Flowers of the Month - May 2017

Today is the last day of May 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'.

I post about four times a week so by the end of the month I have quite a few images to look back on.

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.

At the end of the post is a little message to all of you! 

3 May - Creative with Flowers - Pink Ranunculus

5 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - Bluebells

7 May - Florets -Floral Quote - Sweet Peas and Clematis

10 May - Creative with Flowers - A Flower in a Bottle

12 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - A Few Late Tulips 

14 May - Florets - Floral Quote - Forget-Me-Nots and Grape Hyacinths

17 May - Creative with Flowers - Pale Purple Sweet Peas

19 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - Pink Peonies

21 May - Florets - Floral Quote - White Rose and Solomon's Seal

24 May - Creative with Flowers - Purple Stock Flowers

26 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - Pale Pink Anemones

28 May - Florets - Floral Quote - Pink Roses

29 May - Tiny Blooms - Pale Pink Ranunculus

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer'.

I also wanted to tell you that I'm now taking a few months off from posting on my blog. It is a little bit longer than usual but a lot of big changes are taking place right now that takes up a lot of my time. All good - just time consuming! 

Have a wonderful summer holiday and I will see you back here in the autumn. 

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.

P. S. If you are looking for more floral inspiration you can go over and have a look at my Pinterest boards. I have around 12 400 followers and 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/

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 113 - Pink Peonies

It's Friday and it's time for 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - we all look forward to the weekend and want to make it feel special. A bunch of colourful as well as beautiful flowers will bring life to a space and create a warm and welcoming feeling.

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 wherever 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."

The peony is probably one of the most loved flowers and that is often based on that when you ask people what their favourite flower is - the answer is often - "Peony".

Peony season is here and it will last well into early summer. 

Blowsy, big double peonies are just lovely on their own as they have so much instant impact. Leave as much of the foliage as possible - it has a lovely lush, dark green colour but is often overlooked. 

You can also mix them with Alchemilla mollis or why not try them mixed with stock flowers, sweet peas or sweet williams.

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 bright pink peonies -  from my favourite street flower stall in north west London.]

[Vase/Container: A large clear glass pickling jar - bought at one of the many antique markets in London.]

[Other props: Vintage large bowl bought in Sweden at one of the many 'loppis' - the equivalent to flea market in the USA or car boot sale in the UK - 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/

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 100 - From the Archives

In April 2014 I started a series of weekly blog posts called "A Bunch for the Weekend" and they quickly became very popular among my blog visitors. 

So today to celebrate my #100 posts in this series - I decided to dig deep in the archives and show the first ten arrangements that I posted back in 2014.

# 1

The thought was to inspire and show how to do simple and easy arrangements. Show how to create a quick and uncomplicated arrangement that anybody could do themselves to enjoy over the weekend. 

# 2

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

"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, 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."

# 3

# 4

# 5

# 6

# 7

# 8

# 9

# 10

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 with another Florets - a floral quote by someone passionate about flowers. I'll see you back here 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 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/

Tiny Blooms - # 34 - Pink Peonies and Sweet Peas

This series of blog posts - called 'Tiny Blooms' - are about small flower arrangements. Small - might be the size of the container or it could be the size of the flowers or the amount of stems. 

It can also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's simple, quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I'm allowing myself a lot of creative freedom!

I wanted to create a small bouquet this week for 'Tiny Blooms'. One that maybe your grand-mother would have made - a little bit old-fashioned as well as sweet and romantic.
The flower stalls are full of peonies and sweet peas, so what I got was a combination of gorgeous pink peonies and multi-coloured pink sweet peas. 

I used my grandmother's cut glass vase that she gave me many years ago. At the time I was not too keen on it but now of course I love it. You often see similar at flea markets, car boot sales, loppis or charity stores.

The silver coloured jug, coffee pot and sugar bowl are old silverplated items that I've picked up from flea markets. All the silver is worn off and today has very little or no value - but are great to use as props. 

The arrangement is easy to make. I made a handtied bouquet and then put it in the vase. But you can also make it straight in the vase. Mix in the sweet peas so that the little flowers sit between the large peonies. Also tuck a few around the edge of the vase.

This is a wonderful time of year with so many beautiful flowers around - so make sure you take the opportunity to enjoy them during the short period that they flower.  

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Wednesday with another 'Creative with Flowers'.

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.

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

Tiny Blooms - # 33 - Peonies and Alliums

This series of blog posts - called 'Tiny Blooms' - are about small flower arrangements. Small - might be the size of the container or it could be the size of the flowers or the amount of stems. 

It can also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's simple, quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I'm allowing myself a lot of creative freedom!

Big blousy peonies and big round Alliums are two flowers that often flower at the same time. So why not try to combine them?

I used a vase with quite a narrow neck and used only three stems of each flower. I varied the height to give a little bit of visual variation 

They are both flowers that lasts for quite a long time - so a perfect combination. The colours also work very well together and the two big round shapes and variation in texture complement each other. 

It's a lovely combination that is worth trying out at this time of year. There are also many other Alliums that you can try to combine with the peonies.  You only need a few stems to make an impact with these two flowers!

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

I'll be be back on Wednesday with another 'Creative with Flowers'.

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.

You can also follow me on:

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

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

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

Tiny Blooms - # 30 - Peony and Lilac

This series of blog posts - called 'Tiny Blooms' - are about small flower arrangements. Small - might be the size of the container or it could be the size of the flowers or the amount of stems. It can also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's simple, quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I'm allowing myself a lot of creative freedom!

We are now heading into a period of pure pleasure when it comes to flowers. Late spring and then quickly straight into summer - or that is often what happens here in London. There is just an abundance of stunning flowers in a range of delightful colours. 

I found some pretty pink peonies at my favourite flower stall and combined them with some deep purple lilacs from my garden. 

I made a small hand-tied posy using three peonies and three sprigs of lilac. I secured them with a rubber band and then tied a narrow light pink ribbon from Jane Means collection of ribbons around the stems - as high up as possible. 

I used a vintage laboratory clear glass jar as a vase and let the ends of the ribbon trail down the side. 

Quick, easy and absolutely seasonal - for very little money.  

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

I'll be be back on Friday with more floral delight from Of Spring and Summer and Titti Malmberg of HWIT BLOGG.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

For more floral inspiration 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 - # 110 - by Ariella Chezar

"Peonies are generous flowers. These fluffy, long-lasting blooms blossom in a range of colors - from bright white to yellow, coral, and peach, to pink and red. Herbaceous peonies die back to the ground each year and are born on new, green stems. They are especially varied, coming in single, double, and multipetaled versions that are so huge they are called "bombs". Peonies are also well-behaved blossoms, easily trimmed and, like tulips, fun to watch as their petals open and progress through a long life cycle."

~ Ariella Chezar ~

[Ariella Chezar: American, florist and teacher at the Flower School New York. She is the author of Flowers for the Table and The Flower Workshop - she also writes for many American magazines and has designed flower arrangements for the White House.]

[Quote from: The Flower Workshop by Ariella Chezar (2016).]

[Flowers: Pink peonies.]

[Container: Clear bulbous glass vase.]

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

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

I'll be back next week with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

For more floral inspiration 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 - # 54 - Pink Peonies and Alchemilla mollis

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I'm featuring some fabulous huge pink peonies and bright lime-green Alchemilla mollis flowers.

You'll need:

- 5 peony stems in a bright pink colour

- 20 stems of Alchemilla mollis - these are long-stemmed from my local street flower seller 

- a medium sized vase in a neutral colour - here I have used a white vase from a charity store

- two small vases in the same colour as the big vase or in a contrasting colour - here I have chosen on of each

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.

It is now warm enough for peonies to come into bloom in the garden and they are everywhere to buy at the flower stalls.

If you want them for a special occasion - buy the flowers a few days before the special day. The buds will take a couple of days to open up.

I created the bunch in a traditional hand-tied way by holding the flowers in my left hand and adding the flowers with my right - turning the bunch around while I'm adding the flowers. With some luck you'll end up with a round dome-shaped bouquet! 

To hold the bunch together I tied the stems with some raffia - then I measured the bouquet against the vase and trimmed the ends - and placed the flowers in the vase. 

While making the handtied bunch I was left with quite a few short little Alchemilla stems. I put them all in a black mini vase where they will last for about a week.

Go out and buy some Peonies - use them on their own or mix with other flowers. 

Enjoy your flower arranging!

Have a Great Floral Friday and a Happy Weekend!

I will see you next week with more Do-It-Yourself flowers from 'Of Spring and Summer'.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

You can also find me on:
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