I use a mass of different greenery in designs over the festive period and throughout winter. At this time of year, it’s the evergreen, hardy foliage that is left and available to use, at its most robust, it can last for weeks in designs.

Hardy cut greenery is straightforward to look after and with just a little bit of extra care, it will give you weeks of longevity for a variety of different designs:

1. CLEAN YOUR VESSELS using a robust cleaner, it's good practice to clean them to the point that you would be happy to drink from the vessel (I use Delphis eco professional cleaning products).

2. CAREFULLY FORAGING OR SOURCING from a market/grower, as soon as you are back home (or in the studio) give the ends a clean cut with strong secateurs - remove approx. 1inch from the base, cutting on an angle to increase the surface area (which encourages greater water uptake) and if it's a particularly thick branch, add an extra cut, vertically up the length of stems (approx 1 inch, this increases the surface area further).

3. OFTEN AT THE CONDITIONING STEP you will remove the lower leaves from the stem, as excess leaves and needles in the water increases bacteria build up and shortens the life of the cut stem. For festive designs though, you will often use every leaf/needle, right to the bottom. You therefore want to keep the level of the water low, and simply top it up regularly, as the stems draw up the water.

4. LET THE BRANCHES DRINK overnight, ideally leaving them for between 12 and 24 hours to have a really good drink and properly rehydrate.

GREENERY RICH FESTIVE DESIGNS

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