Tamie's Tips - December 2000

A Holiday "Tree" with a Difference

Are you bored with the same old Christmas greens and poinsettias? This month, we'll demonstrate a beautiful alternative that will distinguish your shop while showing off your design skills.

Not only is this an impressive holiday display, it can also be assembled for a lot less than you'd think. This month's project is sure to "wow" even the most discriminating critic!

Designing a Holiday Orchid Tree

If you're tired of the same holiday greens and poinsettias, your customers probably are too. For a cost-effective alternative, try a holiday Orchid Tree!

Here is a 6" Topiary Ivy plant, available at most green plant suppliers or a local nursery. The wholesale price of such a plant is in the $8-10 range. I added one strand of mini holiday lights. If yours is like most shops, you probably have extra sets of these, but if not, they cost about $1 per set.

Here I've added 7 Phalaenopsis Orchid blooms to the "tree." Make sure you cut the stem and use aqua-pics so that the flowers stay hydrated. I selected Phalaenopsis blooms for their long-lasting quality. A Phalaenopsis or Cymbidium orchid can last up to three weeks if properly prepared in a water tube.

To finish off the arrangement, I took about 3 stems of red Epidendrum orchids and carefully split the heads into several sections, then water-tubed each one. Next, I placed the Epidendrum in strategic places throughout the "tree" to complete the display.

Total materials cost for this spectacular tree is about $15. Don't you think you can make an eye-catching statement with this tree and make money at the same time?