Flowers From the Garden

Bringing the beauty from the garden indoors is a great way to enjoy our blossoms even more. In the extreme heat and dryness we are experiencing now we offer our cut flowers some relief from the heat and add color to our homes. Rather than spending money on a bouquet walk outside and start clipping. Here are some tips on how to arrange and care for your cuttings.

• Select a variety of containers and be creative. Even a small jar or a pretty water glass can serve as a vase.
  



• Decide where you would like to place them...kitchen, powder room, makeup vanity. Place them where you will see them often and get the most enjoyment from their freshness.




• Use a basket to collect your clippings and get them out of the heat as soon as possible.




• Don't be concerned about color coordinating...the mix of colors yellow, orange, purple, red, pink, periwinkle, white will make a natural and lovely bouquet.




• Utilize greens like ferns, herbs and grasses to fill in around the flowers.




• Fill your containers with luke warm water....cold or hot water will shock the stem.




• Extend the life of your stems by adding a solution to the water to help the flowers to draw in the water and prevent bacteria.




• Here is one solution you can easily make: Add 2 ounces Listerine mouthwash per gallon of water. Listerine contains sucrose (food) and a bactericide. Listerine is acidic and is said help water move up the cut stem.




• Recut the stems once again using a sharp knife on a diagonal to expose more area to draw in the water and nutrients.




• Arrange your flowers appropriately for the space you will be displaying them....keeping in mind what direction you will be seeing them from. Some arrangements will be one-sided and others all-sided. Add the height to the center and lower to the front and sides.




• Place them in the coolest area of the room where they will be out of direct sunlight.




• Change the water after 2-3 days and be sure to recut the stems as before.

"Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day--like writing a poem or saying a prayer. -- Anne Morrow Lindberg

Cultivate Individuality

Celeste Jackson