[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1471633008692{margin-top: 10px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1471632072516{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text el_class=”text-left”]Everyone loves a beautiful floral arrangement. Whether we gather flowers from our gardens or from a store, here are a few tips for “photo-worthy” bouquets. Any space looks more welcoming and cheery with a green, healthy plant or colourful, fragrant floral bouquet. Follow these simple suggestions and you’ll have an award winning floral arrangement every time.
Cut blooms in the morning when it is cool. Immediately place them into water. Find a vase that showcases your chosen stems. Experiment with different shapes, sizes and colours. Stick to a palette of similar colours for a cohesive look. Always use odd numbers of blooms for a pleasing and natural look. Asymmetry is key to achieving a “wild, loose-looking” arrangement, if that is your desire.
Measure the length of your blooms with the outside of the vase and cut a second time on a 45 degree angle so flowers can easily absorb water. Use a sharp knife for cutting so you don’t damage the stems. Criss-cross cellophane tape over the mouth of your vase to create a supportive framework for stems. You may also wire stems for support or to bend flowers in your arrangement. Mix large, showy blooms with small, delicate flowers.
Follage should always be used to soften the arrangement and showcase the flowers. Remove any leaves that are below the waterline as leaves left in water will cause bacteria in the water. Keep follage lower than the flowers so flowers are the focal point. Make sure there is space between the flowers, as well. The space between the flowers is as important as the flowers, themselves.
Stand back and look at your arrangement from all angles. Work with it until you get something you like and is pleasing to your eye. Keep in mind where the arrangement will be placed so that it is an appropriate size and height. Change the water every day to preserve freshness. Keep flowers out of direct sunlight for longer lasting blooms. Flowers prefer cooler temperatures to extend their life.
Did you know the Dunnville Horticulture Society (DHS) gathers monthly, September – June. Relax for an evening, make some new friends, hear some excellent speakers, socialize and enjoy delicious refreshments. With a healthy 2016 membership of over 260 people, we are a vibrant gathering of men, women, singles, couples, young and middle-aged folks and empty nesters. Join us on Sept. 15, 7-9pm at the Optimist Hall, 101 Main St. E., Dunnville to hear about “Gardening in Drought Conditions” by Wendi Prior, Assistant Manager of Terra Nursery, Hamilton. Everyone is welcome, members and non-members alike. Doors open at 6:30pm.
For more information about DHS, call Debbie Thomas, President at (905) 774-3064 or Deb Zynomirski, Vice President at (416) 566-9337.
Sandi Marr is the Recording Secretary for the Dunnville Horticultural Society and can be reached at sandi.h@sympatico.ca[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”text-primary text-left”]Sandi Marr, DHS Reporting Secretary.
Sandi welcomes your questions and ideas for future gardening columns.
sandi.h@sympatico.ca[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]