A Bunch for the Weekend - # 108 - Happy Easter!

It's time for another 'A Bunch for the Weekend' and this week it's also Easter! It's a wonderful time of year in London - my Wisteria is about to burst into flower - with its gorgeous purple pendulous flowers. Trees and shrubs are also turning a shimmering green - and I have hayfever.........!!

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."

What would we do without yellow daffodils for Easter? Well, in Sweden they are even called "Easter Lilies". So here I'm following the classic Easter theme using yellow and orange daffodils. 

As a colour contrast I have added a lot of blue and white china like little cups and some small plates. The cups are used as vases with the stems cut very short. 

The flowers on the little plates are cut even shorter and are a temporary decoration as they have no water and will not last very long. 

The flowers on the plates have barely opened up and have a much milder yellow - a beautiful contrast to the deep blue colour in the floral pattern.

I would like to wish everybody a very Happy Easter!

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 ~

[Flowers: Yellow and orange daffodils from my favourite local street flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: A quite big clear glass jar, Victorian blue and white floral cup and plates. All bought at one of the many London antique markets. There are also two new Royal Copenhagen cups with a redesign from a very old pattern.]

[Other props: Vintage 1930's coffee pot, a vintage basket in the background and a vintage stool - 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 12 000 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/

Tiny Blooms - # 41 - Pale Blue Grape Hyacinths

This week on 'Tiny Blooms' I'm featuring a bunch of grape hyacinths in a gorgeous pale blue colour.

I have put them in a floral blue and white Victorian jug that picks up the blue colour in the flowers.

Here is a little "statement" that I add - to briefly explaining my thinking behind these particular posts:

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

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 love to match the colour of the flowers with a similar coloured vase or container. Here the colour of the grape hyacinths are very similar in colour to the floral pattern on the old jug. The little vintage ink glass bottle also picks up the pale blue colour and the contemporary black metal plate makes an interesting contrast.

Grape Hyacinths also called Muscari are easy to grow in the garden and will spread quite easily. They are a welcome sight in the early spring.

Stems are usually short so these flowers are perfect in jars, small vases or jugs. 

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I look forward to seeing later in the week - when I'll be back with more floral delights.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

[Flowers: Grape Hyacinths from my local flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: Vintage Victorian blue and white floral patterned milk jug bought at a London antique market.]

[Other props: From stylists 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/

Florets - Floral Quote - # 127 - by Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring

" For lovers of a pure and simple decorating style, there are so many options for adding a gentle touch of fresh blooms and branches to your home without overdoing it or breaking the bank. The secret is to keep the look understated and try to strike a balance so that fresh flowers effortlessly fit into the room without overwhelming it. Natural style is casual, a breath of fresh air, with a definite focus on less being so much more."

~ Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring ~ 

[Holly Becker: American, based in Germany, interior stylist, teacher and founder of the blog Decor8, author of four books Decorate, Decorate Workshop, Decorate with Flowers and Decorate for a Party.

[Leslie Shewring: Canadian, stylist, photographer, designer, founder of the blog A Creative Mint and co-author of Decorate with Flowers and Decorate for a Party.]

[Quote from: Decorate with Flowers (2014) by Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring.]

[Flowers: Dark red Hydrangea.]

[Container: Vintage blue and white cup.]

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

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer'. I will be back tomorrow Monday for another Floral Media and a short sweet little video I happen to find on Youtube. Hope to see you then. 

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 and an email will come right into your inbox.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Tiny Blooms - # 36 - Blue and White Delphiniums

Delphinium is loved both by people growing it as a cottage garden flower - as well as by slugs - but we are not going to discuss slugs here today.....

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!

A bunch of delphiniums goes a long way - I only have five stems here and I simply put them in a tall clear glass vase with straight sides. 

A row of glass bottles with just a single stem in each bottle would also look fantastic along a windowsill or mantlepiece. 

These tall almost regal flowers are also soft and romantic. The flowers open from the bottom so pick stems that have open blossoms only halfway up for the longest bloom time.

You don't need to do much to delphiniums - their loose, country-garden style is very much suited to make simple quick and easy arrangements.

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back later in the week with some more floral delights. 

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.

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 - # 28 - Pink and White Tulips

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 LOVE vintage blue and white floral china and I have to admit that I have quite a few pieces in my collection. At one point many years ago I had to stop collecting - but I'm so happy that I have it - and I use it all the time for flower arranging, styling and as props in my photographs.

In these two photographs I have combined a floral blue and white jug with bright pink and white tulips. I cut the stems quite short and took off most of the leaves and really put in as many as I could fit into the little jug. 

The old jug works perfectly as a vase and the flowers sit very happily in it. The colour contrast between flowers and jug is both pretty and dramatic.  

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

I'll be be back soon with more floral delight 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/ 

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3 Simple Ways to Arrange a Bunch of Hyacinths

Today I like to feature three ways of arranging the same small bunch of hyacinths by simply using three different containers.

In the first arrangement I have used a vintage blue and white floral patterned jug. It's a great colour contrast with the purple-pink flowers. I also played around by adding some additional floral china plates and platters - not just for fun but also to add colour and give the whole arrangement some more impact.

In the second arrangement I have used a terracotta jug that my son brought back from Cyprus for me as a present.

The handmade shape and texture to the jug is such an interesting contrast to the little pretty individual flowers and all the black jars gives it all a sophisticated feel and tone.

In the last arrangement I have used a vase that I picked up in one of my local charity stores - it's pale grey with faint white stripes. The vase is also much smaller so I could only use three of the ten hyacinth stems.

Unlike the first two arrangements this one is pale and soft in colour and feel. I like how the addition of the darker grey in the fabric gives the arrangement a warmer feel.

I'm hoping you have enjoyed my three different ways of arranging a bunch of hyacinths.

Have a fabulous floral Saturday!

I'll see you again next week.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

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

You can also find me on:

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

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

The Monthly List - November 2015

FLOWER

Last month I started a new monthly series of blog posts called 'The Monthly List'. It's Johanna Bradford of Tant Johanna over in Sweden who started what she calls 'Månadens Lista'. Her and the others taking part create inspirational monthly lists and I'll be doing my version over here in London. Here is my list for November and just like last month the focus is on flowers .......!

Branches with or without berries are perfect to use in the autumn. Here are three: 
- rose hips, this one has lots and lots of small round hips - great on their own or mixed with flower and foliage.
- Cornus, has long, thin straight branches in a red colour you can't miss - use on it's own in a tall clear glass vase or mix with tulips for an interesting contrast.
- crab apples, has small round apples that comes in red or orange - fantastic for autumn and Christmas, makes a real statement and lasts for ages.

VASE

I have picked four contemporary vases to feature this month. A mini Savoy Alvar Aalto vase in white designed originally in 1936 by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and its still made by Iittala. My daughter bought it for me at an antique market.

The two white vases on the right are by the Swedish glassblower and artist Bertil Vallien made in the 1970's and 1980's. The big one is called 'Terra' from Rörstrand and the small one is a Kosta Boda. He still works for the very famous glassblowing company Kosta Boda in the south of Sweden. One was a present and the other I bought at Copenhagen airport.

The larger vase in the back is from the German company Rosenthal. It's from their 'Studio Line' called 'Vases of Phases'. I found this one in a charity shop here in London a few years back for just a few pounds.

I love them and use them all the time for all kinds of flower arrangements. They all have interesting shapes and textures but doesn't detract from the beauty and colour of the flowers. 

BOOK

This is Selina Lake's sixth book - it's called Winter Living and was published this autumn. It's full of inspiration and lovely photographs by Debi Treloar.

She says: "...you'll be furnished with a multitude of fresh ideas to transform your home into an inviting, warming and uplifting space during the colder months of the year." 

INSTAGRAMMER

I've been following and admired my fellow Swede Hans Blomquist from a distance - on his Instagram and reading his books. He does some inspiring styling for big and small companies all over the world such as Bloomingdales, Gant, IKEA and H&M - as well as having written two beautiful books - The Natural Home (2012) and In Detail (2014).

CUP

A vintage blue and white floral tea cup from the early part of 1900 - it's not a cup I use for my tea - instead I use it as a little vase for small flower arrangements. It has such a rich dark blue colour that works well with a lot of different coloured flowers.

QUOTE

This sweetly illustrated quote is created by Flora Waycott. She is an illustrator and surface pattern designer based in Wellington, New Zealand. A lovely combination of hand lettering, flowers and pretty pastels.

FOOD

Apples are available all year around but are at their peak in the autumn in the Northern hemisphere.

This is a classic English beauty called 'Royal Gala' - and it's described as "sweet and juicy with tones of vanilla and a thin skin" - what else do you need? The perfect food! 

 Have a Lovely Floral Day!

I'll be back later in the week with more floral delights from 

Of Spring and Summer.

[Styling and Photography: © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]
[Image no 4: ©Debi Treloar/Hans Blomquist.]
[Image no 6: © Flora Waycott.] 

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A Bunch for the Weekend - # 62 - Pale Blue Grape Hyacinths

This weeks 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - is a small bunch of pale blue Grape Hyacinths.

This is once again one of those situations where I saw some flowers that are out of season - BUT are so gorgeous and reasonably priced I just couldn't pass them up!

HOW TO:

You'll need:

- about 40 stems of Grape Hyacinths or Muscari as they are also called.

- a small container that will hold the stems quite tightly together - in this case I'm using a small vintage jug in a blue and white floral pattern.

- a few props in matching colours - in this case they are all light blue like the little flowers.

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.

Method:

Muscari has short stems so just trim as little as possible or the stems will be a bit too short.

They have long narrow sword shaped leaves; keep any fresh looking as a colour contrast to the flowers. In this case I didn't keep any of the leaves - they did not look as fresh as I had wished for and as the camera picks up any small defects I left them out. 

Change the water every 2-3 days and if possible re-cut the stems. The flowers can last for about 4-8 days. 

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a great floral day!

I will be back on Saturday with 'Flowers of the Month' - a round-up of this months flowers. 

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

You can also find me on:

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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]

You can also find me on:
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