The Making of the Forest
In the creation of Forest and Forage, one of the most impactful moments of the evening was the lush centerpiece that ran the length of a whopping thirty feet. Three large community tables were aligned to create seating for 24 guests and every place setting had an up front and personal experience with the Forest. When designing the floral and greenery blend of this installation, I wanted to ensure that it was low enough for guests to have thoughtful conversation throughout the meal. However, I wanted guests to feel the gravitas and presence of the Forest, so the grandeur and scale of it created the perfect balance of intimacy and separation.
Certain florals, like the jasmine vine, dendrobium orchids and white anthurium, were incorporated to add a wildness to the installation. Winding greens that interacted with each other and the guests were intentional in building this overgrown aesthetic. One of my favorite elements was the asclepias pods in all its exotic glory. Not only was it a perfect counterpart to the more delicate orchids, it guided the guests to ask questions and engage with the tablescape and with other guests.
The final touch that sets this evening apart from any other experience is the personal apple green cymbidium orchid at each guests’ place setting. It was important to me that each guest understood their place within the Forest, and that in addition to dining in its presence, a small part of it had been gifted to them to enjoy and admire throughout the evening. My hope is that with the floral recipe below, you will feel the confidence and excitement to create your own version of the Forest. Even the smallest iteration and scale of this installation will do its duty in engaging your guests and creating an intriguing setting for a lasting dinner!
The Forest
FLORALS + SUPPLIES
Floral foam
6-10 medium to large pieces of driftwood
Preserved sheet moss, 20 sq ft
5-6 bonsai plants in mixed heights and sizes
10 bunches of ‘Sweet William’ dianthus
20 stems of small white anthurium
3 bunches of peegee hydrangeas
9 stems of antique green hydrangeas
2 bunches of chocolate lace
2 bunches of silver brunia
2 bunches of white astrantia
1 bunch of white dendrobium orchids
4 stems of cymbidium apple green orchids
4 bunches of canary grass
4 bunches of scented geranium
3 bunches of ming fern
4 bunches of asclepias pods
1 bunch of Vietnamese perilla shiso
2 bunches of jasmine vine
2 bunches of bush ivy
STEPS
The day before the event, prepare 18-20 Lomey dishes with floral foam cut to 4-6” squares, 2-3” in height.
Split the Lomey dishes into two floral blends and arrange them low to the surface:
Dianthus, ming fern, silver brunia, chocolate lace, bush ivy
Dianthus, scented geranium, canary grass, peeve hydrangea, antique green hydrangea, Vietnamese perilla shiso
Spritz with water spray bottle to rehydrate at night and the next morning.
On the day of the event, begin with the large pieces of driftwood and arrange them along the length of the table.
Place the bonsai trees with the tallest in the middle and then working your way out, place the small and medium trees in varying heights and at different distances.
Arrange the sheet moss around the driftwood and bonsais to create a forest floor effect.
Place the prepared Lomey dishes of greenery throughout the length of the table. The low sheet moss and the varying heights of the Lomey greenery arrangements will create interest and dimension.
Once the overall placement of all the larger pieces (driftwood, bonsais, Lomey dishes) is set, start to arrange the finishing touches with the remaining florals. (set aside the apple green cymbidiums)
Anthurium
White astrantia
White dendrobium orchids
Asclepias pods
Jasmine vine
After all the florals have been incorporated and the place settings are laid out, take the apple green cymbidiums and cut off individual flowers and place them in small cordial glasses for each guest.
