I have had a little more time on my hands than I’m used to this early spring and am so excited to have an excuse to get creative with May Day baskets. As a lover of beautiful florals, I adore celebrating May Day, or as I call it, the official start to flower season.
May Day is about celebrating spring and femininity and is derived from the Roman Empire’s Festival of Flora. Many people celebrate with offerings of flowers, dancing and even bell ringing. Since I doubt anyone wants me to break out my ribbons for a dance around the maypole, I stick to creating May Day baskets to share with my neighbors and friends. It is the perfect DIY project to get my creative juices flowing. I tend to use our lovely faux florals from the shop so the baskets can hang proudly on doorsteps for months to come. Let’s learn how to create your own.
For our first basket, I wanted to play up some classic spring colors. I love green and wanted that freshness front and center. The bright green pairs beautifully with soft pinks and yellows, while pops of bright white balance out the design. Design tip: Balance over symmetry — don’t worry about making it completely identical on each side but rather whether it is evenly weighted.
My second basket is actually not a basket at all, but a rustic metal tin. I love the pop of red for a bold touch, and this is one of my favorite vessels to re-create for summer when red, white and blue are having their moment. To keep the arrangement firmly in spring, I switched out my blue hues for pink tulips and added some leafy greens to add some texture. Design tip: For a more natural and organic look, arrange your faux like you would the real deal. Pretend they are reaching for the sun and opening up. Start with your tallest, most open stems, then strategically place your tighter sprigs and blooms.
