Student Activities Workshop Helps Students Create Personalized Wildflower Arrangements

Spider mums, sunflowers, asters—oh my!

These and many other wildflower varieties brightened the LaHaye Event Space during the Student Activities Floral Arranging Workshop conducted by The Hip Tulip. 

The front of the room was lined with tall bins offering various types of plants, with stemmed flowers organized on the left and greenery on the right.

Each participant, with a budding idea of a new floral creation, approached their designated workspace: a socially distanced table with a glass jar of water, a packet of plant food and a pair of scissors.

The room took on a gentle ambiance as songs from Coldplay and sweet perfumes of floral life subtly permeated the air. A quiet hum of conversation rose gradually into friendly laughs, all eyes eagerly gazing on the soft hues of purple, pink, white              and yellow.

The workshop began with a flower market of sorts, as students passed from bin to bin, selecting bits of greenery and flower stems that would complement each other well. By the end of the night, each student’s individual plants would be united into a beautiful masterpiece that would demonstrate their personal flair and creative style.

Kelli Willis, a professional florist with experience in landscape design, botany and floral arranging, instructed the students step-by-step in how to arrange the plants in their vases. 

The first step was to make a grid out of clear tape across the top of the vase. This, Willis explained, keeps the flowers from leaning haphazardly or falling out of            the vase. 

After emptying the packet of plant food into the vase, the next course of action was to add greens, snipping off the smaller branches. Willis advised students to reserve the ferns and other large-leaf greens to fill in around the flowers at the very end.

With the addition of large, single-stemmed flowers and smaller “filler flowers” that nestle around the larger blooms, the arrangements gained a new vibrancy. 

“The height of your arrangement should mirror the height of the vase,” Willis said. “Any taller and it’ll be top-heavy.” 

Students were also instructed to snip the ends off the plants before adding them. 

“A fresh cut always helps the arrangement last longer,” Willis said. 

After the flowers came the patient ferns, stripped of their bottom leaves so as not to crowd the vase, and the arrangements were complete, no two looking the same.

Junior Kae Boehning saw a post about the workshop on Instagram and decided to attend with her friends. 

“We’ve all become plant moms recently in our dorms, so we thought it’d be a fun bonding event for us girls on leadership,” Boehning said.

Other students also came for the community and hoped to learn new skills.

“I actually work for Student Activities, so I know how much intention goes into planning these events and how they work to incorporate the community into student activities,” junior Jill Reeves said. “I had also heard of The Hip Tulip and really liked the look of their arrangements. I’ve never done anything like this before and thought it’d be fun.”

The Hip Tulip celebrates two years in business this May, though Willis has been in the flower business a while longer. 

“I used to be a garden designer, but later found out I was allergic to bees,” Willis said. “Thankfully, I was able to implement my design skills and plant knowledge into floral arranging.”

With a specialty in wildflowers, The Hip Tulip prides itself on its diverse arrangements and departure from the traditional arrangement style. The company offers classes, private events and deliveries, along with arrangements for holidays, weddings and other special occasions.

“To me, it’s art,” Willis said. “There are so many different textures, colors and possibilities, just as if you were painting, drawing, etc. The possibilities are endless. That’s what makes me love it so much.”

The Hip Tulip is located at 1220 Main St. in downtown Lynchburg. More information about The Hip Tulip can be found on the company’s website, www.thehiptulip.com, as well as on Facebook and Instagram @thehiptulip. 

The next Student Activities Workshop will be a virtual wood carving event hosted by Justin Smith on Instagram TV April 15 at 9 p.m.

Kacey Martin is a Feature Reporter.