Get inspired by simple, natural elements for holiday decor

Daniel Island Garden Club hosts presentation by Brianna Roberts

Brianna Roberts, owner of Marigold Flower Cart, has a knack for making beautiful floral arrangements from everyday native clippings that can be found in your own backyard. Simplicity is the key as she aims to bring the outdoors in.

Roberts was the guest speaker at the Daniel Island Garden Club’s monthly meeting held on Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. at Providence Baptist Church. The club meets on the second Wednesday of each month and aims to promote gardening knowledge, conservation, civic planting, and horticulture education.

Fifty members gathered for inspiration as Roberts presented “Found and Foraged: A Nature Inspired Holiday Season” — a slide show rich with how-to photos that provided easy, natural ideas for holiday tabletops and decorations. Ninety percent of the materials Roberts uses in her arrangements are items found outdoors or are purchased from local farms.

Wreaths are a holiday staple. Roberts showed members a step-by-step process to create a wreath on a simple wire form. She binds greenery in sections and attaches the bundles with wire around the form. Local greens such as palm fronds, magnolia, and evergreens serve as ideal bases for wreaths. Then, layers of other natural elements such as seed pods, berries, or citrus, can be added.

Olive leaves mixed with holiday fruit create a festive presentation (see photo). Roberts suggested using wooden kabob skewers found in most grocery stores, cut to size, to attach heavier citrus elements to the wreaths. The same “bunching” method can be used to create a garland of any size by tying greenery bundles to a thin rope, like a clothesline. Using a preservative spray on the finished product will help the wreath last the entire season.

A fun and elegant addition to a holiday tabletop is a natural place card. Simply gather large, stout leaves, such as magnolia, and paint names on a single leaf with a metallic paint pen. The tip of the leaf can be colored in with gold for a more formal look.

Other festive uses of fruit include:

• Dried fruit in garland that pays homage to old Charleston traditions and is a beautiful, long-lasting addition to a pine garland.

• Slicing limes, lemons, blood oranges, and grapefruit and dehydrating them for a colorful display.

• Having children get involved in decorating with a jar of cloves and oranges, creating designs with the cloves punched into the oranges for a fragrant, classic display.

Unique to Daniel Island, Marigold Flower Cart is a mobile flower shop that pops up in locations all over the area. A smaller, European-style cart is also available for indoor events. Roberts said, “We specialize in down-to-earth, casual arrangements, sourcing from farms and fields across the Carolinas. Every bloom is grown, cut, and delivered with love.”

The company offers a weekly or monthly “Flower Club” membership, as well as complete holiday packages that include customized place cards, candles, napkin rings, and a centerpiece — with free Daniel Island delivery.

Roberts was formally the lead stylist for Celadon, a home furnishings mecca, and was featured in “Better Homes & Gardens” magazine. She lives on Daniel Island with her husband and two children. Order online at MarigoldFlowerCart.com.

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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