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Gone are the days when flower crowns were only associated with fairy-themed weddings and parties. As of late it’s a necessary spring and summer accessory – and can make you feel like you’re on a tropical vacation – if you’re into that sort of thing. And no, this is not just for the neo-hippie festival crowd. These decorative headpieces have historically illustrated status and accomplishment (think back to the Olympic olive wreaths). But the hippies have most influenced the accessory’s current manifestation in fashion.
One such iconic woman was Frida Kahlo. She incorporated elements of traditional Mexican dress into her wardrobe, accompanying full skirts and embroidered tops with braided, beribboned and flower topped hairstyles that sometimes gave her the aspect of a religious icon. So why are we so obsessed with these fresh flower halos? Well, besides the fact that flower crowns have been a symbol of love, fertility and celebration throughout history and around the world, they are easy and fun to personalise. If you like you can go as over-the-top or as simple as you want. You can go from incorporating oversized flowers to a few simple green sprigs and tiny roses.
Photos: Marguerite Oelefse
Whether you’re going to a wedding, a garden party or just want to celebrate the happy season, a flower crown is a beautiful way to make the most of fresh blossoms.
So what is Garden Day?
Last year, South Africa planted the seeds and celebrated Garden Day for the first time on Sunday, October 9. The day was a huge success and today is bound to be no different.
So what is Garden Day? It’s not about gardening, but about enjoying South Africa’s beautiful and plentiful outdoor spaces, however, you can, whether it is having a private picnic or inviting friends and family round to celebrate together. As with any national day and movement, Garden Day is not intended to be “owned” by any one organisation, but rather by everyone, so that anyone can take part and make it their own. So what are you going to do today? Why not go to the park, spread a blanket on your lawn, climb a tree, or buy a new potplant?
MAKE YOUR OWN FLOWER CROWN IN 5 EASY STEPS:
Floral artist Blomboy created all the crowns for the stunning pictures on this page. He’s shared his tips on making your own flower crown with us.
1. Choose your flowers. A single variety used in mass is always more effective.
2. The tools you’ll need for the job include secateurs, florists’ wire and rope for the base.
3. Create small posies by tying bunches of blooms together with the wire.
4. Attach the posies to the rope by facing stems in the same direction and overlapping as you go along.
5. Leave the ends of the rope clear to allow for an easily adjustable crown size.
TIPS:
To make your flower crown last as long as possible:
Put the flowers in a vase of water for at least an hour, adding flower food if they came with it. That way, the blooms are well hydrated before you begin building your crown.
FLORAL WIRE:
When you measure your wire, leave some wiggle room, because you’re going to pack it with a bunch of greenery and don’t want it to be too tight.
GREENERY:
Mix it up with a variety of unflowered greens and use short lengths of wire to secure it to the base.
Show the world what you’re up to this Garden Day. Tag @gardendaysa or use #gardenday in your posts, tweets and ‘grams so that your celebrations can be shared with others.
