Dried Sunflowers with Black Tomatoes in a Terracotta Jug | Floristry Design Tutorial

This year for reasons I’m still trying to fathom out, I decided it was a great idea to plant sunflowers amongst my vegetable garden. I think I was channelling companion planting and shade protection and OK, I’ll admit it - a visual joy to look at, out my office window to see giant bronzy red sunflowers. Issue - this season has been amazing. Long warm sunny days, with lots of evening rain and the sunflowers took root and have not only reached for the sky, they multi-budded. Being a ‘waste not want not’ girl, I just can’t not let those that fall and continue falling to waste. They are out of control and extremely top heavy, which got me thinking long and hard about a design in which they could be used, thus the design I’m sharing today.
I’ve never grown the red variety of sunflowers and I’m not sure whether they will seed - but they will because that’s what a sunflower does. My latest greatest idea is to bring them indoors and with the warmth and dryness of the kitchen it’s going to be fun watching what happens. I could have plonked them into a vase, but because they are so visually interesting, a hunt around the garden shed unearthed a wonderful unglazed Italian styled jug which I think works nicely with the rustic tonal value of the sunflowers.
Things to gather:
- Rustic terracotta container - because mine has a hole in the base and isn’t water-proof, I inserted a glass vase down inside the jug. The sunflowers still have life in them and will definitely still require water.
- I also incorporated willow to give movement to the design, but any kind of bare fruiting tree branch/s would work nicely.
- Sunflowers of your choice. The number required will depend on the size of your container.
- AND because the tomatoes are also fast ripening & to save them from the birds, I felt the colour-way a lovely accompaniment to the blooms hanging and cascading down the front of the jug, to slowly ripen. After all they’ve lived together for months, seemed a shame not to keep them together a little longer. I love the look of the dull dark centres of the sunflowers and the dark shiny roundness of the tomatoes!
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[@susanrichardson7858]

I love the art of this, and eventually it will be edible.

[@JesseRaylabrancaro]

I absolutely love this, too!!! Wow! It feels very natural and artistic, and made me think of Van Gogh before you even mentioned him! 🌻 I am imagining this on the kitchen table in an old Italian villa 💛 And so good to show you can use the sunflowers even when the petals go! And those tomatoes look delicious!!!

[@AstarsPlace]

Hi Jesse, those tomatoes are delicious and taste like tomatoes used to taste. As for the fragrance, equally amazing. I wasn't sure whether the combination would work, but it does in an oddly interesting way. The sunflowers are that laden & heavy with seeds, they just want to drop to the ground. I'm looking forward to success or a disappointing mess all over the table. A wise person might have hung them to dry, but a floral me, just needs to keep looking at them. Warm regards Astar

[@Fleuradie]

I’ll have to remember this for later in the year as we are in winter heading towards spring in the UK . Lovely arrangement as I come to expect from you Astar! Just beautiful 🎉

[@conversecone9687]

How wonderful you grew the elements of this organic arrangement! From the sunflowers to the tomatoes to the willow to the jug it is visually very satisfying.

[@AstarsPlace]

Thank you Converse. Can I just say that those sunflowers took to my garden like ducks to water. Talking water, those tomatoes must be the most expensive tomatoes in Auckland? The cost of the water to keep them nourished has me thinking whether homegrown is cheaper than purchased? Actually, homegrown organic is best, but I've got to get a better, more efficient cheaper watering system up & running.
Warm regards Astar

[@charlenegoskowicz8220]

Gorgeous! I love unusual and tall arrangements!

[@catherinegardner8407]

I bought your willow and it's beyond wonderful! It also doesn't break!

[@phyllismiller4893]

Beautifully put together!

[@odettebancilhon8420]

Amazing, only you could make this collection look fantastic. Well done

[@AstarsPlace]

Thank you. I wasn't sure whether the combinations would work, but they did - & this thrills me, but will they dry off to seed or will I be left with a mess???

[@ellenhutchinson2889]

Beautiful!

[@junie2922]

Gorgeous!!🌼

[@AYSewan]

Woo-hoo😲...