Homemade flower arrangements
This time of year, your garden has a great array of foliage and flowers. So, whether you are picking from the garden, balcony, allotment or hedgerows, I say, just go for it!
A few tips for making arrangements at home:
Use any vessel that is water tight, get creative!
Try chicken wire made into a dome in the base of your vessel. This will help you to arrange your flowers and give a little more structure.
Pick what you find: berries, seed heads, short stemmed flowers, they can all be used if you get creative
When using cut Flowers, here are some tips on how to give your blooms some staying power
It may sound obvious, but start with a clean vessel. Wash with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly to kill any bacteria that will ruin your posy.
Always cut your stems. Before you put your new flowers in water, cut the stems this helps the flowers to take up water again. I always cut at different heights to give the arrangement interest.
Dip any strong stems like roses or hydrangeas in boiling water for a second before putting them in your vase.
Remove any leaves that will sit below the waterline.
Just a spoonful of sugar stirred into the water gives your blooms the sugar rush to perk them up.
A little tipple; giving your blooms a shot of vodka stops any nasties from growing in the water.
Lastly position your flowers away from chilling drafts, direct sun spots and your fruit bowl.