Sarah Tallman, owner of Grove, a New York City flower market and home-decor store, created these three sugared-fruit centerpieces for REDBOOK.
On a cake stand
The crab apples and magnolia leaves in this striking arrangement will look fresh for two weeks or more, making it a long-lasting option to dress up a dining room table.
1. Arrange pillars of varying height on the cake stand. They'll provide the center around which you'll layer the apples and leaves (Timber Candles available at select Pottery Barn stores; magnolia leaves available at any florist). A black glass cake stand makes for a modern, dramatic display (Rococo Noir, $35, rosannainc.com).
2. Place eight to 10 leaves on cake stand, letting some hang off the edge. Place eight to 10 sugared apples around candles, stacking in places. Nestle extra leaves between the apples and candles. The arrangement should look natural; don't fuss over the fruit — let some apples roll over on their sides.
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Sugared grapes and clementines are stunning when nestled among long-stem artichokes and eucalyptus leaves — the perfect look for a sit-down dinner at a long table.
1. Place one long-stem artichoke (with stalk facing the center of the table) at either end of the table. Cover the stems with eucalyptus boughs, going down the center of the table. (Find long-stem artichokes at a local flower market or gourmet grocer, and eucalyptus boughs at a florist.) Cross additional pairs of artichoke stems on top of the leaves so that the artichokes are both above and below the leaves, about six inches apart. In the above display, we used seven artichokes for a three-foot-long table.
2. Add in one or two sugared clementines on each side of the leaves. Drape a small bunch of sugared grapes over the crisscrossed artichoke stems and eucalyptus boughs. Finish by tucking a few votive candles along the length of the arrangement.
Tip: If you can't find long-stem artichokes, try berry branches, birch, or corkscrew willow. It's your design — experiment!
Sugared limes and Key limes blend beautifully into a mix of green hydrangeas and viburnum berry branches. Dense, full flowers like hydrangeas are especially good at holding the sugared fruit in place. The monochromatic flowers and fruits make the arrangement here fresh; for a warmer color palette, use lemons, oranges, and tiger lilies.
1. Add water to a six-inch cube vase (Clear Cube, $9, jamaligarden.com) and place 10 to 12 magnolia leaves inside the vase to hide stems. (Don't worry if a few leaves float around. Once the flowers are added they'll help hold the leaves in place.)
2. Cut the stems of eight to 10 hydrangeas to 6 1/2 inches. Tear off the leaves on the stems before placing them in the vase.
3. You'll need 10 bunches of berries — about two branches' worth. Trim berry sprigs from the branch and cut stems to 6 1/2 inches. Place berries in among the flowers, making sure to add some along the edge of the vase.
4.Spear eight-inch-long wooden floral picks into 12 sugared regular and Key limes. Distribute the limes throughout the bouquet, individually or in groups of two or three.
YOU'LL NEED:
Fruit (any kind)
Long floral picks or skewers
Two eggs
Basting brush
Extra-fine sugar
1. Spear fruit with wooden floral picks. Floral picks have wire on one end that can be wrapped around grape stems.
2. Separate each egg, discarding the yolks and putting the whites into a small bowl. Using a basting brush, coat fruit with a thin layer of whites.
3. With fingers, lightly sprinkle sugar all over fruit. The first round or two will dissolve into the whites, so keep rotating and sprinkling until the coating starts to look white. Add extra sugar to a few spots to create a pretty frostlike gradation.
4. Let dry for 30 minutes on waxed paper.
