A Bunch for the Weekend - # 103 - Deep Blue Anemones and Green Hellebores

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring a bunch of gorgeous deep blue Anemones. In the background are also some very unusual Hellebores with pendant bell-shaped green flowers.

Here is a little "statement" that I add - to briefly explaining my thinking behind these particular posts:

"It's always a pleasure and lots of fun to buy a bunch of flowers for the weekend and this series of blog posts, called 'A Bunch for the Weekend, I will show you how you can make quick and easy flower arrangements for your home. 

Buy the flowers where it's convenient and easy for you whether that is from a flower stall, farmers' market, the supermarket or a florist. 

Always try to buy seasonal flowers - they will last longer and they will be a lot cheaper.

Make sure you condition the flowers as soon as you get home. Remove any foliage that will end up below the waterline in the vase. Trim the ends of the stems at an angle and put in fresh water as soon as possible."

Anemones last much longer than you think especially if you can keep them cool during the night. 

When you buy them make sure there is no pollen on the petals, also have a good look at the stems. As they are easily damaged make sure they are not broken or squashed. 

Hellebores are very popular at the moment - here is one that is a little bit more unusual. It's called Helleborus foetidus and has some rather curious looking bell-shaped all green flowers - except for a faint dark line along the outer edge. 

As props I have used some dark blue little bowls all from Sweden, a bead necklace and a fabric with a zigzag pattern i light purple and white.

Place in shallow water as the stems sometimes has a tendency to rot if put in deep water. Anemones will continue to grow in the vase and the flowers naturally curve towards the light. 

I have used a large clear glass cylindrical container and kept the stems as long as possible. I like the light green colour of the stems being visible through the glass - great colour contrast to the dark blue colour of the flower petals.

They will be available for a few more months to buy and they come in a wide variety of colours - from pure white through to pink and red to mauve and purple.

So make sure you enjoy them while you can!

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral weekend!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Sunday morning with another 'Florets - a new floral quote by someone passionate about flowers. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you back here then.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]
[Flowers: Deep blue Anemones and Helleborus foetidus.]
[Vase/Container: Vintage clear glass jar and a small Kähler vase with blue stripes.]

*****

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

P. S. If you are looking for more floral inspiration you can go over and have a look at my Pinterest boards. I now have just over 12 000 followers and around 200 boards all relating to flowers, flower styling and flower arranging. There are boards on individual flowers and boards showing how to arrange flowers. Other boards show different ways of using vases and containers. Simply click on the link below and it will take you straight there.

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

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 88 - Autumn Coloured Chrysanthemums

Autumn is a season full of fabulous colours - a time when nature is very generous with what it has on offer. 

Why not use one flower - but plenty of stems - and make it look large and abundant. 

It's always a pleasure and lots of fun to buy a bunch of flowers for the weekend and this series of blog posts, called 'A Bunch for the Weekend, will show you how you can make quick and easy flower arrangements for your home. 

Buy the flowers where it's convenient and easy for you whether that is from a flower stall, farmers' market, the supermarket or a florist. 

Always try to buy seasonal flowers - they will be a lot cheaper.

Make sure you condition the flowers as soon as you get home. Remove any foliage that will end up below the waterline in the vase. Trim the ends of the stems at an angle and put in fresh water as soon as possible.

It's easy to be generous with Chrysanthemums as they are readily available at this time of year, cheap to buy - and they also last for ages!

I wanted to combine these burnt orange flowers with BLUE!

I scoured my house for blue props - and I picked a few of my husband's blue shirts, a Spanish plate with blue decorations and a small painting by my art school teacher Sargy Mann - a remarkable man and painter. 

I also found a French vintage fabric with wide blue stripes, some dark blue bowles from Sweden - and last but not least three just published books and they all had lots of blue on the covers.....

From the bottom of the pile: In Bloom by Ngoc Minh Ngo. In the middle: Flourish by Willow Crossley. On the top is In the mood for Colour by my fellow Swede Hans Blomquist.

All three are beautiful and very inspiring books and I will review them soon. 

As a contrast to all the blue and burnt orange - I also made up a little basket of gold, amber beads and coral tucked in with a piece of fabric in similar colours.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral weekend!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Sunday with another floral quote by someone passionate about flowers. 

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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

Floral Media - McQueens Flower School

Here is a short flower arranging video from the top London florist, McQueens Flower School. It's their head tutor Wagner Kreusch who is creating a large stunning arrangement using three blue flowers - Hydrangea, Agapanthus and Aconitum.

Making a small version of this combination of flowers would be fabulous. Three blue flowers making an amazing riot of colour!

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Wednesday!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back later in the week with more floral delights.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

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Tiny Blooms - # 35 - Blue Agapanthus

Hi everyone! I'm back after having taken a few weeks off from blogging and social media over the summer. What some people call a "digital detox". It's been a lovely time to completely switch off, charge up the 'batteries' and do some forward planning for the autumn. 

My first floral blog post after the break is a 'Tiny Blooms' and we are taking a look at some gorgeous blue Agapanthus.

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. 

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!

Agapanthus, also called African lily, is a remarkably good cut flower - easy to work with and longlasting.

I found these stunning blue Agapanthus at my local farmers market and they were so cheap I bought three bunches.

The flowers sit on top of strong sturdy stems and can be used in tall arrangements as well as cut down and and used in different low arrangements.

When you buy the flowers they don't come with any leaves so they are very quick and easy to condition. Try not to leave them out of water for too long as the dry out easily. 

I have used a oversized glass jar combined with the long stems of the Agapanthus the whole arrangement is quite tall. 

Agapanthus come in white, blue and purple. I have some white ones growing in my garden and you can see some of those in the last two images.

It's a flower you can use on their own but also mix with other tall, bold flowers such as lilies or gladioli. The flowers are elegant but can be styled in many different ways to suit different occasions.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Monday!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back later in the week with more floral delights.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Images and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Tiny Blooms - # 26 - Muscari

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. 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!

Muscari or as they are also called Grape hyacinths is a 'tiny bloom' usually with stems about 20 cm tall. They come in a variety of blue colours as well as white.

You can sometimes find them as cut flowers but more often you would pick them yourself in a garden. When you do just pick a small posy and leave the rest to be enjoyed where they are growing.

So what do you do with a tiny posy - well you can put all the flowers in a tiny vase or you can use small bottles with just one stem in each.

Or you can do what I have done here - make a hand-tied bouquet - tie some blue raffia around the stems - make a big bow and put the flowers in a small vase just leaning to one side - put the vase on a tile or saucer in a similar colour and you have a quick, easy and beautiful 'Tiny Blooms' flower arrangement.   

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Monday!

I'll see you on Wednesday with Part 2 of 'Flowers and Ribbons' where I'm using flowers, ribbons and jam jars. 

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

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Tiny Blooms - # 25 - Blue Hyacinths in Blue Vase

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. 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!

In this simple and easy arrangement I'm combining two different blue hyacinths with a collection of blue and white china. The vase I've used is a vintage 1930's ridged blue vase from Sweden.

Hyacinths are fabulous at this time of year. They take a few days to open up so you have to have some patience. Also good to know if you are going to use them for a special occasion. You need to buy them a few days before and give them time to open up and look their best. 

The advice you get is to leave the bulb-bit at the end of the stems. Sometimes its not always practical - if you are using a vase with a narrow neck it might be difficult to fit them in or if you are using a clear glass vase - it might look a bit untidy.


Hyacinths look very good on their own in a vase or jug but for a spring display mix them with anemones or ranunculus. Change water every two days and keep them cool at night. The flowers are very long-lasting, easy to look after and on top of that - they have an incredible scent!
   

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous floral Wednesday!

I'll see you again on Friday with another FLOWERS from Titti and I.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling and Photography: © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

For more floral inspiration follow me on:

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Florets - Floral Quote - # 101 - by Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge

3 Quotes by Grace Bonney

"Instead of leaving your flowers all the same height, try cutting the stems at varying lengths to create a simple arrangement that is reminiscent of flowers growing in the garden."

"One gorgeous, full-faced flower combined with a little bit of foliage is sometimes all you need to create a show-stopping arrangement. When money and time are tight, it's easiest to let a beautiful flower speak for itself."

"Dome-shaped arrangements are a classic, goof-proof option for a centerpiece. Mixed flowers in tonal colours make a great dressed-up arrangement, while using only one type gives a simple, casual look. Don't fret if your dome is less than perfect: a natural rounded shape will look just as elegant."

  ~ Grace Bonney ~ 

[Grace Bonney - American, founder of the blog Design*Sponge and author of Design*Sponge at Home.]

[Quote: from Design*Sponge at Home (2011).]

[Flowers: Anemones.]

[Containers: Vintage milk bottle.]

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]  

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous floral Sunday!

I will be back next week with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid

~ xoxo ~

For more floral inspiration follow me on:

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

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

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 69 - Blue Hyacinths

This week I'm featuring some gorgeous blue hyacinths with a symphony of blue "things".

I'm someone who doesn't think that hyacinths are just for Christmas! I just love them at this time of year. And it doesn't matter how - it can be a bulb planted in a pot or in a bulb vase. It can be as cut flowers - on their own or mixed with other flowers that are available now.

Two bunches of hyacinths and a jug - what could be easier? I have used a light blue vintage jug to contrast the dark blue flowers. But it could be a clear glass one or a white jug - think neutral or colour contrast.

I have cut off the small bulb-bit at the bottom of the stems and all the leaves to be able to fit them all in the jug. You might want to do that if the jug is of clear glass - it will look a bit neater that way but that is up to you to decide and figure out what look you like.

I like to mix old and new so when I gathered together a few blue 'thing' I chose a mix. The fabric, mini jam jar, embroidery thread, tealight holder and balls of tissue paper with thread wound around are all new. The butter dish and the pair of scissors are vintage.  

Go out and find some hyacinths - growing as bulbs or as a bunch of cut flowers. Whatever way they will put a smile on your face and some colour in your home!

Enjoy Your Flower Arranging and 

Have a Fabulous Floral Friday and Weekend!

I'll see you again on Sunday with a quote from a flower lover.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling and Photography: © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

You can also find me on:

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

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

DIY Flower Tips and Inspiration - # 6 - Sweet Pees

This time 'Do-It-Yourself  Flower Tips and Inspiration' is all about scented Sweet Peas.

• A lot of people grow their own sweet peas in their garden or allotments but nowadays you can also buy this pretty flower at farmers' markets or floral street sellers.
• When you buy them look for flower stems where the top flower show colour.
• The flowers at the base die first so look out for any limp or dying flowers.
• Stand in shallow water as hairs on the stem cause water to creep upwards and could encourage botrytis (grey mould).
• Sweet Peas are very sensitive to ethylene gas - so don't put them next to a bowl of fruit!
• Change water every other day, re-cut stems and place in clean, fresh shallow water.
• Sweet Peas are a favourite summer flower they come in many, many different colours - white, cream, pale blue, lilac, purple, pale pink, cerise pink, burgundy as well as multi-coloured.
• Sweet peas are glorious when mixed together en masse in all kinds of different colours.
• Weather you grow them yourself or you buy a bunch - for the next few months is the time to enjoy this irresistible beauty!    

The pretty blue cup by Swedish potter Lotta Zerrander - who lives and works in Österlen in the south of Sweden.

The adorable little acrylic teaspoons are from the French company Sabre Paris.

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/Of Spring and Summer]
[Cup by Lotta Zerrander.]
[Spoons from Sabre Paris.]


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FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - All on a Plate

The theme for FLOWERS this week is 'All on a Plate' and I have created four colour coordinated plates using the flowers and berries as a starting point.

On four different plates I have assembled a napkin, cutlery, beads and buttons, flowers and berries, tags or labels decorated with washi tape and some different twines.

Next to each place setting is a little vase with flowers - from the top - blue grey Eryngium or Sea holly - next down are some gorgeous pink spray Dianthus or mini carnations. 

With the purple plate I also used mini carnations but in a different colour and the last plate has red berries from a shrub in my garden called Nandina domestica.

On the side of each plate under the napkin I have tucked the same flower as in the vase.

The napkin is tied with either baker's or garden twine in matching colour.  

All the little tags are decorated with colour matching washi tape. Remember the Japanese paper tape that was so popular a couple of years ago. I still have a shoebox full of them and I often use them when wrapping presents.

Just a few strips of the tape makes all the difference - turning something plain and ordinary into a little bit more special.

Sticking to one colour gives the whole table cohesion and forms a united whole - but you could also try using contrasting colours.

Hopefully you will have found some ideas and inspiration for next time you are having a dinner party.

Titti Malmberg - my 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 and go over and see how she has interpreted 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.]