Fireworks Arrangement

It’s just not the 4th of July without fireworks. So here’s a floral diarama of a fireworks display, with cars underneath the spectacle witnessing the sights . I was inspired to create this arrangement as I was walking my dog Broadway around the neighborhood. Agapanthas are in season now, in everyone’s front yards, and I thought these flowers looked just like fireworks. This arrangement would make a fun centerpiece at your 4th of July barbecue, and is appropriate for both red and blue states.

What you’ll need:

Three stems of agapanthas
Reindeer moss (or any green moss)
Toy cars
Greening pins
Shallow bowl or bucket
Two bricks of floral foam

1. Carve the floral foam to fit into the bucket.

I found a great red, white and blue bucket at the craft store for this arrangement, but you can use any shallow bowl or bucket that’s about 3-4 inches deep, and about 9 inches in diameter. Carve two bricks of floral foam into two half-circles to fit into the bucket.

2. Dunk the floral foam in water

Place each piece of floral foam in water until it is completely filled with water. Then place the foam back into the bucket.

3. Stick agapanthas into the foam.

Place the agapanthas stems into the floral foam at different angles, so it looks like the fireworks are flying in different directions. If you can’t find agapanthas, look for other flowers that are large and spherically-shaped, like hydrangeas. The great thing about agapanthas, though, is that much of the fllower consists of thin stems, which resemble the trajectory of fireworks.

Helpful hint: As the days go by, this arrangement will stay fresh, but individual buds of the agapanthas will wilt. Just pluck off the offending buds. The fireworks look even more realistic when the agapanthas are a bit more sparse.

4. Cover the floral foam with moss.

Using greening pins (or open paper clips if you don’t have greening pins), secure the moss to the top of the floral foam. You now have a grassy meadow underneath the fireworks, which will soon be trampled by rambunctious teens in their jalopies.

5. Park the cars on the grass.

Finish off the arrangement by placing some miniature toy cars on the moss. Let the “flowerworks” begin.