How to Make Early Colonial Floral Arrangements

Flowers have been used as decoration and gifts since Egyptian times. Americans in the Early Colonial period valued function over form out of necessity, but still used flowers to brighten their homes. You can easily create a floral arrangement indicative of the time period thanks to the natural elements and simple structure found in these floral pieces.

Native or local wildflowers
Household items such as jars and pots (to use as containers)
Dried grasses and grains

Instructions

- 1
  Find household items that can double as containers for your arrangement. Colonists used everyday objects such as pottery, jars, kettles and pans. Stoneware, porcelain, pewter and copper were favorites for displaying flowers and often found in household items.
- 2
  Select native flowers that are in season. Floral design in this period was not studied; instead, it reflected a colorful bit of nature brought indoors. Wildflowers are perfect for this style of arrangement.
- 3
  Use lilies, anemones, Dutch bulbs, sunflowers, phlox, daisies, snapdragons, dianthus, roses, hollyhocks, marigolds and strawflowers if you do not have a good selection of native flowers available in your area.
- 4
  Buy or create dried elements, such as grains and grasses, to add to the flowers for a rustic, homegrown feel. This helps the interest in the arrangement come from the mix of texture and color rather than the structure of the arrangement.
- 5
  Keep the arrangement small, casual, fresh and natural to reflect the Early Colonial style. Let the container be a visual element along with the flowers.
- 6
  Separate the more delicate flowers and leave them tall so they fan out while using the fuller, heavier blooms along the rim of the container for a more formal style that developed toward the mid-Colonial Period.

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