A Bunch for the Weekend- # 112 - A Few Late Tulips

It's Friday and it's time for 'A Bunch for the Weekend' and why not grab some of those late tulips while you can!

Here is a little "statement" that I add - to briefly explain 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 in 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, easy and most affordable 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."

How can you not love tulips - while I was growing up in Sweden all you could get was the simple single tulip in a few different colours.

Nowadays tulips seem to come in all kind of shapes and sizes; and in every colour of the rainbow as well as multicoloured.  

These late double tulips are also called Peony Tulips because when they open up halfway and fully they resemble a peony flower. 

I adore tulips and I'm very fond of multicoloured ones. This tulip has very interesting outer layers of petals. 

I often prefer these large tulips before they open up fully. It's a stage when you can very clearly see the adorable multi colored layers. These last three images are the same tulips but are taken a few days earlier. 

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

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

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

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Flowers: A bunch of late Tulips from my favourite farmers' market flower stall - Forever Green Flower Company - who comes to my part of London twice a month.]

[Vase/Container: A large clear glass pickling jar - bought at one of the many antique markets in London. The second container is a florist's zinc bucket - if you ever see any don't hesitate to buy them! ]

[Other props: Three shimmering mini vases, linen fabrics and a small Swedish rag rug - all from stylist's own prop collection.]

[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 now have just over 12 400 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/

Creative with Flowers - # 35 - Double Multi-Coloured Tulips

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' - I'm featuring some amazing double multi-coloured pink and green tulips.

This is a little "statement" that I add to the post - briefly explaining my thinking behind the posts:

"This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in new and creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As always my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!"

These delicately coloured pink and green tulips are so delightful both in colour and shape that I didn't want anything to compete with them.

I used a large white vase that has an interesting texture on the outside. I picked it up for very little money from my local charity store.

The vase is big enough to hold quite a lot of stems. I have cut the stems at slightly different heights - taller in the centre and shorter around the sides.

I choose to combine them with only white - BUT white with texture. I picked out two necklaces both made from shells. Underneath is an old sack from my grandparents country store in Sweden - it has interesting writing on it and it has a coarse and interesting texture in the weave.  

In the background are three little cushions made from vintage fabrics and quilts. The backs of the cushion has sweet little mother of pearl buttons. 

I have used these tulips en masse - there are nearly thirty of them - surrounded by all white. It looks light and refreshing and so right at this moment in time. 

If only for the simple reason that I hope spring will soon be with us!!

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Friday with another 'A Bunch for the Weekend' all about how to make a lovely bunch of flowers to enjoy over the weekend. 

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

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]
[Flowers: From my local flower stall in North London.]
[Vase/Container: White contemporary quite large vase from local charity store.]
[Other props: From stylist own prop collection.]

*****

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/

Creative with Flowers - # 27 - Pink Tulips

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' - I'm featuring a bunch of bright pink double tulips. A great flower for this time of year especially if you don't keep them too warm.

This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in new and creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As always my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!

The two main colours in the colour scheme are pink and blue with a bit of grey mixed in. There are also a mixture of vintage and new. Contemporary with just a small selection of old antiques. 

Tulips will last longer if you are able to put them somewhere cool at night and during the day in the house keep them away from radiators, fires, electronics that generate heat and out of the sun.

The small cups that I'm using as candle holders for some tea-lights are by the Swedish potter Lotta Zerrander. Whenever I'm in Sweden I always visit her workshop in the south of Sweden in an area called Österlen. In conjunction to her home and workshop she also has a shop and a beautiful gallery. It's all converted from an old Swedish farm that is lovely and very charming.

Not only can you use her little cups as candle holders but also as cups for tea or coffee or at this time of year for hot glögg. I also often use them as vases for small bunches of flowers.

Tulips continue to grow after they are cut, so to allow for the change in height you can cut the stems a bit shorter than you would normally do. Then just enjoy the growth and seeing the flowers opening up is a pleasure to watch.

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer'. I will be back later in the week with more floral delights. 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 and an email will come right into your inbox.

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

Creative with Flowers - # 25 - Double Orange Princess Tulips

This week on Creative with Flowers - I'm featuring a bunch of orange tulips.

Tulips are now starting to appear on the flower stalls. I always find them a very welcome sight. They are one of my favourite flowers and I think they are great to work with.  

This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As always my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!

Ten stems of colourful tulips plonked in a clear glass container. What could be easier?

 This one is called Tulipa 'Orange Princess'. It's a double tulip instead of the usual single petals that most tulips has - double tulips has many layers - giving the flowers great depth and fullness.   

Joining the tulips are three Scandinavian vases all white and minimal in their design. Well, what do you expect - after all they are Scandinavian!

From left to right: White ceramic vase with an abstract pattern on the sides by the Swedish artist Bertil Wallin. Next is a piece of white marble with a carved garland as decoration. I have no idea what it was used for, how old it is or where it's from. The small glass vase is also by Bertil Wallin and on the far right is a small mini version of Alvar Aalto's Savoy vase. 

Tulips will be available for many months now. Remember to give them plenty of water. They also keep growing in the vase so the arrangement will slightly change over time. 

If possible keep them in a place that is not too warm and put them somewhere cool over night - and they will last much longer.

If you can re-cut the stems and give them fresh water every 1-2 days. They will last approximately 5-10 days.

Tulips are great for a dining table as they are not too tall - people can see each other across the table. 

A colourful tulip arrangement will work in almost every room in the house - just think about tying in the colours of the flowers with colours already in the room.

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. Hope to 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 and an email will come right into your inbox.

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

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 50 - Tulipa 'Orca - Orange Double Tulip

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring a bunch of spectacular bright orange double Tulipa 'Orca' from the farmers' market.

You'll need:

- 5 stems of double tulips in any bright colour - here I have used a very bright double tulip called 'Orca'.

- a medium size vase in a bright but complementary colour to the flowers

- any objects in the same colour as the flowers as well as some in the same colour as the vase 

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.

Five tulips this size is all you need - they are so big and has a great impact. There is no need to fill the whole vase - just trim them long enough to sit a bit above the edge of the vase and let them casually lean off to one side.  

I have also assembled a little collection of orange objects - two books with orange covers, a children's clothes hanger wrapped with orange silk, an orange necklace from France given to me by my daughter, my Swedish grandmother's sugar bowl from the 1930's, a Bakelite vintage button and an American Indian pot from the Zuni reservation in New Mexico.

I have made a little bit of a daring colour choice here - by combining bright orange with a light teal blue.

To me they are both bright and 'happy' colours that are great together - especially at this time of year. 

What do you think?

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]
[Flowers from Forever Green Flower Company.]


You can also find me on:

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

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

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