Art of Display: Magnolia & Camellia

CREATING DRAMATIC FLOWER DISPLAYS

This is a wonderful time of year for flowers in the garden. The magnolias are the highlight: their branches are dramatic even before the flowers open, while still in bud.

Cut a few branches to display alongside camellias, which I adore for their rather tropical beauty; they remind me of my childhood home in the tropics.

For the display, place the magnolia branches in a deep vase and fill it with water just over halfway. Then immerse the camellia branches in the water, leaving one or two emerging from the top. When the camellia buds open fully, their beauty shows right through the glass.

The result is a truly theatrical arrangement for anywhere in the home, and one that never fails to impress visitors.