“Being creative can help relieve stress. When you’re using your senses, you’re really present and in the moment,” says Sebastian. “If you’re at home, arranging flowers is a way to nurture yourself and learn. It’s also therapeutic because when you put your brain to work, you’re focusing on the task at hand instead of thinking about any worries you might have.”
Follow his simple instructions to create an evocative springtime centerpiece that channels a sense of ‘wild beauty’:
1. Start with a yellow, green or white vase. Alternatively, a transparent glass vase also works well. The shape and dimensions will determine the volume of your arrangement.
2. Turn to your balcony, terrace or garden and pick some fresh greenery. It might not always get the attention it deserves when we’re decorating with flowers, but greenery is an ideal filler that can really complement and complete the bouquet by adding texture, interest and shape to the floral elements. Play around with the different types of foliage available to find out what kind of look is best for you. I recommend choosing two types of greenery, one that’s typically hardier and one that’s lighter and more whimsical.
3. Pour water into the vase and, if your flowers came with a preservative solution, add it now. If you don’t have any, use a few drops of bleach in the water to kill off any bacteria and keep the flowers fresh. If you use a transparent glass vase, you could add a few slices of lemon in the water for decoration.
4. Arrange the greenery first as it makes it easier to create a wild, asymmetrical bouquet. Make the greenery higher on one side of the vase and let it spill over on the other side in order to give your arrangement a slight S-curve design, which looks professional. However, remember to ensure people sitting at the table will be able to make eye contact and chat without any obstructions in their way.
5. Add more greenery than you think you should. In this arrangement, it becomes the foundation to hold the flowers in place, instead of floral foam or tape.
6. Select your flowers. Pick varieties in shades of white, pink and yellow. In-season blooms will be less expensive and feel right for the time of year.
7. Cut the stems at an angle about an inch from the bottom using a clean sharp knife or garden shears. You may need to cut them shorter depending on the vase. Remove any leaves that sit below the water level of the vase.
8. Start by adding the largest flowers first, working in a circle and turning the vase as you go to make sure the arrangement has the shape you desire. Layer in the next variety of flowers and repeat until all the flowers have been added.
9. As your flowers start to expire and turn brown, remove them from the arrangement to keep the other stems alive. The greenery will usually last a couple of days longer than the flowers, so you can simply swap the flowers following your next grocery trip.
With this simple floral arrangement and just a few table decorations, you can show off the prettiest spring flowers alongside eye-catching greenery. To keep the arrangement informal and playful, think about adding a few fruits to the table before serving a mouth-watering dish by Fulvio Pierangelini.
The Grand Tour has had its day, in the most fortunate way. What was once a rite of years is now within reach of anyone with the curiosity to make it. The prescribed list of sights has loosened too, leaving the traveller free to follow Goethe's original instinct, to stand where the present is being made as well as where the past is preserved. Today, our journey through Milan, Florence and Rome begins, as it always did, in the north…
In the 17th century, Artemisia Gentileschi emerged as one of the most compelling painters of her time. Her unflinching clarity and business acumen allowed her to flourish in a world dominated by men. In her hands, familiar subjects were transformed: heroines once cast as victims emerged instead as warriors. Her work gave voice to women too often silenced, not only on the canvas but in life.
Opera was born in late 16th-century Italy, conceived as a revival of ancient Greek drama. From the outset, it was a sensory art form, drawing music, language, staging and spectacle into a single experience. Outdoor performance has been part of its story almost as long, from the courtyards and gardens of Renaissance Europe to the festivals that now define the European summer.
