Creative with Flowers - # 8 - Pink Peony Tulips and Ranunculus

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 a riot of colour!

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' I'm a very lucky girl. The lovely Cel Robertson who runs the organic flower farm in Norfolk - Forever Green Flower Farm, had the most amazing pink tulips. 

The tulip is called Tulipa 'Aveyron' and they are an early double peony flowering tulip. The resemblance to peony is striking. It's a deep rose pink colour with white and green markings on some of the outer petals. 

The ranunculus are in three different shades from pale pink to really dark almost wine coloured.

I have combined over-sized pink tulips with gorgeous pink ranunculus - but instead of mixing them in the same vase - i chose to give them each their own container. 

I accidentally broke one of the tulip stems so I gave it's own little glass jar.

I got these cute little acrylic spoons a few years ago - they are from the French company Sabre Paris.

All the little arrangements sits on a Swedish pink and white rag weaving and in the background are four newly made cushions made from off-cuts vintage fabrics and patchwork quilts. 

Two pink but very distinctly different flowers - that here shows off their beauty in separate vases but positioned next to each other.

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

I'll be be back on Friday with another 'A Bunch for the Weekend'.

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 - # 106 - by Martha Stewart

"A lone flower reveals the particular shape of it's blossom and line of its stem. Vintage bottles make great showcases for individual blooms arranged along a windowsill or mantel or clustered on a table. Use a variety of bottles, both clear and tinted, to hold attractive cuttings. If grouping flowers, play with the color palette and texture. You may be attracted to a clean, modern aesthetic, a line of clear bottles with white Queen Anne's lace, or choose instead to cluster an assortment of wild daisies or black-eyed Susans in old glass inkwells that have lost their caps."

~ Martha Stewart ~ 

[Martha Stewart: American, businesswoman, writer, television presenter and founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.]

[Quote from: Good Things from Tag Sales and Flea Markets by Martha Stewart (2002).]

[Flowers: Tulips.]

[Containers: Vintage milk bottles.]

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

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous floral Sunday!

I'll see you tomorrow with some 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

Florets - Floral Quote - # 101 - by Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge

3 Quotes by Grace Bonney

"Instead of leaving your flowers all the same height, try cutting the stems at varying lengths to create a simple arrangement that is reminiscent of flowers growing in the garden."

"One gorgeous, full-faced flower combined with a little bit of foliage is sometimes all you need to create a show-stopping arrangement. When money and time are tight, it's easiest to let a beautiful flower speak for itself."

"Dome-shaped arrangements are a classic, goof-proof option for a centerpiece. Mixed flowers in tonal colours make a great dressed-up arrangement, while using only one type gives a simple, casual look. Don't fret if your dome is less than perfect: a natural rounded shape will look just as elegant."

  ~ Grace Bonney ~ 

[Grace Bonney - American, founder of the blog Design*Sponge and author of Design*Sponge at Home.]

[Quote: from Design*Sponge at Home (2011).]

[Flowers: Anemones.]

[Containers: Vintage milk bottle.]

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

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous floral Sunday!

I will 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 - # 43 - Freesia with a Dark Purple Bow

Today on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring some light purple Freesia in a vintage milk bottle.

Freesia has delicate arched stems, the flowers are highly fragrant and they can last for two weeks if you condition them, change the water and keep them cool at night. They also come in over twenty different colours. 

What more would you want from a cut flower? 

You'll need:

- 20 stems of Freesia in any colour you like

- a neutral vase or container like clear glass or similar with a fairly narrow neck - in this case I have used a vintage clear glass milk bottle

- a rubber band

- a ribbon in a colour that matches the flowers. I'm using a grosgrain dark purple ribbon 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. Hold as far up on the stems as you can and keep adding the flowers one by one turning the bunch as you are adding. Have the flowers facing outwards and make an even dome shaped bouquet. 

When you finished and are happy with your creation wind a rubber band around the stems and push it all the way up to just under the flowers. This is to hold the flowers in place while you are tying the ribbon.

Next tie the ribbon on top of the rubber band 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 - I have left mine long so that they just touch the table. I like to see a lot of the ribbon and I like when its trailing down the side of the vase or container.

One type of flower in an attractive container and some added little extra like a simple ribbon is often all you need to make a pretty flower arrangement. 

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 - # 38 - A Bunch of Parrot Tulips

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring an assortments of very simple arrangements using a bunch of parrot tulips.

Parrot tulips have a strange beauty and are quite dramatic - like all tulips they have a life of their own. It makes them a bit hard to handle but it also make them more interesting.

You'll need:

- 14 stems of parrot tulips in different colours

- 3 vintage milk bottles

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- florists snippers or scissors

- a florist bucket

As always - you need to condition the flowers - remove all the lower leaves that would end up below the waterline in the vase. Cut the stems at an angle - to increase water absorption. Put in a clean container with fresh water and leave in a cool place over night or at least a few hours before making the final arrangement. 

You might have to re-cut the stems while making the final arrangement to suit the size of the container.

I love all tulips - sometimes I want to try to control them and cut them quite short. Other times I let them just do their thing and as they continue growing in the vase - they end up 'dancing' and move every which way. Just lovely - a tiny little bit like children.

Remove all the lower leaves and any that are broken or bruised. Measure the stems against the container before making the final cut. You can always cut more - but you can't put any back! So always be on the cautious side when you cut.

I have used three vintage clear glass milk bottles - the two with a little bit wider neck are both English and the one with the narrow neck is from Sweden.

I have used both even and uneven number of flower stems in the milk bottles. Sometimes just two are enough or you just don't have the right number and often it doesn't matter.

In the art world as well as in floristry and garden design you are always taught to work with odd numbers of flowers and plants. Well, rules are sometimes made to be broken!

Just work with whatever you have and more than anything enjoy the beauty of the tulips. Spring is soon here!!

Have a Happy Floral Saturday and Enjoy the Weekend!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 30 - Pink Tulips

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring two kinds of bright pink tulips.

The tulip season nowadays seem to last from late autumn to late spring. I now see tulips at all my usual hunting grounds. To begin with I didn't want to buy any and tried to tell myself - "No Ingrid! It's too early for tulips!" 

But now I can't resist them any longer...!

I love tulips and buying these bright pink ones would almost make you believe it's spring - instead of dark November days leading up to Christmas.

You'll need:

- 2 bunches of tulips - in two closely related colours - I have chosen two different pink colours

- 2 similar glass containers with a fairly narrow neck - I'm using two vintage milk bottles

- a small lantern, a dark green basket and some fabric with an autumn theme

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- florists snippers or scissors

- a florist bucket

As always - you need to condition the flowers - remove the lower leaves on tulips as well as any that are damaged. Cut the stems at an angle - to increase water absorption. Put in a clean container with cold water and leave in a cool place over night or at least a few hours before making the final arrangement.

Put about seven to nine stems in each container depending on size. Keep the height of the flowers in proportion to the vase. Too tall and the whole arrangement will look like it's going to topple over and if they are too short is not going to look in proportion - especially with tulips that you would not have resting on the edge of the vase.

In contrast to the spring like tulips I have added a small vintage lantern - lovely when lit for those long November evenings, an old basket in a dark green colour and a grey and black fabric with a classic autumn theme - trees with no leaves.  

Have a Happy Floral Friday and a Great Weekend!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 28 - Halloween - Bright Orange Gerberas, Roses and Crab Apples!

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring some very bright orange Gerberas and roses; a few red Cornus branches and some lovely crab apples - and it's all just for Halloween.

I wanted to inspire to make a Halloween flower arrangement without using any of the more traditional Halloween decorations.  

You'll need:

- 20 stems of bright orange Gerberas

- 15 branches of Cornus

- 7 stems of orange roses

- about 25 - 30 crab apples

- 1 large clear glass jar

- 1 medium sized clear glass jar

- 1 small clear glass jar

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- florists snippers or scissors

- a florist bucket

As always - condition the flowers by removing any leaves that would end up below the water line in the vase. Cut the stems at an angle - to increase water absorption. Put in a clean container with tepid water and leave in a cool place over night or at least a few hours before making the final arrangement.

I kept the Gerbera stems as long as possible and put them in the large glass jar. I arranged them all facing the same way and I then put all the red Cornus stems behind as a background.

The loose crab apples went in the small glass jar with their little stems still on.

The fabric is a black, white and grey fabric with black trees and ominous black and red birds. 

I put the orange roses in the medium glass jar and tied a copper coloured wired ribbon around the top of the jar as decoration. The ribbon is designed by Jane Means. I'm part of Jane Means' Blogging Team. 

Here is the story about the roses - they are dyed orange! Yes, chock, horror - not something I would normally do or buy. BUT - I thought: "Well, why not - it's just for fun and it's specially for Halloween!" They also matched the Gerberas and the crab apples perfectly. 

Have a Happy Floral Halloween!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 15 - Helenium

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring Helenium.

Helenium is a perennial that you can grow yourself in the garden and it will come back year after year. You can also buy it at the flower markets or farmers markets.

What is brilliant about this flower is that if you keep picking - it will keep flowering - so it produces flowers over a long period of time.

They make very good cut flowers and bees love them - BUT wear gloves when you pick them as they can cause allergic skin reactions. 

It has mahogany-crimson flowers with a large chocolate-brown centre. Combine it with some of the smaller sunflowers or like here just on their own.

You will need:

- 10-12 stems of Heleniums

-  a wide-necked glass bottle (in my case it's a vintage milk bottle)

- 4-5 strands of raffia

- brown paper or wooden luggage tags  

Like always condition the flowers by removing any of the lower leafs that would end up below the water line in the container and cut the ends at an angle to maximum the water uptake. Put straight away in a clean container with fresh water in a dark, cool place preferable over night or at least for a few hours before doing the final arrangement.

I tied a few strands of raffia around the neck of the milk bottle and attached a wooden tag also with some raffia underneath.

Mix already fully open flowers with semi-open ones as well as others that are still in 'button' stage. It's a very informal and kind of 'just picked from the garden' arrangement. Colourful and charming in its simplicity.    

Have a Lovely Floral and Creative Day!

I'm still in a go-slow summer mode - but I'll see you again next week for another 'A Bunch for the Weekend'.

I hope you are having a wonderful summer

xoxo Ingrid

[The Helenium flowers are grown by Cel Robertson at the Forever Green Flower Company - on her flower farm in Norfolk.]

Florets - Floral Quote - # 70 - by Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring

" Pastels are versatile, and when paired with edgy brights (like neon) you can turn up the volume, giving them a forward, contemporary feel.Try tying the tops of your stems just under the blooms with long flowing ribbons in fun brights to lend a festive touch.."

~ Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring ~

[Holly Becker: American, based in Germany, interior stylist, teacher and blogger on Decor8, author of three books: Decorate, Decorate Workshop and Decorate with Flowers.] 

[Leslie Shewring: Canadian stylist, photographer, designer; blogger on A Creative Mint and co-author of Decorate with Flower.]

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

[Flowers: Pink stock flowers.]

[Vase: Vintage milk bottle.]

[Other props: Pink satin ribbon, torn strip of pink and white fabric; marble table.]

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

[Styling inspired by Holly and Leslie's book Decorate with Flowers.]