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By Sue Whittaker

For the Clemmons Courier

If you are planning to host a special meal for family or friends during the holidays and are worried about providing a centerpiece for the table, the members of Bermuda Run Garden Club have a solution for you.

At their November meeting, Rodney Spillman of Shallowford Florist led the garden club members in learning just how easy, inexpensive, and fun it is to make your own table arrangement that can be used, with just a little tweaking, from now throughout the holiday season.

All that’s needed is a block of “wet” oasis from Michaels or Hobby Lobby; a container in which the oasis will fit; a 12”-14” taper candle; a short, sturdy stick; some flexible floral wire; some cuttings of local plants like holly and nandina; and a few decorations of your choice, such as pine cones, small apples, ornamental grasses, and real or artificial colored leaves. Choose sprigs of hollies that have bright red berries, colorful nandina branches and other shrubs that have interesting foliage. Be sure to swirl the leaves in water before using them to remove dust and insects.

Follow these simple steps to create your table arrangement like the ones made by Bermuda Run Garden Club members at their November meeting:

• The night before you plan to assemble your arrangement, put the block of “wet” oasis in a clean bucket of water and soak it overnight.
• The next morning, secure the wet oasis in the container, and insert the base of the candle into the middle.
• Push the stems of the holly all around the sides of the oasis, encircling it, to form the base of your arrangement.
• Fill in the top and sides with nandina. If you wish, add other leafy foliage.
• Pierce the apple with a short, sturdy stick, and secure it into the oasis.
• Wrap the bottom of a pinecone with a piece of flexible green floral wire and add it to the arrangement. Feathers and sturdy ornamental grasses can be incorporated to provide texture and color.
• Finish your arrangement by adding a few blossoms of seasonal flowers, such as mums, from the grocery store.
• When the flowers begin to look wilted, they can easily be removed and replaced.
• Add water to the container as needed to keep the oasis wet, and enjoy your creation throughout the holiday season.

The Bermuda Run Garden Club members hope you have as much fun creating your table arrangement as we did. Happy Thanksgiving.