Maximizing Minimalism: Create an Amaryllis Tree

Materials

Flowers
5 'Hercules' amaryllis

'Grand Prix' roses (15–20 stems) makes a good substitute, if you can't find 'Hercules' amaryllis.

Other Materials
tall cube vase
raffia
florist's scissors
5 garden stakes
cellophane
1/2 block floral foam
craft knife
seagrass (optional)
black pebbles or gravel

Choose a streamlined opaque container or vase that is about half the size of the flower stems to get the right proportions. We use a clear vase in the instructions, below, to show how to place the materials inside the vase, but a black vase looks particularly striking for your arrangement at home.

Trim and Tie the Flowers

If you have left the amaryllis stems to stand in water before you arrange them, be careful when you take them out. Their hollow stems soak up a lot of water, and you will want to make sure that the water inside the stems doesn't flood out and damage your working surface or other materials when you recut them for this arrangement.

Cut or tear off the small brown sepals around the base of each amaryllis flower head; they wither and look unattractive if they are left on the flower.

Arrange the amaryllis stems in a bunch with straight stems and tie them with a length of raffia just below the base of the flower heads so the raffia remains hidden. Trim the ends of the stems to the same length.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - Fresh Flower Arranging © 2011 Dorling Kindersley Limited

Stake the Stems

Insert a garden stake inside each hollow amaryllis stem. Each stake should be longer than the amaryllis stem. Trim the stakes so that they are all the same length.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - Fresh Flower Arranging © 2011 Dorling Kindersley Limited