Florets - Floral Quote - # 142 - by Jane Packer

'Florets - Floral Quote' is a series of blog posts where I feature quotes by authors - mostly well known but you will also find some obscure ones.

All of them have written one or several books about flowers, gardening, interior styling or interior design. Many are experts in their field but what is the most important is that they are all passionate about flowers.

I love books and in my ever growing library I look for quotes that I hope will be both helpful and useful for everybody who is arranging and styling flowers.

" In the kitchen, it's fun to use containers that give a nod and a wink to their surroundings. Search your cupboards for quirky kitchenware such as tea caddies or coffee pots, or wash out and reuse glass food jars or milk bottles. Enamelled jugs are the perfect home for a sheaf of tulips, and you can pop a dome-shaped posy of sweet williams into a colourful glass sundae dish. Vintage coffee cans are the ideal receptacles for sooty-eyed anemones or a single luscious camelia."

~ Jane Packer ~ 

[Jane Packer (1959-2011): British top London florist, founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school; and author of thirteen books.]

[Quote: From Jane Packers last book At Home with Flowers (2011).]

[Flowers: I have used a beautiful pale blue hydrangea. Flower from my local flower stall in North London.]

[Vases/Containers: A vintage silver plated sugar bowl found at one of the many London car boot sales.]

[Props: Vintage blue and white china gravy drainers found at London antique markets.]

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

*****

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back tomorrow morning with another Floral Media. I'm reviewing a brand new book by the photographer Georgianna Lane. It's called Paris in Bloom and will be published on March 14th.

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

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

*****

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 shows how to arrange them. 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/

Floral Media - Sarah Raven's - How to Make an Autumn Wreath

Sarah Raven shows you how to make an Autumn Wreath, from start to finish. A lovely way to decorate your home in the glorious season.

Here is another brilliant video by Sarah Raven where she makes an autumn wreath that she then uses as a centerpiece with candles in the middle. She starts with a pre-made round shape that she adds autumn flowers, seed pods and foliage.

It will work for a big dining table, coffee table or hall table. She gives very good instruction on how to do it in the video - so I feel there is no need for me to repeat it in writing. 

I love sharing these videos in case you have not seen them before - so watch the video and try to make your own! 

Here is a little bit about Sarah in case you have missed my previous posts with her videos:

Sarah Raven is well known in the UK for presenting gardening programs on television, writing lots of books about gardening and plants, teaching floral workshops and flower arranging courses, giving talks and demonstrations and also for being an enormously successful business women running a plant, seed and gardening internet business.

Have a Great Floral Day and enjoy your flower arranging!

I will be back later in the week with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

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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A Bunch for the Weekend - # 84 - Blue Hydrangea and Delphiniums with Purple Trachelium

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm working with some gorgeous blue Hydrangea, a very delicate light blue Delphinium and a dark and moody Trachelium.

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.

I love the contrast between the pale blue hydrangea and delphiniums against the very dark Trachelium.

As a background I have used some old vintage blue and white china drainers that almost exactly matches the blue flowers.

As vases I have used various vintage silver plated items - a coffeepot, some jugs and two sugar bowls.

Some of the containers and drainers rest on a small painted foot stool and I've added a linen table runner, some light blue labels, two beautiful vintage buttons also the same blue colour and a blue cup from Sweden.

The hydrangea last for ages and you can later dry it. The Trachelium lasts for about 7 - 10 days and the Delphiniums for approximately 5 - 7 days.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Friday and a great 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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Florets - Floral Quote - # 118 - by The Flower Appreciation Society

"The most common hydrangea that we see at the market is the aptly named mop-head variety. These rounded, voluptuous blooms perch on long straight stems, sitting like upside-down mops in their buckets. There are other types of hydrangeas that we like to use and buy whenever we see them. These include the various lacecap varieties, as well as Annabelle (Hydrangea arborescens) and Pink Diamond ( Hydrangea paniculata). Hydrangeas can be temperamental - sometimes we find they keep their shape even when they have dried (great sprayed gold for Christmas decorations) - other times they wilt almost as soon as they come out of their packaging. We suggest putting them in a bucket of cold water immediately, giving them a good spray (again using cold water) and searing the ends. To sear the ends you can either dip it in boiling water or hold it over a flame for a few seconds."

~ Anna Day and Ellie Jauncey ~

[Anna Day and Ellie Jauncey, The Flower Appreciation Society, British florists and authors of The Flower Appreciation Society - An A-Z of All Things Floral.]

[Quote from: The Flower Appreciation Society - An A Z of All things Floral.]

[Flowers: Blue hydrangea.]
[Containers: Vintage white and clear glass apothecary jars.]

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

I hope you are enjoying your weekend - maybe doing some flower arranging or just spending time with family and friends!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Monday with a 'Floral Media' blog post and a lovely little video - and of course it's all about flowers. 

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling and photography © 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:

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

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

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

Florets - Floral Quote - # 116 - by Hans Blomquist

"There are few things that add as much colour and happiness to a home as flowers - aside from family and friends, of course. I try to bring flowers into my home every week, as it makes such a difference to the way I feel and injects a sense of vitality that only flowers can achieve. Cut flowers can be expensive, but there are so many flowers growing in abundance in the garden and on common land that can make an even more beautiful bouquet than shop-bought flowers would do." "I am lucky enough to often be able to take flowers home from photoshoots that I have worked on where they have been used as props, but I also try to get out of Paris from time to time to pick some freely growing spring or summer flowers, as they are what I really prefer. The changing seasons mean that you can create different arrangements throughout the year."

 ~ Hans Blomquist ~

[Hans Blomquist: Swedish, Paris-based interior stylist, art director and author of two books The Natural Home (2012) and In Detail (2014).

[Quote from: In Detail by Hans Blomquist.]

[Flowers: Blue Hydrangea.]

[Container: French vintage grey and black enamelled water jug.]

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

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

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

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling and photography © 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:

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

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:

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

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

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