Pelargonium quercifolium (sounds like a Harry Potter spell, doesn’t it?) is a species of geranium known by the common name of oak leaf geranium – and the symbolic meaning of the flower is “true friendship.” Give your bestie a lovely handmade one that he or she will cherish forever, BFF style.

Materials needed: pink streamer or crepe paper, green crepe paper, green floral tape, scissors, wire, tag, ribbon, pen, pinking shears.

Step 1: Cut a 5” x 2” piece of streamer (or crepe paper) and fold into fifths.
Step 2: Cut out a balloon shaped petal from the stack.
Step 3: Gently twist the stem of the petals, and gently fan out the petals.
Step 4: Rip off a 3 inch piece of floral tape, and wrap it a few times around the stems. Add a 3 inch piece of wire next to the stem and continue wrapping with floral tape to the bottom of the wire.
Step 5: Repeat steps 1 – 4 four times, til you have a total of 5 separate bunches.
Step 6: Crumple a small piece of crepe paper to create a tiny bud. Wrap green floral tape around the paper, attach a 3 inch piece of wire, and continue wrapping to the bottom of the wire.
Step 7: From a 2 ½” x 2” piece of green crepe paper, use pinking shears to cut out a stylized leaf shape – I used this source for inspiration.
Step 8: Rip off a 3 inch piece of floral tape, and wrap it a few times around the base of the leaf. Add a 3 inch piece of wire next to the leaf and continue wrapping with floral tape to the bottom of the wire.
Step 9: Repeat the above step with a smaller piece of green crepe paper to create a smaller leaf.
Step 10: Gather the five blossoms and tape them together with green floral tape. Then, gather the blossoms, one bud, and two leaves and arrange them loosely in your hand.
Step 11: Wrap all the wires with with green floral to secure them together. After they are taped, adjust the wires to spread out the leaves and blossoms.
Step 12: Attach a tag that says “Oak Leaf Geranium = True Friendship” with a piece of ribbon to the stem.

Photography by Tim Gibson