Growing Together ·

How to Arrange Crabapple Branches with Dahlias

Crabapple branches borrowed from my neighbors, pink Coralie dahlias from my garden and a white cookie jar: how I put this arrangement together.

A wide, airy arrangement of crabapple branches heavy with red fruit, pale pink Coralie dahlias, dark burgundy scabiosa, aging hydrangeas and honeysuckle in a white ceramic jar against white beadboard

I don’t know about you, but the crabapple trees are living their best lives on my street, and I got a bee in my bonnet to use them in an arrangement. The only wrinkle was that I don’t have one growing in front of my house, so I sent a text to my neighbors and asked if anyone would be willing to let me snip a few branches. Lovely folks raised their hands, and I bounded outside to snip away.

A close-up of pink Coralie dahlias with clusters of red crabapples, dark Dark Knight scabiosa, a crimson strawflower, Chocolate Lace Flower seed pods and blushing hydrangea

I had a vision of pairing the crabapples’ rosy tones with the pink Coralie dahlias I had growing in my yard. Additional flowers and foliage I pulled from the garden were:

  • Foliage: Honeysuckle, Mountain Mint, Basil
  • Flowers: Cranberry Rose Strawflower, Dark Knight Scabiosa, Chocolate Lace Flower seed pods, Limelight Hydrangeas

They went into a cookie jar, and my mechanics were a Holly Chapple pillow with chicken wire.

As a thank you, I shared the arrangement with the neighbors who shared their branches with me.

Happy flowering!

Love, Erin (handwritten signature with a heart)