Floral Favourites - # 5 - Stock Flowers

Latin or Botanical Name of Flower:
Matthiola incana

Common Name:
Stock

Origin and Meaning of Name:
The plant originates in the coastal areas around the Mediterranean as well as the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt.

The flower is named in honour of Pietro Andrea Mattioli (1501-1577), an Italian physician, botanist and author. 

Description:
Stock has racemes of double flowers and grey-green slightly hairy leaves. The flowers come in mauve, purple, violet, pink and white. They have a sweet and spicy fragrance similar to cloves.

In the language of flowers stock represent lasting beauty and symbolize a happy life.

Availability:

Stock is available from spring to autumn - but if imported you can probably find some all year around.

You can find them at florists and supermarkets; and at farmers' markets throughout the growing season.

Purchase when the top flowers on the spike are in bud and the lowest flowers have opened.

Conditioning and Care:

Remove any leaves that will sit below the water line in the vase. It's sometimes recommended to remove all leaves as they take the water needed for the flower heads and the flowers will probably also last longer. 

Cut the stems at an angle, put in a clean container of water and keep cool until you have time to do the final arrangement.

It's also recommended to change the water in the vase every day - because stock is susceptible to mildew.

How to Use:

Stock is such a beautiful flower that I prefer to use it on its own. If you strip off all the leaves you have a solid block of the most beautiful colour. 

You can cut the stems short and have a low and wide arrangement or leave the stems as long as possible for a taller upright arrangement.

Imagine an armful of white stocks in an old galvanized metal milk churn, is simple yet stunning in its timeless design.

You can't go wrong with Stock flowers weather you use them on their own or mix them with other flowers. 
  

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

]Ribbons by Jane Means.]

Have a Wonderful Floral Day!

See you soon!

xoxo Ingrid

Floral Favourites - # 4 - Tulips

Latin or Botanical Name of Flower:
Tulipa

Common Name:
Tulip

Origin and Meaning of Name:
This bulbous perennial grow naturally in hot, dry habitats in Europe, Asia and the Middle East and were introduced into Europe in the 1500's.

The name is a Latinized version of tulbend, that means turban in Turkish.

Description:
Tulips are grown from bulbs and the goblet or bowl shaped upright flowers with six large petals sits at the top of straight stems. They have grey-green large linear leaves.

There are many different types of tulips, but the most common ones are - single and double early and late tulips, lily-flowering, fringed and parrot tulips.

Tulips comes in a wide variety of single, mixed and variegated colours.

Availability: 
Available as cut flowers mainly in the spring, but some tulips are also available during the winter months.

The tulip is also grown easily in a garden or in large pots.

Tulips are immensely popular as cut flowers and in Sweden and Holland they even have a Tulip Day in January.

Buy flowers that show colour in the buds.

Conditioning and Care:
Remove any leaves that would end up below the waterline in the vase. Cut the stems at an angle and place in a clean container of water. Keep cool until you have time to do the final arranging.

Change the water in the vase every day and as tulips are thirsty flowers keep the vase topped up with water. You might also want to consider re-cutting the stems if you want the arrangement to stay the same height. Store flowers in a cool place at night to keep them fresh. They last for about a week.

How to Use:
Tulips continue to grow in the vase and they also tend to reach and turn towards the light. Some people like the look of curved stems and other people like a more upright arrangement.

With this in mind choose your vase with care - short stems in a vase that supports the flowers - you will have a more compact arrangement. Leaving the stems long will give you a more natural look.

Tulips are very versatile and suits almost any occasion and any room in the house. They are a perfect flower for the dining table. A row of jars or bottles down the middle of the table is a charming display at spring time. 

Tulips are also an easy flower to bring as a gift for a party or a dinner invitation. 

Have a Great Floral Day!

See you back here very soon!

xoxo Ingrid

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

Floral Favourites - # 3 - Lisianthus

Latin or Botanical Name of Flower:
Eustoma grandiflorum also Eustoma russellianum

Common Name:
Lisianthus.

Origin and Meaning of Name:
Eustoma or Lisianthus as it's commonly called among florists; is found in warm and moist prairies and fields in Central and Southern United States and the northern parts of South America. 

The name Eustoma comes from the Greek eu meaning good and stoma meaning mouth or (less literally) pretty face; in allusion to the pretty flowers.

Description: It has broadly bell-shaped flowers in pink, white, light and dark purple as well as a few bi-coloured. There are also doubled varieties. They have fleshy glaucous grey-green leaves. 

Availability:

It's readily available and can be found at flower markets and florists all year around.
Flower summertime if grown in a garden.
  
Conditioning and Care: Watch out for any brown discolouration on petals - could mean the flowers have botrytis or grey mould - it is a fungal disease that will easily spread.

Any top buds with bent stems will usually not straighten.
Handle Lisianthus with care as the petals can bruise or crease and the stems can easily snap.

Remove any leaves that will end up below the waterline and trim stems at an angle with a very sharp scissors or knife. The fleshy stems are easily crushed when cut.
Put in a clean vase with fresh water. Remove spent and faded flowers to encourage the new buds to flower. Lasts well for a week or more.

It is a plant that is toxic to cats!

How to Use:
Lisianthus can be used in many different ways and has understandably become a very popular cut flower that you see a lot in flower shops and it's often used by florists to make wedding bouquets. 
Lisianthus is a soft and delicate flower that is very versatile. It's beautiful to use on its own as well as mixed with other flowers like roses or Gypsophila - it makes a very romantic arrangements.
I'm showing it in a couple of different ways. In the first one below I have used the pink flowers on their own with quite long stems in a narrow retro grey vase.  
    

In the next one I cut the stems really short and filled a little light green glass vase. I just put in as many as I could fit into the neck of the vase - where the shape of the flower shows up in all its beauty.

In the image below I have used three vintage ink bottles with just one stem in each - and here again the contrasting shape and colour is stunning.

In the last one I mixed the Lisianthus with some pink Dahlias and some pink Chrysanthemums - making quite a large mixed bunch in an old vintage jug that has a matching wide pink stripe around the middle. 

All three flowers are locally grown and bought at my local Saturday morning farmers' market.  

Previous flowers in the Floral Favourites series have been: Gypsophila and Dahlias.

Here is also a link to my Pinterest board full of inspiration and ideas for using Lisianthus in arrangements.

Have a wonderful floral day!

xoxo Ingrid

Floral Favourites - # 2 - Dahlias

Latin or Botanical Name of Flower:
Dahlia

Common Name:
Dahlia

Origin and Meaning of Name: 
The original Dahlia grew in Mexico and was brought to Spain in 1789. The flower was named in honour of Dr. Anders Dahl (1751-1789), a Swedish botanist and pupil of Linnaeus.

Description:
Dahlia is a genus that has about 30 species and some 20,000 cultivars with wonderful names like 'Rip City', 'Arabian Night' and 'Pink Diamond. Dahlias come in a wide range of colours, sizes and forms. The blooms vary from small pompoms to to very large dinner-plate size. They also come in almost every colour except green, brown and true blue. Some of my favourite colours are the dark crimson and the pale pink.

Availability: 
Dahlias are available as cut flowers from florists and flower markets in summer and autumn. 
Grown in a garden they are at their peak from July for about four or five months. The more you pick the more they flower.

Conditioning and Care:
Use a clean vase with fresh water and remove all leaves that will end up below the water line in the vase. Some people suggests using lukewarm water. Use a sharp tool when you trim off the ends to prevent bruising the stems.  
Dahlia petals are quite delicate and will easily bruise - so they should be handled with great care. Once Dahlias are cut any tight green buds will not open so make sure the buds show some colour. They last for about five to seven days.

How to Use:
Dahlias like Gypsophila was out of fashion for a long time even viewed as vulgar. They are now back in fashion and and used more then ever by top florists, stylists and designers. 
Dahlias look good used in a row down the middle of a table - single stems cut quite short in coloured glass vases. Try them with even shorter stems floating in a shallow bowl maybe in combination with some floating candles in a similar colour. Larger arrangements with Dahlias in similar colours also make dramatic arrangements. Dahlias come in a blaze of colours and mix well with other flowers, foliage and berries. Dahlia is a perfect flower for late summer and autumn arrangements.

I hope you've liked my second Floral Favourites - the first one was about Gypsophila and you'll find it here.

Have a lovely floral day!

xoxo Ingrid 

Floral Favourites - # 1 - Gypsophila - Baby's Breath

Latin or Botanical Name of Flower: 

Gypsophila paniculata

Common Name: 

Baby's Breath

Origin and Meaning of Name: 

Gypsos means gypsum; philos means loving - so it's a plant that likes growing in lime or alkaline soil. 

The common name refers to that some people thinks it smells like a baby's breath.

Description: 

Gypsophila has an airy mass of small white flowers that makes pretty arrangements. 

Other varieties available are 'Bristol Fairy' that has long-lasting double flowers and another one has pink flowers.

Availability: 

Gypsophila is available from flower markets or florists all year around. If grown in a garden - it flowers in mid- and late summer.

Gypsophila is reasonably priced and lasts well as a cut flower.

When you buy them make sure at least half the flowers are open as buds might not open once the flowers are cut.

Conditioning and Care: 

Remove all leaves that would end up below the water level in the vase and cut the stems at an angle.

Keep away from any fruit and vegetables - ethylene gas from ripening fruit shortens the life of flowers. 

How to use: 
Gypsophila has lately become a very popular flower to use in flower arranging after having been viewed as old-fashioned for quite a long time. It's a soft and natural looking and mixes well with other flowers but it also looks fabulous on it's own.
It's a perfect flower to almost every occasion and for every room in the house - the possibilities are endless.

It's romantic, sweet and very feminine and can be used in many different ways. Use it en masse in domed-shaped arrangements in large vases or cut the stems short and loosely arranged in a group of jars or bottles - either looks charming.

Gypsophila looks good in a romantic or vintage setting using old cut glass perfume bottles or colourful blue floral patterned china vase. 

I have also made arrangements in hundred year old beer bottles - they all have a date stamped on the bottom of the bottle - the dark colour and outlines of the bottles makes an interesting contrast with the frothy flowers. 

They also look great in a more contemporary setting used in large clear glass tumblers for a more minimalist look or like here in a small hand-blown white glass vase created in the 1980's by the Swedish artist Bertil Vallien.

I hope you liked my new series that I have called Floral Favourites -  where I will be featuring some of my favourite flowers.

Why not have some fun and try some simple arrangements in different containers.

See you soon!

xoxo Ingrid

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