Do-It-Yourself Flower Tips and Inspiration - # 11 - Chrysanthemums and Snowberries

This time 'Do-It-Yourself Flower Tips and Inspiration' is all about Chrysanthemums and Snowberries.

Here are a few facts and information about the flowers: 

- The Chrysanthemum is originally from the Arctic, parts of Russia, China and Japan.

- The name Chrysanthemum comes from the Greek chrysos that means gold and anthemon that means flower.

- Chrysanthemums come in many different forms and shapes; pompon, quill, spider and spoon are just a few of the interesting forms of the flower.

- Snowberries comes originally from North and Central America but now grows wild in many places.

- Snowberries are a member of the honeysuckle family.

- Snowberries are an important food source in the winter for many birds. 

Brilliantly white fluffy Chrysanthemums and round white Snowberries are very effective and mixes well together at this time of year. 

I wanted to take a break from all the strong autumn colours I have featured lately. I love strong colours but I also love white. So here is a quick and easy all white arrangement.

I have used a large white vintage apothecary container for the big arrangement and a small white contemporary vase for my secondary complementary arrangement. Adding a few white honeycomb pompoms along the way.

Here I'm showing the arrangement with an all white background - white marble table, white French linen sheet   and white painted wood panelling. The arrangement works just as well as a contrast to something much more colourful.

Why not try it in a few different locations around your home - maybe you'll find some interesting colour combinations! 

Enjoy your flower arranging!

Next Friday it's time for another FLOWERS from Titti and I. We will inspire on how to give your guests a warm and flowery welcome!  

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

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Flowers of the Month - February 2015

Take 3 Flowers! - Red and Pink Roses with Green Foliage

2 February

I'm back with 'Flowers of the Month' - where I'm highlighting all the different flowers I have featured during the month of February.

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.

A Bunch for the Weekend - A Bunch of Parrot Tulips

7 February

Tiny Blooms - Snowdrops

9 February

A Bunch for the Weekend - Hot Pink Hyacinths

12 February

FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Happy Valentine's Day!

14 February

Take 3 Flowers! - White Chrysanthemums, Eucalyptus and Bear Grass

16 February

A Bunch for the Weekend - Pale Pink Cloni Ranunculus

21 February

Tiny Blooms - Pink Primula

23 February

FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Time for Bulbs!

25 February

A Bunch for the Weekend - Hot Pink Tulips in a Cup

27 February

I hope you have enjoyed the month of February with all the early spring flowers. 

Now there is definitely a feeling of spring in the air!

Here are a few links to last years 'Flowers of the Month' to enjoy: 

August Flowers 2014

September Flowers 2014

October Flowers 2014

November Flowers 2014

December Flowers 2014

Have a wonderful Floral Sunday! 

I will be back next month with another 'Flowers of the Month' - but before that I will see you again next week!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

Take 3 Flowers! - # 7 - White Chrysanthemum, Eucalyptus and bear grass

I've put together another blog post in the series 'Take 3 Flowers!'

In this blog series I will show you how to make easy but beautiful and stylish flower arrangements - just using three different flowers. Often one or more of the three will be some kind of foliage.

Using just three flowers will sometimes be a challenge - but it will also keep the cost down. Cut flowers can be expensive but foliage on the other hand tends to be cheep. You can use lots of it to help fill out the arrangement and to provide support and structure for the other flowers.

After working with a lot of very strong colours lately - I thought it would be nice to use something a bit more neutral. So I have made an arrangement using almost all white Chrysanthemums with two foliage plants. One of them is Eucalyptus that has beautiful silver grey round leaves and the other is a very plain dark green grass called Bear grass.

  

You'll need: 

-  7 stems of white spray Chrysanthemums

-  3 stems of Eucalyptus 

- a very small hand-full of Xerophyllum - also called Bear grass

- a plain white vase - in this case I have used a white Alvar Alto vase

- 2 small plain vases to make little side arrangements

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- florists snippers or scissors

- a florist bucket

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.

Cut the stems at an angle - to increase water absorption.  

Put in a clean container with tepid 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 also have to re-cut the stems while making the final arrangement to suit the size of the vase or container.

Start off with the Eucalyptus and arrange the branches along the edges of the container. Follow on with the Chrysanthemum also along the edges. Measure the flower stems against the side of the vase and estimate the height and where to make the final cut. Fill in with the final flowers in the middle. Last - pop in some of the grass throughout the arrangement to give it a bit of movement. 

Make two smaller arrangements with some of the left over flowers. Sometimes you have to cut the odd flower from low down on the stems and they are perfect to make small compact little arrangements to use next to the large arrangement or somewhere else in your home. 

As white is considered a neutral colour it will go with almost anything. So you can easily mix it with any green foliage - like here with silver-grey leaves; to mid green and dark green - as well as variegated leaves. If you have a garden - go out and see what you can find to use as foliage. Well, some of you might have to wait a little while if your garden is still covered with snow. Hopefully spring will soon arrive.....!

Have a Lovely Floral Monday!

See you later in the week!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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