The Floral Board: Little Flower Tips for You
Diamonds are nice … but have you tried just buying your girl flowers on a random Tuesday?
Yours truly here, Ann-Marie, to talk about all things flowers. Now, before we go any further, here’s my disclaimer: I’m not an actual expert by any means. Since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I’ve always loved flowers and learning about them. With spring and summer around the bend, I thought now would be a great time to chat about florals – ways to build a bouquet, how to keep them alive longer, where to put them around your house and even when to gift them (hint: it’s any time; any time is a good time for flowers).
Let’s jump on in!
How to Build a Flower Bouquet
All your local grocers have pretty pre-made bouquets. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with grabbing one of them and making someone’s day (or your own)! But have you ever tried making your own bouquet? There’s nothing like lighting a candle, turning on music and trying your hand at being one with the flowers – if you will. Here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way of how to build your own bouquet.
Greenery is always a beautiful option, if you just want something simple but real. It lasts awhile, and if you opt for eucalyptus, it can even freshen your space.
- When you want color in your bouquets, the trick is to have these three elements in your arrangement: a) a thriller, b) fillers, c) a spiller.
- A) When I say thriller, think of a beautiful statement flower, like peonies, sunflowers, roses, etc.. Something that’s big and only has one bloom per stem.
- B) For fillers, think of three things here: greenery and two smaller buds. Greenery can be whatever you feel inspired by. For the smaller buds, think of daisies, mums, carnations, ranunculus. Something that has a few blooms per stem and something that has one smaller bloom per stem.
- C) This step is for adding some volume, whimsy and depth to your bouquet. It can be the greenery or it can be blooms that don’t stand up straight, like tulips or delphinium. It can even be both!
Don’t get overwhelmed! You really just have to get in there and try a few dozen bouquets to get the hang of it and see what you like! In a nutshell, a flower bouquet should have about 4-5 different bloom options with some greenery. Budget, flower shapes, vase sizes all play into this. (BTW: the above floral arrangement tutorial is for a meadium to larger size vase. For smaller vases, you follow the same principles just with less!) Flowers will never not be beautiful, so you truly can’t mess up!
Ways to Keep Flower Bouquets Alive Longer
*Enter old wives’ tale here*
It can be hard to say exactly what keeps flowers alive because it can depend so much on weather, the light exposure, your water quality, your own personal time to care for them, etc.. So here are some simple rules of thumb to keep your bouquets alive for as long as possible.
- Keep the water fresh. As often as you can/want to, change out the water.
- Adding sugar to the water helps them stay nourished. Sugar should cover the bottom of the stems a couple inches.
- Make sure when you cut the stems it’s a clean cut. A precise clip will help the overall health of the stem.
- Cut rose stems under cold water and at a downward angle (some say to cut all stems at a 45 degree angle).
- Don’t cut the stem close to a bud/bloom.
- Keep out of direct sunlight.
Where can I put flowers around my house?
Let me answer this question with another question: where can’t you put flowers around your house? I know I’m a big floral girl, but really, where in the home wouldn’t flowers brighten and lighten the space? Now this might be a good time to talk about vase sizes. If you want a bigger statement vase, add it to your mantle, entryway table, kitchen table or countertop. If you want a smaller statement, add a medium size vase to your coffee table, side table or piano top. For bud vases, you can add them to your home décor displays: by your photos, next to your bedside, on your desk, by your sink … you get the idea.
Flower Bouquet Gift Ideas
As I said before, there is really not a bad time to gift flowers. Nothing makes a girl feel more loved or seen than receiving a vibrant bouquet on a random day of the week, whether from a bestie, brother, mother or significant other. Heck, you can even get yourself some flowers! There’s also something to be said for offering flowers during a special celebration. It’s a great little add-on to a romantic occasion, girlie brunch or comforting get-together.
Flowers are also not just for girls. Guys can enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature too! So don’t be shy with flowers. Get in there and just learn, try and enjoy!
If you’re wanting to start or add to your vase collection, take a peek at our handcrafted selections!