May Day Pole Tradition Made Easy

Maypole festivities have roots as far back as the 1600’s. It originated in Europe signifying the end of the planting season for farmers and the beginning of Spring. Villages and towns across Europe had their own May Day traditions, but centuries later; this tradition found its way to America. We have a fresh take on this fun party idea which is easy and oh so fun to do!

Supplies Needed

• Tall pole and a secure base to create the height of the pole. We used an old tetherball pole we found at a yard sale that was perfect. A PVC pole secured in a large flower pot with Plaster Paris would work just as well.
• PVC pipe and fittings cut to size to secure to the top of the pole
• Crepe paper or ribbon
• Floral foam cage and 18” foam wreath
• Chiffon or your choice or festive fabric
• Zip Ties
• Scissors
• Floral clippers
• Your choice of California Grown flowers. We used Sunflowers, Delphinium, Gerbera Daisies, Boronia, Solidago, Larkspur, Snapdragons, Cabbage, Freesia, Hycinith, Daisies, and Salal.

Step One

Place your pole to the desired location. Cut your chiffon or festive fabric to the length of your pole and secure with zip ties.

Step Two

Measure and cut your PVC pipe to create an Octagon shape that will fit over the top of your pole. Like my husband always says…”Measure twice and cut once.”

Step Three

Secure your crepe paper or ribbon to the top of your pole. We chose a different color for each one of our “dancers”.

Step Four

Now the really fun part begins. We get to decorate our Maypole with fresh California Grown flowers. (Yes!!!) Start by soaking your foam pieces in water. Let the foam gradually fill; if you force it down, it can cause air bubbles which means your flowers won’t receive the water they need to stay fresh! Once the foam is wet, secure the pieces together using zip ties.

Now it’s time to add your flowers. We always like to start with a base of greenery first. Any greens would work with this project but we like the color and hardiness of the Salal leaf.

We wanted our Maypole to be bright and cheery so we added a lot of bright flowers that have a ton of fun textures. Make sure to keep your stems long and angle them in different directions to add depth and fill in empty pockets.

Step Five

Fasten the arrangement to the PVC topper with zip ties. We suggest you have a friend help hold the flowers in place as you secure the zip ties.

Step Six

Let the fun begin! Invite all your favorite people to the Spring Dance and enjoy the good weather and great company. Add any left over California Grown flowers to the rest of your décor. These special touches make a good party into a great party.

The end of the dance is a culmination of all your gorgeous flowers and streamers all rolled up into one!

As always we would love to see your creations using the best flowers that only the state of California can produce. Be sure to tag us at #CSFA.

Love. Flowers. Always.