Mother's Day Orchid Basket

Remember lovingly crafting gifts for mom when you were a child? Whether it was a macaroni masterpiece or a bouquet of tissue-paper flowers, she displayed each handmade present with pride. This Mother's Day, surprise mom again with a do-it-yourself gift she'll be delighted to show off. Materials: Basket (I used a large picnic basket) Floral Foam Blocks Green Plastic Garbage Bag 1 4-Inch Pot Fern 1 4-inch Pot Houseplants 2 4-Inch Pots of African Violets 1 4-inch Pot Variegated Ivy 4 Just Add Ice Orchids™ Woody Stems Sheet Moss Bow Instructions: Line the bottom of the basket with a plastic garbage bag to protect table tops from moisture. If the basket is too deep for your plants, place floral foam blocks in the bottom to add height. Place a few ferns to the back, leaving them in their original container so you can reuse them later. This also helps to keep water from leaking through the basket. Next, position pots of African violets and ivy in the front of the basket. That leaves room for about 4 purple orchids in the center of the arrangement. To give the basket some flair, remove the original orchid support sticks and replace them with woody stems gathered from the garden. You can also purchase branches from a craft store or florist. Next, fill in the gaps and conceal the plants pots with sheet moss. Finally, make your orchid basket gift ready with a bow tied to the front.