Hang Tight: Suspending Hyacinth Bulbs

A suspended bulb arrangement adds a one-of-a-kind look to your bathroom or living room. Most bulbs are too light to suspend, but hyacinths and amaryllises work are perfect for this long-lasting design.

Excerpted from Fresh Flower Arranging
Filed under: Flowers, Centerpieces, How To, Vases

Suspended Hyacinth Bulbs Add Fragranc to Room

Materials

Flowers and Foliage
4 hyacinth bulbs with soil washed off
3 dogwood stems

Consider substituting amaryllis bulbs for hyacinths and bamboo for dogwood stems.

Other Materials
clear cube vase (5 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches)
pruning shears
string
black pebbles or gravel

Flowers and Foliage Needed for Suspended Bulbs

How to Arrange

1. Trim the side shoots from the dogwood stems and cut the stems into equal lengths that are each a little longer than the width of the vase.

2 To make the frame, arrange three stems in a row on a flat surface. If any stems are very thin, reinforce them with an extra stem. Check that they are evenly spaced, and that together they are no wider than the width of the vase. Place another three stems over them at right angles to make a crosshatch effect. You should have created four square spaces within the frame. Secure each cross-over point with string tied in a knot (image 1).

3. Fill a third of the vase with pebbles, then fill the vase to the top with water.

4. Place the frame on the vase and position a bulb in a square hole. Adjust the frame around the bulb so it pinches the base of the bulb to secure it in place. Position the other bulbs in the same way on the frame. Only the roots of the bulbs need to float in the water to keep the hyacinths alive (image 2).

If you add water occasionally to keep the roots floating beneath the surface, this arrangement should last for three weeks.