31 May 2015

Flowers of the Month - May 2015



Tulipa 'Orca'
2 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - Tulipa 'Orca' - Orange Double Tulip

It's the end of May and I'm back with 'Flowers of the Month' - where I'm featuring all the different flowers and floral arrangements I have posted during May.

The title of the post under the image - is also a link to the post - if you would like to see it again or you missed it.

4 May - Floral Media - Houseplant of the Month - Hibiscus

Pink Peony
6 May - DIY Tips and Inspiration - Pink Peony

Colourful Tulips
9 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - Colourful Tulips

Bloemenagenda 2015 Pioenroos
11 May - Floral Media - Flower Agenda - Peony

13 May - FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Floral Tea Party


Pink Spray Carnations
Have a Wonderful Floral Sunday!

See you next week. 


~ xoxo ~


Ingrid


[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]
[Images of Hibiscus and peonies in white bottles provided by The Flower Council of Holland.]


29 May 2015

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 54 - Pink Peonies and Alchemilla mollis


Pink Peonies, Alchemilla mollis, vases


This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I'm featuring some fabulous huge pink peonies and bright lime-green Alchemilla mollis flowers.


Pink Peonies, Alchemilla mollis


You'll need:


- 5 peony stems in a bright pink colour
- 20 stems of Alchemilla mollis - these are long-stemmed from my local street flower seller 
- a medium sized vase in a neutral colour - here I have used a white vase from a charity store
- two small vases in the same colour as the big vase or in a contrasting colour - here I have chosen on of each

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- a pair of florists scissors
- a florist bucket filled with fresh water

Condition the flowers by removing any leaves that would end up below the water line in the vase. This is to reduce any growth of bacteria from deteriorating leaves. Also remove any broken or bruised leaves.

Cut the stems at an angle - this is to increase water absorption.  

Put in a clean container with fresh water and leave in a cool, dark place over night or at least for a few hours, to let the flowers absorb the maximum of water, before making the final arrangement.


You might have to re-cut the stems while making the final arrangement to suit the size of the vase or container and to get the right proportions.


Pink Peonies, Alchemilla mollis, vases

It is now warm enough for peonies to come into bloom in the garden and they are everywhere to buy at the flower stalls.

If you want them for a special occasion - buy the flowers a few days before the special day. The buds will take a couple of days to open up.

I created the bunch in a traditional hand-tied way by holding the flowers in my left hand and adding the flowers with my right - turning the bunch around while I'm adding the flowers. With some luck you'll end up with a round dome-shaped bouquet! 

To hold the bunch together I tied the stems with some raffia - then I measured the bouquet against the vase and trimmed the ends - and placed the flowers in the vase. 


Pink Peonies, Alchemilla mollis, vases

While making the handtied bunch I was left with quite a few short little Alchemilla stems. I put them all in a black mini vase where they will last for about a week.

Go out and buy some Peonies - use them on their own or mix with other flowers. 

Enjoy your flower arranging!

Pink Peonies, Alchemilla mollis, vases


Have a Great Floral Friday and a Happy Weekend!

I will see you next week with more Do-It-Yourself flowers from 'Of Spring and Summer'.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson - Of Spring and Summer]

You can also find me on:
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

27 May 2015

DIY Flower Tips and Inspiration - # 5 - Freesia



Colourful Freesia


This time 'Do-It-Yourself  Flower Tips and Inspiration' is all about the lovely flower Freesia.

  • When you buy Freesia look for plump buds and make sure at least one flower is open or about to open.
  • The flowers open from the bottom of the stems towards the top.
  • Not all the buds will open up along the raceme - to stimulate buds further down to open - you can remove some of the smallest buds at the very top of the flower stem. You can easily snip them off with a pair of scissors.
  • Also remove any wilted flowers to encourage further flowering.
  • Freesia are sensitive to ethylene gas so don't put them near any ripening fruit.
  • Freesia comes in many different colours - pure white, lemon, yellow, orange, gold, amber, pale pink, deep pink, lilac, pale purple and purple.
  • They last for about 5-7 days.
  • Buy some and enjoy their wonderful scent! 


Colourful Freesia


Have a Great Floral Day!

I'll see you later in the week with more Do-It-Yourself flowers from 'Of Spring and Summer'.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid


[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer]
[Ribbons by Jane Means.]


You can also find me on:

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson














25 May 2015

Tiny Blooms - # 15 - Sweet Peas



Pale Purple Sweet Peas in Glass Vase, Lotta Zerrander Pottery


This series of blog posts - called 'Tiny Blooms - are about small flower arrangements. Small - might be the size of the container or it could be the size of the flowers or the amount of stems in each container. It can also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's simple, quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I'm allowing myself a lot of creative freedom!


Pale purple sweet peas

There are no leaves to remove, just trim the stems and put in a vase or container with cold water.

Sweet peas flowers are so beautiful and look absolutely gorgeous simply arranged on their own.

Mix different colours together or like here where I have just used one colour.

That is all you need to do!! What could be simpler?



Pale purple sweet peas, Cups by Lotta Zerrander


Have a Lovely Floral Monday!

I'll see you later in the week with more Do-It-Yourself flowers from 'Of Spring and Summer'

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid 


[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]
[Cups by Lotta Zerrander.]


23 May 2015

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 53 - More Scented Pink Stock Flowers


Scented Stock Flowers


I have fallen in love!! Well, with a flower. So for the second time this week I'm featuring scented stock flowers. On 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I have created four arrangements using stock flowers in two different pink colours.

Earlier this week I went to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The show takes place every year in May here in London. I've been going every year for over twenty years now.  

For the third year in a row Marks and Spencer had put on a stunning display of flowers in The Great Pavilion. All the flowers they featured this year were grown in the UK and the display was called 'Blooms of the British Isles'. 

I was so inspired that I a few days later went to my local Marks and Spencer and bought four bunches of stock flowers to use for this weekends little project.


Scented Pink Stock Flowers


You'll need:

- 24 stems of stock in two different bright pink
- a large clear glass round container - here I have used a big vintage pickling jar
- two small vases and a small bowl 

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- a pair of florists scissors
- a florist bucket filled with fresh water

Condition the flowers by removing any leaves that would end up below the water line in the vase. This is to reduce any growth of bacteria from deteriorating leaves. Also remove any broken or bruised leaves.

Cut the stems at an angle - this is to increase water absorption.  

Put in a clean container with fresh water and leave in a cool, dark place over night or at least for a few hours, to let the flowers absorb the maximum of water, before making the final arrangement.


You might have to re-cut the stems while making the final arrangement to suit the size of the vase or container and to get the right proportions.


Scented Pink Stock Flowers

I wanted to show different ways to display stock flowers in different size vases and containers.

Most of the stems I kept tall and displayed in an old very large, clear glass pickling jar.

Scented Pink Stock Flowers

A few stems I cut down quite short and put in a small vintage fish-paste glass jar. 

Scented Pink Stock Flowers

Three of the light pink stems I displayed in an Alvar Alto mini vase that my daughter found for me at a London antique market. In this vase the stems stays quite straight echoing the shape of the vase.

Scented Pink Stock Flowers

I mentioned earlier this week how fragile stock flowers are and how easy it is to break off individual flowers when you handle them. Here is a link to that post.

Don't throw them away - put them in a small bowl of water and enjoy the flowers in a different way.

I have also just scattered a few on the table - just for fun.

I hope you can find some inspiration from all the different ways I have displayed these beautiful scented stock flowers.

Combining flowers with different containers becomes a way of working and being creative with flowers.

And more then anything else have fun while you are doing it! 

Scented Pink Stock Flowers


Have a Great Floral Saturday and a Happy Weekend!

I will see you next week with more DIY flowers from 
'Of Spring and Summer'.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid



[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer]


You can also find me on:

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson


20 May 2015

Floral Media: Blossom Zine - Summer Issue 2015





The summer issue 2015 of Blossom Zine is out and it's available to read for free on the internet. 

Blossom Zine is about flowers, gardening and gardening design as well as travel, cooking, art, design and lots of gardens from around the world and it's also bilingual - English and Italian.


The Editor-in-Chief is Dana Frigerio. Dana is a garden designer based in Italy and she also writes the blog Dana Garden Design.


In this issue you'll find lots of beautiful flower photography, instruction on how to create rose syrup, a lovely Italian wedding, several kitchen gardens, an interesting Instagram account, a rose garden and much more about gardens, plants and flowers.

Have a Wonderful Floral Day!

See you later in the week.

~ xoxo ~ 

Ingrid

18 May 2015

DIY Flower Tips and Inspiration - # 4 - Stock Flowers


Pink Stock lowers in a white vase with raffia


Here is another instalment in my new series: 'DIY Flower Tips and Inspiration' - and it's all about Matthiola. The common name for them is Stock or Gillyflower.

  • Try to buy the flowers when the top flowers are in bud and the lowest flowers are open.
  • Remove most of the leaves - the leaves are lush and fleshy and will take the water needed for the flowers.
  • Cut away any white parts at the bottom of the stems - or the flower will not be able to take up water.
  • Stock flowers do best in shallow water - so just fill the vase with a little bit of water. Just remember to change water when you need to.
  • The individual little flowers are easily broken off - so handle with care! 
  • They last in a vase for about 5-7 days.
  • Stock is a wonderful sweetly fragrant flower that comes in beautiful colours.
  • Buy some and enjoy!

Pink Stock flowers with raffia


Have a Great Floral Day!

I'll see you later in the week with more DIY flowers from 
'Of Spring and Summer'.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid


[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer]


You can also find me on:

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson


16 May 2015

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 52 - Pink Spray Carnations


Blue Ribbons


This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring some bright pink spray carnations in two different pink colours.

I bought them at the big supermarket chain Tesco. I wanted to show what you can do with the type of flowers that you find at the supermarket.


Pink Spray Carnations

You'll need:

- 20 stems of spray carnations in two different bright pink
- a medium sized jug in a contrasting colour - here I have used a light blue jug as a colour contrast to the pink
- a blue ribbon to tie around the handle of the jug
- a vintage basket full of ribbons, a blue vintage glass bottle, three blue bud vases, a blue vintage tobacco tin, a small stepping stool, a pink and white piece of fabric and a pink honeycomb pompom.  

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- a pair of florists scissors
- a florist bucket filled with fresh water

Condition the flowers by removing any leaves that would end up below the water line in the vase. This is to reduce any growth of bacteria from deteriorating leaves. Also remove any broken or bruised leaves.

Cut the stems at an angle - this is to increase water absorption.  

Put in a clean container with fresh water and leave in a cool, dark place over night or at least for a few hours, to let the flowers absorb the maximum of water, before making the final arrangement.


You might have to re-cut the stems while making the final arrangement to suit the size of the vase or container and to get the right proportions.

The bunches of flowers you see at the supermarket or petrol station often don't look very inspiring. But for very little money and not a lot of time you can make even the most mundane bunch look a whole lot better.

I bought two bunches of mixed spray carnation - in two different pink colours. As usual I conditioned them, cut them down in size and put them in a blue jug. By surrounding the jug with some pretty objects in both matching and contrasting colours you can make the flowers look that extra special.   



A basket full of beautiful ribbons and I have chosen ribbons in different blue colours from Jane Means collection of ribbons. It has always been such a pleasure to work with Jane and to be able to use her fabulous ribbons.

I have also tied a bow on the jug using one of Jane's blue ribbons. By tying a simple bow on the handle as a decoration -  you can make the arrangement look that little bit more special. 

Vintage blue glass bottle and pink honeycomb pompom

A vintage blue glass apothecary bottle and a pink honeycomb pompom - combining old and new - both with interesting textures.

Supermarket flowers are not always a bad thing. Sometimes they are Fairtrade or even grown in your country, they are also almost always very cheep and has a 'best before date' - so you know they are fairly fresh.

Choose wisely, condition them well and with a little bit of imagination you'll end up with a beautiful flower arrangement.

Pink Spray Carnations


Have a Great Floral Saturday and a Happy Weekend!

I will see you next week with more DIY flowers from 
'Of Spring and Summer'.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid



[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer]
[Ribbons designed by Jane Means.]


You can also find me on:

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson


13 May 2015

FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Floral Tea Party



The theme for FLOWERS this week is 'Floral Tea Party' - I have created a fantasy tea party where the coffee pot pour flowers into floral cups and there are flowers instead of cake on the plates.  


The flowers I have used are two different pink Ranunculus, a pink and green tulip called 'China Town', some dark green unfurling fern fronds from my garden, white stock flowers, a white rose and Polygonatum hirtum or as they are more commonly known - Solomon's seal - which is also from my garden.


Pink and green is a colour combination I love. Ranunculus and ribbons are two other things I love.

The narrow pink stitched grosgrain ribbon is designed by Jane Means

I'm one of these people who doesn't even have to use the ribbon for anything. I enjoy just looking at it and I'm the same with buttons and a whole lot of other haberdashery. Yes, I know, I know - a bit funny! It was probably passed on to me from my mother and Grandmother who both had cake tins full of buttons.
  

As part of my fantasy tea party is a little light reading by the light of a vintage lantern. The books are the two novels Emma and Mansfield Park by Jane Austin.

The fabulous vintage cup has a hand painted pattern called 'Foxglove' - a beautiful but highly poisonous plant. The foxglove - Digitalis purpurea -  is a biennial plant which means that it takes two years for it to flower. But even though the wait is long its worth waiting for. They also freely self seed so you get little surprises all over your garden.  

I hope you have enjoyed my little fantasy tea party!



Titti Malmberg - my lovely Swedish based collaborator - who I work alongside on FLOWERS - has also created a new post on her blog HWIT BLOGG - so please follow the link to her blog and go over and see her interpretation on the theme. 



Have a Very Happy Floral Wednesday!

I'll see you later in the week with more flowers from 
'Of Spring and Summer'

~ xoxo ~ 

Ingrid


[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for FLOWERS and Of Spring and Summer.]
[Pink ribbon from Jane Means.]
[Ranunculus and tulips from Forever Green Flower Company.]


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