Latin or Botanical Name of Flower:
Gypsophila paniculata
Common Name:
Baby's Breath
Origin and Meaning of Name:
Gypsos means gypsum; philos means loving - so it's a plant that likes growing in lime or alkaline soil.
The common name refers to that some people thinks it smells like a baby's breath.
Description:
Gypsophila has an airy mass of small white flowers that makes pretty arrangements.
Other varieties available are 'Bristol Fairy' that has long-lasting double flowers and another one has pink flowers.
Availability:
Gypsophila is available from flower markets or florists all year around. If grown in a garden - it flowers in mid- and late summer.
Gypsophila is reasonably priced and lasts well as a cut flower.
When you buy them make sure at least half the flowers are open as buds might not open once the flowers are cut.
Conditioning and Care:
Remove all leaves that would end up below the water level in the vase and cut the stems at an angle.
Keep away from any fruit and vegetables - ethylene gas from ripening fruit shortens the life of flowers.
How to use:
Gypsophila has lately become a very popular flower to use in flower arranging after having been viewed as old-fashioned for quite a long time. It's a soft and natural looking and mixes well with other flowers but it also looks fabulous on it's own.
It's a perfect flower to almost every occasion and for every room in the house - the possibilities are endless.
It's romantic, sweet and very feminine and can be used in many different ways. Use it en masse in domed-shaped arrangements in large vases or cut the stems short and loosely arranged in a group of jars or bottles - either looks charming.
Gypsophila looks good in a romantic or vintage setting using old cut glass perfume bottles or colourful blue floral patterned china vase.
I have also made arrangements in hundred year old beer bottles - they all have a date stamped on the bottom of the bottle - the dark colour and outlines of the bottles makes an interesting contrast with the frothy flowers.
They also look great in a more contemporary setting used in large clear glass tumblers for a more minimalist look or like here in a small hand-blown white glass vase created in the 1980's by the Swedish artist Bertil Vallien.
I hope you liked my new series that I have called Floral Favourites - where I will be featuring some of my favourite flowers.
Why not have some fun and try some simple arrangements in different containers.
See you soon!
xoxo Ingrid
[Styling and photography by Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]
5 comments:
Nice using only Gypsophila without other flowers in different settings.
hallo, ingrid, ich finde es toll, wie schön sie diese weiße blume dekoriert haben, alles liebe, angie
I love so many different types of flowers, but this is by far, my very favorite. There is something very, very special about it, to me.
I so love it in the amber colored bottles here Ingrid!
I love these, I think they are often use in flower arrangements, to "fill in" some space, they're nice. I had no idea they're called like that, I'm pretty bad with flower names anyway.
Ingrid,
Vases often dictate how an arrangement would turn out. Great idea for your post. And thank you for sharing.
Christa
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