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

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I'm featuring a large mixed bouquet of British grown summer flowers.

All the flowers are from - Yes, you've guessed it! - Forever Green Flower Company. Cel has expanded her range of flowers this season and doubled her production with exiting new varieties.

And - no, she's not paying me to feature her flowers or provide me with free flowers - I just love what she does.

HOW TO:

You'll need:

- a mixed bunch of all kinds of different summer flowers - here are some of the flowers I have used - dark almost black Cornflowers, small white Gladiolus, purple Nepeta, lime-green Alchemilla mollis, bright pink Corn Cockle and white double Feverfew. 

- a very large clear glass vase or jar - in this case I have used an oversized vintage pickling jar. 

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:

I arranged this bunch straight in the vase - so I didn't use any fancy handtied or spiralled arrangements.

All the stems were quite long so I chose a container that was in proportion to the length of the stems and amount of flowers - as I wanted a tall, open arrangement that looked a little 'wild'. 

I started with the bigger flowers and then filled in with the Alchemilla mollis and the Feverfew - using them a little bit like foliage.

I feel summer is finally here with all it's delightful flowers and life feels just that little bit easier. 

Enjoy your flower arranging! 

Have a Great Floral Saturday and a Happy Weekend!

I will see you next week with a 'Flowers of the Month' - after that I'm taking the month of July off to work on our house and garden - but I will be back in August with more Do-It-Yourself flowers from 'Of Spring and Summer'.

In the meantime I would like to wish you a wonderful summer holiday!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson - Of Spring and Summer]
[Flowers from Forever Green Flower Company.]

You can also find me on:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

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

FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Happy Midsummer!

It's the longest day of the year and Titti and I would like to wish you all a Happy Midsummer!

This is a summer bouquet with all British flowers and they are all grown by the lovely Cel Robertson on her flower farm Forever Green Flower Company in Norfolk. 

I met Cel at my local farmers' market and I buy her beautiful flowers almost every week from her stall in North West London.

It's a simple mix of summer flowers put together to look like its just picked from a country garden.

Around the neck of a plain glass vase I have tied a handful of raffia as a simple decoration to go with the country theme. 

It has a combination of blue Cornflowers, large Daisies, pink Gladiolus italicus, grasses with lovely seed-heads and lime green Alchemilla mollis. 

A perfect combination to celebrate the longest day of the year and Midsummer!

Titti Malmberg - my lovely Swedish based collaborator - who I work alongside on FLOWERS - also has a new post on her blog HWIT BLOGG - so please follow the link and go over and see what she has created.

Titti and I are taking a break over the summer and we will be back with more FLOWERS in August. 

Have a Very Happy Midsummer!

I'll see you later in the week with more flowers from 
'Of Spring and Summer'. 

~ xoxo ~ 

Ingrid

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

[Flowers from Forever Green Flower Company.]

You can also find me on:

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

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

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

Florets - Floral Quote - # 65 - by Vic Brotherson

" In the shop, if a vase with yellow roses is accidentally sat alongside a jug of white stock and a jar of pinks my heart will sink. On the other hand, if a bucket of lilacs is sat beside a bunch of magnolias the day will surely be good. When buying flowers it is easiest to set a palette and carry it through the house, this way you can always change your mind on what goes where. In many homes the backdrop is neutral, with accents of colour coming from fabric, art or flowers, and this makes the job of sticking to a colour theme much easier. Of course, colour is subjective (I struggle with red) but ultimately colour is there to be explored."

~ Vic Brotherson ~

[Vic Brotherson: Florist and founder of the flower shop Scarlet and Violet; author of two books Vintage Flowers and Vintage Wedding Flowers.]

[Quote from: Vintage Flowers by Vic Brotherson.]

[Flowers: Allium 'Purple Sensation', Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant', cornflowers and Nigella.]

[All flowers from Forever Green Flower Company.]

[Vase: Swedish vintage ceramic vase from 1930's.]

[Other props: Painted wooden board, vintage French linen sheet and purple table place mat.]

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

Have a Lovely Floral Sunday!

See you next week!

oxox Ingrid