From the Archives - 3 November 2014 - Ornamental Cabbage

A blogpost from deep in the archives - posted last time also on 3 November - still just as relevant as it's seasonal and one of my favourite autumn flowers/plants.

It was also the beginning of a new and very popular blog series called 'Tiny Blooms'.  

***** 

I'm starting another blog series or column - that I'm calling 'Tiny Blooms' and it will be about small arrangements. Small or tiny 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 will also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I'm allowing myself some creative freedom here!

In this the first 'Tiny Blooms' - I'm diving straight in and almost breaking some of the rules. 

I'm using some rather long-stemmed ornamental cabbage - you should have seen them before I got hold of them, they were twice as tall - BUT there are only three of them.

I have also reduced the flower head taking off the greener outer leaves and just leaving the really stunningly colourful ones in the centre. I also love the amazing colour on the stems and wanted to show part of them.

So after conditioning the flowers - I reduced the heads by taking off a lot of the lower leaves - I trimmed the stems so that they are in proportion to the container - and in this case allowing for some of the beautiful stems to show - rather then having the flower heads rest on the edge of the container - as you probably normally would do.

I tried to tie some purple raffia around the stems - to hold the three stems together - but in the end decided that it didn't work - the heads looked too squashed together - instead I just let the three stems lean to one side. I didn't want a stiff arrangement and as I said before I wanted to show the stems. 

I changed from purple raffia to black twine and tied some around the neck of the cream ware container - just with a double knot and leaving the ends to casually hang down. 

Voilà - a seasonal, quick and easy arrangement - using some colourful 'tiny blooms'.

  Have a Lovely Floral Day!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid 

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

Flowers of the Month - December 2016

It's almost the last day of December and it's time for another round-up of what I have been up to this last month. 

In 'Flowers of the Month' I feature all the different flowers and floral arrangements that I styled, photographed and posted exclusively on my blog 'Of Spring and Summer'.

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.

A Bunch for the Weekend - Winter Bouquet

Florets - Floral Quote by Malin Hidesäter

Creative with Flowers - Pink Tulips

A Bunch for the Weekend - Paperwhites

Florets - Floral Quote by Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo

Creative with Flowers - White Amaryllis

A Bunch for the Weekend - Blue Hyacinths

Florets - Floral Quote by Hege Barnholt

Creative with Flowers - Pink Hyacinths

Happy Christmas! - Ilex Berries

Happy New Year! - Fruiting Eucalyptus 

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer - I will be back tomorrow with some end of years words. I'll see you then.

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.

P. S. If you are looking for more floral inspiration you can go over and have a look at my Pinterest boards. I have just over 200 boards all relating to flowers, floral 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/

Flowers of the Month - November 2015

1 November - Florets - Floral Quote by Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo

It's the last day of November and I'm back with 'Flowers of the Month' - where I'm featuring all the different flowers and floral arrangements I have posted during the month of November. It's been quite a few blog posts this month with lots of amazing and colourful autumn flowers available. I've been able to create, style and photograph a great deal so there are quite a few blog posts to cover.

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.

November 2 - Floral Media - Flower Agenda - Orchid

4 November - The Monthly List - November 2015

6 November - A Bunch for the Weekend - Hydrangea, Tulips and Eucalyptus 

8 November - Florets - Floral Quote by Paula Pryke

9 November - Tiny Blooms - Parrot Tulips

11 November - DIY Flower Tips and Inspiration - Red Winter Branches

13 November - FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Faded Charm

15 November - Florets - Floral Quote by Hans Blomquist

16 November - Flowers and Ribbons - Napkins

18 November - Tiny Blooms - Pink Chrysanthemums

20 November - A Bunch for the Weekend - Ornamental Cabbage and Tulips

22 November - Florets - Floral Quote by Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring

23 November - Floral Media - Flower Agenda - Amaryllis

25 November - DIY Flower Tips and Inspiration - Orange Tulips and Ranunculus

27 November - FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Moody Hues

29 November - Florets - Floral Quote by Jane Packer

I hope you have enjoyed all the flower arrangements from the last month - as much as I have enjoyed created them. 

Have a Great Floral Day!

I will be back again at the end of December with another 'Flowers of the Month'. Before that I'm back later in the week with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer. 

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]
[Photos nr 2 and nr 14  provided by The Flower Council of Holland.]

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A Bunch for the Weekend - # 59 - Ornamental Cabbage

'A Bunch for the Weekend' is back for a new season and what a season it is! Autumn has some of the most fabulous colours and Ornamental Cabbage is one of my favourites. Big, bold and colourful - not a shy wallflower.

HOW TO:

You'll need:

- 10 Ornamental Cabbages with tall stems. By florists they are also called Brassica.

- a very large clear glass vase or jar - in this case I have used an oversized vintage pickling jar. 

- a piece of fabric in the same bold colour as the flowers. In this case I have used a Mexican shawl that picks up the bright pink.

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.

Method:

This type of Ornamental Cabbage usually comes with long stems - without leaves. Remove any yellowing top leaves as well as any small dried bits on the stalks. 

Fill the container one third with fresh, clean water. Trim the stems so that the lower leaves rests on the edge of the vase.

I love seeing the colourful stems through the clear glass criss-crossing and making interesting angles. 

Turn the flowers so that you can see the colourful centre of the flowers. Add a colourful tablecloth or other piece of fabric.

Change the water every 2-3 days and keep removing any yellowing leaves. The flowers lasts for about 7-10 days. 

Enjoy this unusual flower while it is available at this time of year. It might not be to everyone's taste but it will certainly add a splash of vibrant colour and texture to your arrangement.  

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a great floral day!

I will be back on Sunday with another Florets - floral quotes by people passionate about flowers!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

You can also find me on:

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

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

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