Creative with Flowers - # 10 - Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll'

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

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' we are taking a look at one of my favourite roses. It's the Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll'. 

I have one growing in my garden - so all these flowers come from there. 

Instead of a traditional vase I'm using a little antique Victorian luster creamer from around the 1830s.

I love how it has flowers on it and that the pink is almost the same colour as the rose.

The stems were very short - so it was a little hard to arrange the individual flowers - so what I did was - I arranged the bunch in my hand and then simply put a rubber band around the stems to keep them in place and then put them in the creamer. 

The largest of the roses I placed on a saucer in a small amount of water and I also scattered a few rose petals around - just for fun.  

Isn't this just the most romantic little arrangement and so simple to make? 

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' and I'll be back on Friday with another 'A Bunch for the Weekend'.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

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Flowers of the Month - June 2015

1 June - Floral Media - Houseplant of the Month - Peace Lily

It's the end of June and I'm back with 'Flowers of the Month' - where I'm featuring all the different flowers and floral arrangements I have posted during June.

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.

4 June - Do-It-Yourself Flower Tips and Inspiration - Sweet Peas

6 June - A Bunch for the Weekend - # 55 - English Garden Rose - Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll'

10 June - Floral Media - Flower Agenda - Week 23 - 26 - Lily

13 June - A Bunch for the Weekend - # 56 - Sweet Peas and Alchemilla mollis

15 June - Floral Media - The Green Gallery - New On-line Floral Magazine

17 June - Do-It-Yourself Flower Tips and  Inspiration - # 7 - Alstroemeria

19 June - FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Happy Midsummer!

20 June - A Bunch for the Weekend - # 57 - Astrantia and Nectaroscordum

23 June - Do-It-Yourself Flower Tips and Inspiration - # 8 - Sweet William

25 June - Floral Media - The Flower Appreciation Society Workshop and Book

27 June - A Bunch for the Weekend - # 58 - Mixed Bouquet of British Summer Flowers

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'm taking some time off during the month of July to work on our house and garden and I will be back again in August with more Do-It-Yourself flower arranging from 'Of Spring and Summer'.

Have a wonderful and relaxing summer! 

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson - Of Spring and Summer.]
[Images of 1, 4 and 6 are provided by The Flower Council of Holland.]

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A Bunch for the Weekend - # 55 - English Garden Rose - Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll'

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I'm featuring some fabulous David Austin English garden roses called - Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll.

This is a scented and stunningly beautiful rose - it is described as a large rosette-shaped flowers in a rich glowing pink colour. The most outstanding characteristic of this rose is its perfectly balanced Old Rose scent. 

It is a robust and free flowering rose named after the famous English garden designer Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932). 

You'll need:

- 6 large garden roses

- two little vases in a contrasting colour with a narrow neck - to hold the stems tight together. 

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's always a great pleasure to be able to go out into your own garden and pick flowers. I don't have a lot of roses but Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll' remains one of my favourites.

I have used two little vintage blue and white floral vases - short and squat with a small narrow neck. This rose has very short stems so you need something to hold the stems together - as the flowers are top heavy with such a large flower heads. 

Depending on the size of the flowers and the vases - put three or even five flowers in each vase. If the leaves are green and fresh looking it's nice to leave a few on to contrast with all the pink - but also to make it look like "just picked from the garden". 

I have also placed the two small vases on a little stool just to raise them up and make them look that bit extra special!

Enjoy your flower arranging!

Have a Great Floral Saturday 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]

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

Florets - Floral Quote - # 64 - by Rachel de Thame

" Everyone has their desert island plants - the ones they can't imagine gardening without - and mine would have to be roses. Few plants offer such beautiful flowers, over such a long period, with such breathtaking fragrance. the scent of the rose is renowned world wide and throughout history mankind has made strenuous efforts to capture its essence in expensive oils and exclusive perfumes. The range of fragrances is outstanding: myrrh, tea, old rose and musk are but a few of the evocative names used to describe them. Gardening is a multi-sensory experience, colour, texture, shape and form combining with scent in a complex series of layers to create a satisfying whole. Roses are valuable additions in many ways, but for me, no matter how beautiful it looks, a rose without perfume is never quite complete."

~ Rachel de Thame ~ 

[Rachel de Thame: British, gardener, author of three books, Gardner's World presenter and designer of the flowers for the Royal Barge at Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012.]

[Quote from: Rachel de Thame's Top 100 Star Plants.]

[Flowers: Three floating Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll' - which is one of Rachel's Top 100 Star Plants.]

[Vase: Big vintage bowl.]

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

Have a Wonderful Floral Sunday!

See you next week!

xoxo Ingrid