Tag Archives: arranging flowers

Fresh Entry

Posted in Fancy Pants Ranch, Happiness, Stuff I Would Cook or Make by

A few days ago, I posted about how much I loved lavender and wanted to get a plant of my own.

After striking out at the first garden store I visited, I hit the jackpot at Home Depot.

They had two varieties, “Munstead” and “English Lavender.” I got both (on sale! Hooray for the July clearance on plants!), plus some peppermint.

MGM and Trixie were with me, and they each got to pick out a flowering plant.

New plants meant we needed a few extra pots, since we’re woefully short on gardening supplies at Fancy Pants Ranch.

We eventually got them situated and placed them near the front door of our house.

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The new plants made the doormat seem kind of dingy, so the next day I got this one at Target:

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(My toes strategically placed for artistic effect). 

Seriously, this was only $12.99 and made a big impact! Note to self: buy a new doormat more often, like before the old one disintegrates.

I also went back to Garden Store #1 and got one more big glazed pot for the yellow flowers that MGM selected.

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Here’s the end result:

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And a close up of our turtle family:

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Come on in!

 

 

 

 

 

How to Make Flowers Last

Posted in Cool Stuff, Stuff I Would Cook or Make by

On occasions when I’m fortunate enough to receive flowers, I often (woefully) neglect them to the point of desiccation or to where the water in the vase becomes toxic sludge.

These tips for making cut flowers last are helpful:

  • Start with fresh blooms. Gently squeeze the flower head; it should be quite firm and tightly closed. Check the stems and avoid anything slimy. Ick!
  • Choose long stemmed flowers over short. A long stem means a flower has had enough time to grow. Even if you ultimately want a short arrangement, start long and cut to size.
  • Make a fresh 45-degree cut to help flowers soak up water.
  • Remove all leaves that could be underwater. Otherwise they’ll be bacteria magnets and shorten the life of your bouquet.
  • Re-hydrate. If you’re making your own arrangement and have time, soak them for several hours in fresh water.
  • Use the flower food provided. Just follow the directions on the packet. (I am totally guilty of not doing this. Ever).
  • Change the water ever 1-2 days. Add a small amount of flower food with the fresh water.
  • Advanced tip: For droopy tulips, poke a pin through the stem just below the flower’s head. This will facilitate the flow of water and allow air to escape. (Thanks to Martha Stewart Living for that last tip).

Here’s a lesson from Martha on making floral arrangements and another from Real Simple magazine.