Creative with Flowers - # 37 - Hot Pink Tulips

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' - I'm featuring a rather large bunch of tulips - all the same colour and just on their own - so no added foliage or mixed with other flowers.

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!"

Tulips can be a bit tricky or some people would say "difficult".

They keep on growing quite a lot even after they are cut. What quite often happen is that you carefully make an arrangement - you put the flowers in the vase and two days later they are all over the place.

A lot of people don't mind at all - they actually enjoy seeing the flowers "dance" in the vase growing - reaching and turning towards the light. 

Other people enjoy having a more compact arrangement. 

So how do you do that? Well, this is one way you can do to prevent the tulips going all wild.

The trick is the size or the height of the vase or the container. The flowers need to be supported and the stems to be cut a little bit shorter than you would do with other cut flowers.

Measure the stems against the side of the vase and make the cut that little bit shorter than normal making sure that the stems are supported against the edge of the vase. 

You don't want the arrangement to look all stiff and standing straight up either. But you also don't want all the flowers leaning in all directions and a big gaping "hole" in the middle of the vase.

If you make it as a handtied bunch vary the length of the stems a little bit - just to give the arrangement a bit of variety and movement.

What we are looking for is an arrangement with evenly spaced flowers - not stiff - but also not all over the place.

Good luck!

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - as it's the last day of March - I will be back on Friday with another 'Flowers of the Month. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you here then - I'll be back with a new post - bright and early first thing in the morning.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Flowers: Large bunch of hot pink tulips. All flowers from my favourite local flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: Vintage pale green glass container.]

[Other props: Vintage French linen fabrics 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/

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 106 - Hot Pink Anemones

This time on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I have done a super easy arrangements with hot pink Anemones - even the container is simple and easy. 

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 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."

Two bunches of dark pink Anemones gives you a substantial amount of flowers that will have some impact on any table or sideboard.

These particular ones have quite long stems, and I wanted to leave them long, so they demanded a large container. 

I did a handtied bunch - without actually tying anything around the stems. I just wanted all the stems to be parallel when you looked at them through the glass jar.

Quick, easy and lots and lots of colour!    

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: Hot pink Anemones from my favourite local street flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: A quite big clear glass jar. Bought at one of the many London antique markets.]

[Other props: Linen cloth, muslin fabric and backdrop from stylist's 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 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 - # 44 - Hot Pink Spray Carnations

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring some hot pink carnations. The Latin or botanical name is Dianthus.

I have made three small bouquets - all similar but a little bit different.

You'll need:

- 20-25 stems of spray Carnations in any colour you like

- three neutral vases or containers - here I have used different size vintage metal containers - but of the same colour 

- three rubber bands

- ribbons in a colour that matches the container. I'm using two different grosgrain stitched dark grey ribbons designed by Jane Means.

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.

While making the bouquet hold the flower stems in one hand and add with the other. Keep adding the flowers one by one and keep turning the bunch as you are adding and make an even dome shaped bouquet. 

When you finished and are happy with your creation wind a rubber band around the stems - this is to hold the flowers in place while you are tying the ribbon.

Next tie the ribbon leaving the ends long. Hold the bouquet next to the container and estimate where to make the final cut. Have the flowers and the bow sit just above the rim of the container.

Remove the rubber band by cutting it and put the flowers in the vase. Lastly cut the ends of the ribbon to whatever length you think looks good. 

The container I have used have quite open or wide necks - but my intention was not to fill them all with flowers. I did fill the smallest one but with the other two I just let the arrangement lean to one side of the vase showing off the ribbon and the stems - a little bit more of a contemporary way of styling flowers.

I have only used one type of flower but in slightly different pinks - some pretty containers and an added ribbon  - voilà you have some attractive, quick and easy bouquets for the weekend.

Have a Happy Floral Saturday and Enjoy Your Weekend!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

[Ribbon designed by Jane Means.]

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 39 - Hot Pink Hyacinths

'A Bunch for the Weekend' is a few days earlier than usual - it's Valentine's Day on Saturday and Titti Malmberg and I are posting another FLOWERS on that day.

So today on this weeks 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring some hot pink Hyacinths.

You'll need:

- 10 stems of Hyacinths in a hot pink colour

- a very large pickling jar with high sides - this one is a vintage one from Sweden.

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- florists snippers or scissors

- a florist bucket

There are a few things that you need to do differently when it comes to Hyacinths. A few years ago you only really grew Hyacinths from bulbs - often because you didn't have the option to buy Hyacinths as cut flowers. Even if you did find some they didn't last very long.

At some point something changed and today you can easily find Hyacinths as cut flowers. What is different with them though is that they come with part of the bulb still attached. At the bottom of the stem where the whole bulbs used to be is now just a round plug. What is left of the bulb keeps feeding the flower and it stays fresh for much longer.

All you need to do is to tidy up any broken or loose leaves and re-cut the bottom of the round bulb end with a knife.

Just add enough water to cover the plug and remember to keep changing the water every two days.  

You also need to take into consideration that the flower stems take up a lot more space in the vase or container - so you need to use a vase with quite a wide neck.

Like I have done here - it's a vintage pickling jar that I bought some years ago in Sweden at a 'loppis' - the Swedish equivalent to flea market or car-boot sale. 

The high sides of the jar also keeps the Hyacinths sitting straight up - preventing the heavy flower heads from bending over as they quite often do. The clear glass highlights the beautifully coloured stems and even the bulb plug becomes part of the arrangement. 

I wanted the hot pink colour of the flowers to really stand out - so I have just added more clear glass jars and bottles - all with little funny stoppers and a platter with flowers picking up the colour in the Hyacinths.

Just like with tulips - NOW starts the season to enjoy all the beautiful Hyacinths!    

Have a Happy Floral Day and Enjoy the Rest of the Week!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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