowers incorporated inside the frame. This creates depth in the bouquet. The stems are deliberately left long so that the whole looks like a kind of mushroom.

Playful

In a beautiful mossy piece of cork, holes were drilled into which, increasing in length, Craspedia was inserted. Various materials were glued onto the cork, which dried nicely: seed pods of Eucalyptus 'Bellgum', rose hip and prepared oak leaves. To give the whole of this longer-lasting arrangement on cork a playful character, grasses were sandwiched between the glued materials.

Autumn Bowl

Half a hollow Styrofoam ball is pasted with birch bark on the outside and terracotta clay on the inside. An Oasis ball filled with chrysanthemums was placed in the bowl shape. Materials that dry nicely such as Rudbeckia, rose hip, Viburnum berry and Scabiosa stellata were then glued to the edge of the bowl.