Business of Design BY ROBERT “BOB” TUCKER, AIFD, CEJ, FSMD


AUTUMN WARMTH TO CHRISTMAS ELEGANCE > What if the arrangements you prepare for November sales could also help you fi ll December’s holiday orders? Start with a winter-foliage base that can be


assembled in batches and refrigerated for weeks. Add fall accents as needed, then give any unsold arrangements a quick holiday refresh. You’ll spend less time building designs during the rush and put more of your product to work. (The greens in both recipes come from FernTrust, the Florida grower cooperative featured alongside Albin Hagstrom & Son in this issue’s Up the Supply Chain column on p. 30.) The seasonal fl oral designs in this column capture both the colors


and spirit of each season. Fall evokes warmth, abundance and nature’s changing landscape, while Christmas brings tradition, celebration and sparkle. Though distinct in character, these two arrangements show how the same core design principles can transition beautifully from one season to the next. Instead of depending on a single focal point, an eff ective


fall composition guides the eye through layers of color and texture. The result is generous and inviting — ideal for a Thanksgiving table, entryway, buff et or seasonal gathering. The Christmas arrangement builds on the same natural


foundation with a more dramatic character. Rich red roses establish the holiday palette, complemented by abundant pine, cedar, berries, pinecones, red ornaments and other textural accents.


Robert “Bob” Tucker, AIFD, CEJ, FSMD, is the owner of Miss Daisy’s Floral & Event Décor in Leesburg, Florida.


CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT


Recipe: 5 × 5 × 5-inch wooden cube, 1 block foam, two 12-inch taper candles, 3 red berry sprays, 5 pinecones on picks, 1 red bullion wire, 5 miniature ornaments, 2 stems Leyland cypress, 2 stems princess pine, 2 stems Carolina Sapphire, 2 stems redwood cedar, 5 red roses. Wholesale cost: $32.00. Suggested retail price: $124.99.


AUTUMN ABUNDANCE


Recipe: 5 × 5 × 5-inch wooden cube, 1 block foam, two 12-inch taper candles, 3 red berry sprays, 5 pinecones on picks, red bullion wire, 2 stems Leyland cypress, 2 stems princess pine, 2 stems Carolina Sapphire, 2 stems redwood cedar, 1 stem red fall leaves. Wholesale cost: $24.00. Suggested retail price: $94.99


HOW TO MAKE A FOLIAGE ORB


Gather scrap winter-foliage cuttings and form them into a ball in your hand. Wrap with bul- lion wire, adding pieces until the desired size is achieved. Fasten the wire and trim. Insert a foliage stem and pick into the design.


34 FLORAL MANAGEMENT | November/December 2026 | WWW.SAFNOW.ORG


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