How to Make a Wine Country Coastal Dining Table Centerpiece

Sonoma County has 76 miles of beautiful jagged coastline less than an hour’s drive from Healdsburg. On my days off as an events director and floral designer at Jordan Winery, I often find myself lured by the beauty of the Sonoma Coast and its wild plants—the perfect ingredients for coastal dining table centerpieces. I created this foraged coastal dining table centerpiece for the cover story in the 2019 edition of Wine Country Table magazine. In this floral design demonstration video, I’ll show you how to make a Sonoma Coast-themed table runner for your next dinner party. Step-by-step instructions are also included.

Coastal Dining Table Centerpiece

(Designed for one, six foot table, as featured in Wine Country Table magazine)

Materials:

• 20 gauge green floral wire
• Wire cutters
• 8-inch pruning shears

Ingredients:

• 2 long fern branches
• 4 eucalyptus pod branches
• 4 cedar tree branches (or another evergreen)
• 6 sprigs of lavender
• 4 branches winter vetch
• 4 bunches of orange and yellow yarrow
• 4 thistle bulbs

How to Make the Coastal Dining Table Centerpiece Base Garland

1. Begin with one fern branch.
2. Place two branches of blue eucalyptus pods lengthwise on top of the fern, wrap floral wire around the fern and the branches in five-inch increments to attach together creating a strong base (about three sections).
3. Place the cedar branches sporadically, securing to the fern base with floral wire.
4. Begin tucking vetch, yarrow and thistle flowers into the empty areas and over the wire to hide it.
5. Attach the lavender sprigs lengthwise, securing with floral wire.
6. Continue adding flowers to hide the wire.
7. To create a longer centerpiece, repeat steps 1-6 to create a second piece.
8. Attach the two bases together with floral wire and secure additional flowers over the floral wire to hide all mechanics.