Create Beautiful Fall Flower Arrangements, Lehman’s Style

Fall wedding season is upon us and as a flower farmer, I am swimming in dahlias, celosia, zinnias and other autumnal beauties. With the popularity of barn weddings and outdoor venues, the rustic vibe is alive and well. What better way to express that than fresh local flowers arranged in some fun vessels from Lehman’s!

I am the grower and my daughter, Elizabeth, has an eye for designing with flowers and loves using vessels whose primary purpose is not being a vase. We took on the challenge of creating arrangements in five Lehman’s products and here are the results.

#1. The Mason Jar

Of course, the ubiquitous mason jar is an old stand by that give a “fresh from the garden farmhouse feel.” A quick trick for making mason jar arranging go smoothly is to add your greenery first to give a structure so the flowers stay in place. My go-to is placing a stem of sedum right in the neck of the jar to give support to the flowers. It is essentially a natural “flower frog.” Another mason jar tip is to not keep the flowers too tight but let them flow and arch outward with long stems for a loose, wildflower look.

#2. The Cow Creamer

For some cute whimsy, the cow creamer makes a fun mini arrangement. All it takes is a few flowers with short stems for this tiny creation.

#3. Old-Fashioned Stoneware Pitcher

Pitchers also bring the farmhouse feel and the handmade blue stripe pottery is a nice accent for many color schemes.

#4. Mason Jar Bird Feeder

Another unexpected container for flowers is this unique bird feeder. Note that we found this vessel more whimsical than practical for flower arranging but we still had fun with it.

#5. Low Metal Tub

The low metal container provides an excellent foundation for a centerpiece that allows for a lush flowing arrangement and guests can still see across the table to converse. A few simple mechanics are needed to make the stems arrange easily. We cut a small section of chicken wire (about 8” square) and crumpled it into an oval shape before placing it in the vessel and securing it with a criss-cross of waterproof florist tape. Inserting the stems through the chicken wire will hold them in place.

You don’t need to wait for a wedding to enjoy these seasonal flower arrangements; they are also perfect for a backyard picnic or just everyday kitchen table beauty. A few zinnias from your garden or grabbing a mixed bunch from the farmers market can create a quick colorful look. You can also be creative with beautiful weeds such as poke flowers, foxtail grass and Queen Anne’s lace (did you spot those in our arrangements?) Scouting your yard or the roadside for interesting greenery will add that lush, organic feel to your flowers. So grab a vessel and scissors and bring some seasonal beauty to your table!

Editor’s Note: This blog article was first posted September 2018.  We loved it so much, we’re sharing it with you again.

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Karen Geiser is a regular demonstrator and homesteading class teacher at Lehman’s. Photos by Elizabeth Geiser ©2018.