Send a ray of sunshine through flowers

Planning your garden

I suggest the best way of going about this is to begin inside your house. Walk from room to room, deciding which room you will be sitting in most, and go to the window in that room from which you get the best view of the garden. If you really feel you will not see very much from the house, decide on the sitting area you will use most outside. Then take paper and pencil and make rough sketches of what you would like to see from these positions. Mark out exactly where you would like the flowers Logan situated, the shape of the borders, and so on. I know most books will tell you to start with a layout on graph paper, but I feel this comes later, for after all you don’t look down on trees, paths and lawns and I think it is important to try first of all to visualize your garden as you would eventually like to see it in its maturity.

Creating your Christmas Garland

Wreaths and crosses made with evergreens are normally assembled using traditional mossed frames, which can withstand considerable handling, but now that foam bases are increasingly available, the latter are also becoming common for these seasonal designs.

A point to remember when using foam bases is to insert the holly firmly. Added security is given if the sprigs of holly at vulnerable points are mounted with stub wires before insertion. Being able to create these kinds of arrangements is an important weapon in the arsenal of any good florist Tauranga and is an essential skill to possess at the festive time of year.

Glycerine

The most effective way to pre­serve foliage is to use a solu­tion of glycerine and water. This leaves foliage looking naturally moist and supple. Glyc­erine is also quite effective for preserving plants that become brittle when dry. Seedpods such as Chinese lanterns and flowers such as statice and baby's breath will benefit from this treatment. You can pur­chase glycerine from a chemi­cal supply company or a Bromsgrove flower shop that sells chemical products. Pick plants that are unblemished and have not begun to show signs of autumn color. Glycerine is not easily absorbed into new growth or by plants that are too mature; for this reason it is best to choose foliage in its midseason or peak. Glycerine tends to turn leaves a darker green and oc­casionally it turns them a won­derful burgundy color. For example, I placed leucothoe into a glycerine solution con­tainer and was delighted with the resulting rich bronze color.

Basic flower arranging shapes

When you study most flower arrangements, you will readily discern that they are based on a triangular shape. Even when an arrangement is quite casual and loose, the underlying structure is still usually the triangle.

The triangle is a simple design and once mastered will provide you with the basis for all sorts of beautiful arrangements. It consists of different flowers serving three separate functions.

First, choose a selection of flowers and foliage to form the basic outline of the arrangement.

Secondly, add your focal flowers toward the centre of the arrangement. These should form a focal point to which the eye is drawn and should basically step down from one flower to the next from top to bottom.


Finally, add smaller flowers to fill in between the focal flowers and the outline.

Practice with this basic shape until you feel confident with it and then experiment using it as a base only. You will soon develop your own individual ideas which will provide you with the style you are most happy with. In no time at all you will be thiking a flower delivery Middleton from your florist is a thing of the past!

Drying flowers

Perhaps it is a reflection on our own hectic lifestyles that we need lasting objects of natural beauty around us. The popularity of dried flowers and arrangements has remained constant for several years.


Dried materials have an ability to fit into any decor; larkspur, roses and gypsophila have a soft countryside appeal, while exotic pods and seed heads have a dramatic quality more suited to a modern decor. The dried flowers are available in a vast range of textures and forms and, with the introduction of improved dyes, many colours. Country garden pastels — pinks, creams and china blues — are being replaced in popularity by the rich tones of burgundies, forest green and velvety blues and purples.

Mixed bouquets or bunches are useful for those who wish to arrange at home, but many customers prefer to buy arrangements that have been designed to their particular requirements for their flower delivery King Estates. The use of fabric, freeze-dried, and the new-look paper flowers broadens the range and the appeal of the designs that a florist can now offer.

Dried Flowers

Flowers are usually dried using desiccants. Embedding the flowers in a granular, desiccating material is considered the best all around method to dry flowers. The flowers are covered with the desiccant ensuring that their shape is well maintained. Desiccant can be a little tricky to get hold of, but the local reseller of flowers Kennishead should be able to help you locate a supplier. If not, then there is always your friend google!

The figure-of-eight bow


There are many different methods of making a bow that a florist can master, but one of the most versatile is the figure-of-eight technique. To make this type of bow, cut a length of ribbon and hold it firmly between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand (reverse positions if you are left handed), with a short length forming the streamer. Fold the ribbon back and gather it with your thumb and forefinger, forming a loop, then repeat to make the second loop.

Make two further loops, checking that all are the same size, and secure all the loops together, either by binding a taped wire (all florists Bootle will have this to hand) at the centre, or by tying them with a length of similar, but narrow, ribbon. Neatly trim the streamers and open out the loops; the bow is now ready for use.

Rose Festivals

Of the scores of rose shows held each year, a few have become full-fledged festivals, complete with parades, queens and attendant hoopla. The largest of these is the 10-day Rose Festival staged every June in Portland, Oregon, a major commercial growing center that calls itself the "Rose City." Others are the September Festival of Roses in Wasco, heart of the central California rose industry, and the Texas Rose Festival, an October fixture in Tyler, Texas. The best-known event of all, Pasadena's Tournament of Roses, where the winners often send flowers St Mellons to people worldwide, provides fewer opportunities for the serious rose enthusiast, but is probably unmatched for its sheer display of blossoms, which cover the dozens of floats that wend their way through Pasadena streets on New Year's Day, prior to the Rose Bowl football game.

Wiring before Drying

Most flowers need a minimum of preparation before air­-drying. However, those with weak stems and heavy flower heads (such as roses, peonies, dahlias and strawflowers) will need wiring before drying. Clip the stems to about ½ inch from the flower and gently feed a length of 21-gauge Herald Square florists wire up the stem and into the head of the flower. Hide the wire by wrapping it with green floral tape or another stem. Make sure the wire is not sticking out of the flower's center; this will become more noticeable and unattractive as the flower dries.

Most air-dried flowers are hung upside down in bunches because the weight of the flower heads causes the stems to dry straight. Group together small bunches of spiky flowers, such as lavender or blue salvia, wrap with a rubber band, and hang to dry. The rubber band will tighten as the material be­gins to dry and shrink, which prevents the flowers from slip­ping out. Hang large, double flowers individually to make sure the blooms are not crushed. The bunches and individual flowers can be hung from a hook, wooden rod, rack, coat hanger or any other sturdy support.

Magical flower facts

Rose Remedies

Roses have figured prominently in many ancient home remedies, and even in black magic. Some people even chose to have these “magical” flowers delivered Rostrevor to help cure their ailment. For a sore mouth, a medieval doctor prescribed a hot potation made of ground rose petals and peppercorns. The Crusaders used a salve made of red roses to treat their battle wounds. Four pounds of roses went into a batch of ointment that, an 18th Century Englishman alleged, would relieve aches and strains in man or beast. Quite different powers were claimed for powdered rose petals and mustard seed mixed with the fat of a green woodpecker, according to a 12th Century English account. If a man applied this concoction to a neighbor's fruit trees, the recipe stated, it would stop them from bearing fruit forever.

Drying on the premises

Professional growers of dried flowers have temperature-controlled warehouses with dehumidifiers to speed up the drying process. In the florist’s shop, the same flowers and foliage can be air dried. The process is very simple, but it takes longer. Because it is so simple, many florists underestimate the potential that air drying has for even the smallest business. Materials dried ‘in house’ give the arrangements created a personal touch, and are a way of selling cut materials that have not proved popular when sold fresh.

So what is the best way to air dry? An area with a good circulation of air is required, out of direct sunlight. The ceiling area of a business meets these qualifications and generally provides an ideal place for drying flowers. Lengths of twine or binding wire can be strung across the ceiling so that bunches of flowers delivered Southland and foliage can be attached to it, upside down. As well as having a rustic charm, viewed from below, these attractive bunches of flowers, herbs and foliage will eventually serve a practical purpose.

Disbudding

While cutting helps maintain or increase the number of flowers Tarzana a rosebush bears, another technique can control the size of blossoms on hybrid teas and similar varieties. "Disbudding," which requires removal of all but the top flower buds on each stem, concentrates the plant's energy into the remaining buds. The results are fewer but much larger blooms. Disbud while the flower buds growing from the base of a leaf are still very small; about a quarter of an inch long. They are then so soft that you can snap them off with a finger without leaving an unsightly stub.

The Seasons

In every country, the seasons bring their own particular delights, but the florist is also aware of the multi-cultural and international associations with different seasons and can therefore satisfy, with a host of imported, ‘early’ or ‘late’ flowers, the requests of each and every customer.

Spring

When spring arrives, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and many other spring flowers have already been available for some months, but this is the season we associate with these flowers. Bright, cheerful colours in natural baskets are tempting and often the first choice for any flower delivery Finsbury at this time of year.


Early summer

Lilies of the valley, peonies, broom, cow parsley and achillea are just a few of the lovely summer flowers that we can expect to see now.

Storing Dried Flowers

To further preserve dried flow­ers (regardless of the drying method), spray them lightly with a dried flower preserva­tive. There are several commer­cial sprays made expressly for this purpose and can be found at a Chester Park flower shop. However, I find hairspray to be just as effec­tive. Dried berries and seed­pods can be dipped into a jar of shellac. Store your dried flowers, berries and seedpods in a dry, dark area. This helps them maintain their natural color. Some light is acceptable as long as it does not shine di­rectly on the dried flowers. To protect your dried flowers from excessive sunlight, store them in closed containers between layers of tissue paper. Label and date the individual boxes. Try to use the oldest materials first to ensure freshness.

Wedding flowers on a budget

You could use a floral headpiece as a substitute for the bouquet if you are on a tight budget. The floral headpiece can easily be used instead of a bouquet to throw into the crowd of expectant women. This sure is an unusual way to lend that personal touch to the ceremony and can be really inexpensive when compared to the cost of a bouquet. If you plan on wearing a veil, then flowers can still be incorporated into the design. Just ask your local florist to get the best advice on which flowers will look best with your colour scheme. Once you have decided on the arrangement you want, the florist can send flowers
Little Aston over to you.

Be Charitable

You can thank an organization called "Charity Flowers" for this great idea. This is something that offers a service (buying floral arrangements), makes someone happy (the recipient of the bouquet) but gives some (or all) of the profits to certain worthwhile charities. It’s not often you see a group of retailers get together like this to benefit someone other than themselves. Please check the next time you send flowers that a Llandaff Florist within this scheme has been designated to deliver your flowers. If you're unsure, please ask your florist if they contribute in this scheme, it really is a worthwhile cause.

Preserving the Beauty of Nature

At the end of the winter I look forward to the awakening of the garden. I de­light in the first signs of spring and the sight of each and every bulb, tree, shrub and flower. I eagerly anticipate the gathering of the first of many floral bouquets so that I may send flowers Tranmere to those I hold dear. However, this yearly ritual brings mixed feelings because in the best of circumstances, the cut flowers will last only a few days in water. If only they could last longer! Since the beginning of time, people have wished to preserve the beauty of nature throughout the long winter months.

In my quest to learn more about preserving flowers, I have met many people who have taken on the hobby of flower drying and who treat it as an art, sometimes devoting their full time to it. Most of the enthusiasts plant, grow, nurture, harvest and dry their own flowers and ultimately create wonderful displays.


It is estimated that 80 percent of flowers can be successfully dried and preserved. This was a surprise to me because I had always thought of dried flowers as everlastings. The term ever­lasting brings to mind an arrangement of life­less flowers in a limited range of beige, yellow and orange colors. But I have learned that the term is misleading.

Creating your Christmas Garland

Wreaths and crosses made with evergreens are normally assembled using traditional mossed frames, which can withstand considerable handling, but now that foam bases are increasingly available, the latter are also becoming common for these seasonal designs.

A point to remember when using foam bases is to insert the holly firmly. Added security is given if the sprigs of holly at vulnerable points are mounted with stub wires before insertion. Being able to create these kinds of arrangements is an important weapon in the arsenal of any good florist Alice and is an essential skill to possess at the festive time of year.

A downpour of tips for any Florist

Basing Formal Tributes

A formal tribute is the name given to a design in which the base is completely covered with flowers, foliage or mosses, and is finished with sprays or clusters. Several different terms are used to describe this covering technique, including massing, blocking, bedding and — the term we have chosen to use here — basing.


The skill of basing is to bond the flowers CBD Hobart and foliage together to give an even and uniform base while making sure that you retain the distinctive shape — a heart, cross, pillow or chaplet — of the tribute.

A Perfect Marriage

It is always tempting to choose the flowers for your garden by their appearance alone, but, as in choosing a spouse, you need to be aware of what is unseen before you take the plunge. The thousands of different garden species vary widely in their growth and blooming habits, and each has different needs that must be met in order to thrive. With their stunning photos, garden catalogs are fun and inspirational, and it takes a strong will to resist reaching for your checkbook when they arrive early in the winter. The descriptions tend to be enthusiastic, especially those for new cultivars that are just being introduced into the garden trade. Chances are, there is a Thames flowery delivery service near your residence. You will be much better off, however, if you wait to see a plant for yourself, or at least do some research on it, before you spend your money.

Show your gratitude

One of the most common sentiments behind floral gifts is gratitude, and flowers are ideal for expressing this. There aren’t really any definitive rules here; the most important thing is that they convey a sense of sincerity and perhaps feel like you’ve put some personal thought into your choice. A casually arranged selection of some complementary flowers of your choice should be fine. Pink carnations are traditionally the floral symbol of gratitude.

. . or your remorse


Flowers are the male weapon of choice for getting out of trouble. Whenever a guy forgets something important or makes a pig’s ear of something then the florist gets a call. Somehow a floral gift makes it almost impossible for anyone to hold a grudge for too long. Go for arrangements of delicate warm tones and put a bit of thought into an accompanying note. The note that accompanies your flower delivery Lichfield should be heartfelt and sincere.

Color Palette

Color is one of the most essen­tial elements in designing your garden. If you grow flowers of complementary colors, your dried flower arranging will be made easy. Many of the ever­lasting flowers (gomphrena, for example) have strong colors that need careful placement in the borders. Gomphrena 'Buddy', a lively royal purple flower that can be found in a Trafford Park flower shop, looks terrific when grown next to shades of pink, white or even the sunny yellow of coreopsis. Vibrant colors such as yellow and orange will bring warmth and excitement to your arrangements. Strong colors are certainly important in the gar­den and in dried arrangements.

But remember that white is also indispensable; it helps to create harmony among the other colors. The white Ammobium (winged everlasting) and Anaphalis (pearly everlasting), for example, complement the strong rose and crimson colors of Aster novae-belgii. White also brightens up both the gar­den and arrangements. You'll find that pink roses are beauti­ful in combination with the blue of lavender. Experiment with color combinations to find your favorites!

Basket case

These are useful for informal country-style floral designs and for arrangements that are going to be held, perhaps by a bridesmaid or a visiting dignitary. They come in rustic styles, varnished, stained, bleached or painted. Many of the rustic styles have moss, lavender or vines twined in and out of the basketry for decorative effect. Some of the newer baskets have raised floral patterns attached to them, which offer a whole new dimension to the flower arrangement. Many florists Windsor Village will carry a sizeable stock of baskets to ensure that they always have the correct basket for any given occasion.

Wedding costs

Just like the cost of everything else, the cost of having a wedding is skyrocketing. This is no surprise to anyone who has been recently involved in a wedding, and it is certainly no surprise to someone who is currently involved, in any way, with a wedding. If you are looking for ways to cut costs, one of the best ways is to do so by using silk flowers instead of real flowers for your wedding. Wedding flowers can start to get pricey, especially if you want to use roses, lilies, or flowers that are out of season. Having them arranged is also an expensive proposition if you go through a Springboig Florist.

My Favourite Flowers - Acanthus


This hardy perennial grows well in full sun or shade, making it a worthwhile plant for any fair-sized garden, with handsome foliage and tall flower spikes, purplish with distinct white under-petals.

Cultivation

Plant in a sunny or semi-shaded spot, from October to March. Any good garden soil is suitable. Cut the flower stems down to ground level after flowering. If you mess this up, just place an order with some local Kirkby florists!

Conditioning and preserving

Flower stems should be picked when the florets are open right up the stem: if picked with unopened buds, the stems tend to flop over and rarely recover. The stem ends should be dipped in boiling water followed by a long drink in deep cold water for several hours. Try as I may, I cannot get young leaves to hold up in water; better results can sometimes be achieved with mature leaves, if the stem ends are dipped in boiling water and then submerged completely in cold water, or, better still, a weak solution of starch.


The flower spikes dry well for winter use. I have found the most successful way is to allow them to dry off in the vase in which they are arranged. If this is not possible, they can be hung upside down to dry in a warm room.

Arranging

I love to use the long flower stems, but as these are generally around 1 m (3—4 ft) in height, they are only suitable for large arrangements, for cutting the stems short would destroy the beautiful proportions. They make an excellent background for a large group of mixed flowers in midsummer. The arrangement in the English delftware drug jar opposite page 79 is a very good example of how the rounded heads of agapanthus and hydrangea are enhanced by the pointed structural value of the acanthus spikes. Sadly, the beautifully decorative leaves do not last well in water.

Caring for spring flowers

When caring for spring flowers, it is useful to remember their natural flowering times. Spring can be a cold time of the year, and most spring flowers — especially the bulb flowers — will last longer if they are kept in the cool conditions of their natural habitat. Be aware, however, of those bulb flowers that need warmer conditions, such as amaryllis, which should not be refrigerated. Spring flowers need plenty of water, so buckets and vases will all need a regular topping up. Other problems can occur if wrappings are left on for too long, or are too tight.

Tulips, freesias and mimosa are particularly susceptible. Moisture on foliage and petals can lead to spotting, and moulds may thrive. Getting this right is fundamental for anyone starting out as Morganstown florist as no one can afford to lose stock through wastage.

Sport Roses

Climbing versions of hybrid tea roses, floribundas, grandifloras, polyanthas and even miniature roses are “sports,” or chance mutations, of standard types. They are generally similar to the bush types from which they are descended, but their canes are considerably longer, and they are usually slightly less hardy and flower less profusely.

A strain of hybrids introduced in the 1950s by the noted florist Long Island City Wilhelm Kordes has been developed into a superb new class called Kordesii. Most of these climbers grow only 6 to 12 feet high, and are extremely hardy, requiring no winter protection in most cold climates. They bloom profusely all season long, mostly in clusters and in the full range of rose colors.

There's more to Valentines Day than red roses

Basic flower arranging equipment

Secateurs and scissors


Sharp secateurs and a pair of short-bladed florist’s scissors are essential equipment and well worth investing in. Ordinary scissors tend to squash the stems of flowers.

Florist’s scissors are designed to make it easy to get right into an arrangement to snip off non-essential material. They can also be used for cutting thin wire and any flowers Longwell Green. A good pair of secateurs will be used constantly for gathering flowers and cutting woody branches from the garden.

Wire netting

A fairly pliable chicken wire with a large mesh, approximately 5 cm (2 inches) is useful. It can be bought in convenient lengths from hardware shops.

The beauty of wire as a base is that you will be able to achieve open, airy arrangements easily and can economise on the amount of material required. Keep the netting clean and dry when not in use. The amount you will need depends on the size and shape of vase you frequently use. Fold the netting into layers so that the holes overlap and stalks can be held in position at several levels. In a tall container you should aim to get four or five layers. In a shallow dish three to four layers should be enough. Once you have achieved the right shape for a particular vase, keep it only for that purpose. This avoids continuously bending and folding the wire which will crack the galvanizing causing the wire to rust and deteriorate rapidly. Place the netting so that the cut ends are at the top of the vase. They can then be twisted to clip around the rim or vase handle to hold the wire firmly in place.


To use wire in a glass container, make a tangle of netting to fill the upper third of the vase, hooking the cut ends over the rim of the glass. Then when you make your arrangement hide this with down-curving foliage.

If you are using a valuable china vase or silver container, either line it first with thick brown paper or try plastic coated wire netting to protect the surface from scratching.

For a wedding presentation

During the wedding reception, many newly married couples wish to thank their parents publicly. A basket of flowers and foliage is a perfect gift for several reasons: as the flowers and foliage are arranged in water-retaining foam, they will remain fresh throughout the reception, which is particularly useful if it is an evening function; a basket is also easy to present, carry and transport home. If the basket is to be a memento, suggest that it is returned to the shop and filled with fabric and dried flowers echoing those used in the bride’s bouquet. This is a lovely keepsake, especially for the bride’s mother, and can be incorporated when you have the flowers delivered Twickenham for the wedding.

Decorating your Packaging


There is no correct or incorrect way to decorate an acetate container. It is a matter of taste, and also of your customer’s particular likes and dislikes. Do not forget that he or she is the one paying for the design not the florist Jindalee.

When choosing a ribbon to decorate your cylinder, remember that there are now many that are specially designed for occasions such as Valentine’s Day or Christmas. The ribbon can often make preformed bows if you pull a cord.

The cylinders are simply enhanced by taking the ribbon around the tube and attaching it with sticky tape at the top and bottom. They are completed with a well-made bow of special ribbon, attached to the lid.

Do your homework on your florist

Although a professional flower stylist can enhance your special day with beautiful floral arrangements, the florist must know your style, criteria and budget. Many attributes must be carefully thought through before selecting a florist or flower shop. Carefully read through the information in this blog to save you time, money and unsatisfactory results from your delivery of flowers Mosspark. Florists are like any other profession - there are good ones, and there are bad ones. do your homework and make sure you end up with one of the good guys.

A Handtied Posy


Handtied bunches are a delightful way of giving flowers. The stems are clear of leaves and the flowers are arranged. All the recipient has to do is to re-cut the stem ends and place the flowers in a vase of water. Handtied bunches have always been part of the European florist’s repertoire; nearly every assistant in a florist’s shop will arrange flowers in the hand as they are bought, the stems having already been stripped of their leaves before they were placed on display.

Starting with one good strong stem, the other materials are added as the bunch is turned in the hand. This distributes the flowers evenly around the main stem, and forms a good all-round shape. The top of the design may be flat or domed, depending on the personal preference of the Pendlebury florist making the design. There is no correct method -- just different styles, chosen as appropriate.

Planting a Potted Rosebush

1. To plant a rosebush purchased in a tar-paper or metal pot, dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot and twice as deep as the height of the pot. Then fill the hole with soil mixed with fertilizer and peat moss until the pot, when set in the hole, has its own soil level even with the level of the ground.


2. After having watered the plant thoroughly (to make the soil adhere to the roots in one big lump), gently tip a tar-paper pot over far enough so that you can cut and peel away the bottom.


3. Place the pot in the hole, then cut the pot down both sides and pull it apart without disturbing the soil around the roots. (If the pot is metal, have it cut apart at the Historic Filipinotown flower shop and bound with twine; lift the plant out and set it in the hole.)



4. Fill the hole with soil, pressing it down to make it firm around the roots. Mold a trough about 1 ½ inches deep around the canes, then water until thoroughly soaked. Add 2 inches of coarse peat moss or other mulch to the soil surface around the plant.

Condition wild flowers

The most important point of all about getting wild flowers for arrangements — you must be sure to condition them as well as possible. I have mentioned that they should be placed in a polythene bag when first cut, then the re-cut ends put into very hot water. This is the same treatment as for garden flowers which do not stand well when cut. The boiling water technique may be used for a mixed collection of wild and garden flowers — hydrangeas, roses, dahlias, clematis, wild roses, cow parsley, willow herb and other wild flowers — treating them all the same. Place the end of the stems into an inch of boiling water, count up to thirty, and then stand them in cold water for several hours so that they may have a really long drink. You can also use this method of course when you have flowers delivered Glendale that need conditioning prior to being put into a vase.

Florist background

Ever wondered how your local Kenedy Florist is able to send out such wonderful blooms on your behalf? Well before they actually get to the florist, there is a whole wide range of steps taken in the cut flower market. By harvesting and handling a cut flower crop in the best way, the quality of the marketable product is greatly improved, and with better quality comes longer shelf life.

Tips for drying flowers

To keep your house full of flowers through the winter, dry your favourite blossoms in your microwave oven. Roses (including buds), geraniums, marigolds and zinnias dry well; impatiens and petunias don't. Whatever you use, cut the flowers late in the morning, after the dew has dried. And be aware that your dried flowers Schuylerville will come out a couple of shades darker; red roses become almost black, pink or coral ones become red.

Line a microwave-safe container with a bed of silica gel crystals (available at craft shops) and heat on High for 3 minutes to make sure the crystals are as dry as possible.

Pour 1 in / 25 mm of warm crystals into a heavy glass container wide enough to accommodate the flowers you're drying.


Snip each flower stem so that only 1in/25mm remains attached to the flower, then push the stem into the crystals so that the blossom stands upright.

Gradually pour the remaining warm crystals down the side of the glass until the blossom is completely covered.

Microwave on High for 1 minute 45 seconds for rosebuds, or up to 4 or 5 minutes for large, fleshy blooms. Experiment first with imperfect blossoms to judge the precise timing of the drying process.

Cool for 20 minutes, then gently pour off the crystals. Clean the flower petals carefully with a fine paintbrush, then mist lightly with an acrylic spray. Tape to florist's wire to make a new stem.

Flower fact brain dump

Consider Backgrounds

Flower arrangements are always seen against a background. It may be the sitting room wallpaper or the grey stone of a church wall. When choosing wallpaper, we always look to see if it will go with the carpet, for we know by experience that it might look perfect in the shop, but dreadful when we get home. In the same way, the eye registers the difference, or contrast, between an arrangement and its background, so the former must be brighter than the latter, to enable it to show up.


The background to an arrangement is already in situ, so we need to create a design of flowers Mackay that will be seen against it. This is quite easy in large buildings, such as churches, where the walls are of grey stone or white paint. It becomes difficult if the walls are brightly coloured or painted. In this case, try to find an alternative site for the arrangement. If this is not possible, use a colour that will contrast with the background.

Recession

This is the placement of flowers, foliage and perhaps ribbon bows on lower levels within design. To achieve recession, set back short-stemmed flowers, foliage or ribbons by placing them behind other materials. A design that lacks recession will appear hat and two-dimensional, whereas materials placed on lower levels attract and lead the eye into the design, creating visual balance. Short-stemmed materials also have the advantage of hiding the mechanics, giving he design an attractive finish while strengthening the profile. Check your next flower delivery Waitara meets these criteria before sending to the recipient.


Achieving recession

• Use open flowers (avoid buds) and bold foliage, which will fill in the design quickly.


• Use darker colours — their recessive quality will give greater visual depth.


• Remember to leave space around the materials, otherwise the design will appear packed and visually bottom-heavy.

Fake doesn't have to be second best

Some of the more traditional amongst you may scoff at the idea of using fake flowers, but it is a real and viable alternative in today’s world. Not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars on fresh flowers, or employ a florist to create unique arrangements. Fake flowers can look just as beautiful, and these days you can even spray them with a fragrance to complete the floral deception. I would wager that the majority of guests at the wedding would not even notice that the flowers were not fresh. Artificial flowers might even put your local Huntington Park florist out of business one day!

Wild roses

Try to pick them with a lot of buds as they will all open in water and last so much longer like this. They can be arranged in a basket and they also look well in a glass vase. Much wild material makes a splendid background for garden flowers so I often look for spikes of red dock, teasles, and bulirushes, while in the USA bittersweet and milkweed pods are invaluable allies. Old Man’s Beard, the wild clematis, is enormously effective in arrangements and can be preserved easily. You should treat it in the same way as beech leaves by placing the ends of the stems in a solution of one part glycerine to two parts of water. Leave them for several days until they change colour and go brown. While this all seems like hard work, and it is compared to having a flower delivery Paddington, the effort is certainly worthwhile when you see the results.

Bulbs at Work Underground

While all plants manufacture and store food to some degree, true bulbs, corms, rhizomes, tubers and tuberous roots accumulate enough nutrients to give them a head start on next season’s growth. Many true bulbs and corms, in fact, contain not only complete plants but enough food to nourish their blossoms and leaves through the blooming periods. That is why some bulbs, such as the autumn crocus, will flower on a shelf if you have neglected to plant them in time, and why some hyacinths and paper-white narcissuses will bloom if simply set in a bowl of moist pebbles. That is why anybody can get these bulbs to bloom once, with little or no effort. The flower is already there and so is the food for it. But bulbous plants will not flower again unless their leaves, which, as in all green plants, manufacture sugars and starches through the process of photosynthesis, have time to replenish the depleted food supply for the coming year. After the blooms have faded, the leaves must have a normal growing and ripening period in order to build up strength in the bulb for next year’s flowers. For this reason the foliage must never be cut until it has yellowed, a mistake all too many beginning Victoria Park florists make in an effort to keep things neat. Even after the foliage has completely withered, the bulbs are at work belowground, and whether they are dug up and stored or left to winter in the cold, they continue to undergo internal chemical change essential to growth and flowering.

Where to Plant Bulbs


The ease of concealing unkempt bulbs as they mature is one consideration in choosing sites for them. But to my mind it is more important to place the flowers Dudley where they can most readily be enjoyed. Spring bulbs will bloom while the temperatures still range in the 30’s and 40’s; at a time when I, for one, am not yet ready to stroll in the yard. So I put mine where I can see the flowers easily from the windows of the house. Plants bearing relatively large flowers (tulips and daffodils) may be planted some distance away and still be enjoyed. So may the little snowdrops, snowflakes, striped and Siberian squills, grape hyacinths and white crocuses, if they are planted in sufficiently large quantities and massed dramatically against a contrasting dark background such as a group of evergreens. But these little plants, as well as such colorful jewels as dwarf irises, spring meadow saffron and winter aconites, are equally appropriate in beds or borders near the front door where you and arriving guests can enjoy them at close range.

The Versatile Iris

Like the tiny crocus, the much larger and statelier iris was long prized for merits other than its beauty. As in many flowers Grangetown, the iris can be used for many different purposes. The Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III (1501-1447 B.C.) was intrigued by irises he saw dur­ing his conquest of Syria, and brought plants home with him, turning them over to his magicians and doctors to determine wheth­er they had any potential as a medicine or aphrodisiac. Precisely what Thutmose' experts found out we do not know, but for cen­turies Europeans consumed vast quantities of irisroot, not only as a cure-all but for masking bad breath and for keeping bed sheets smelling fresh. Infants teethed on chunks of it and grownups wore bits of it on strings around their necks, presumably to ward off ills. This latter custom became so popular that the two main centers of production, Paris and Livorno, together shipped 20 million iris root "beads" for necklaces every year. "Orrisroot"(another name for irisroot, most commonly the violet-scented root of Iris florentina) is still used today in toiletries and dentifrices.

Plastic and Metal containers

People are often fooled by plastic containers, picking up what they imagine to be a heavy ceramic pot, only to find they are holding a light-weight plastic, for these days the latter can have all the advantages of plastic with the good looks of china. Plastic containers of this type are not inexpensive, but they are likely to last much longer than their more breakable counterparts, and they come in a rainbow range of colours, and in many shapes, sizes and designs. Any good florist Gateacre will stock an array of these containers.

Metals

Copper cache-pots and brass containers from goblets to coal buckets, make lovely containers for flowers. The differing textures of the flowers and the shiny containers contrast and act as a foil for each other. Most pedestal stands designed for use .n churches, hotels or marquees are made from wrought iron, and containers of this type are both adaptable and functional.

Whatever your needs, there is a wealth of containers to enhance the beauty of flower and foliage materials.

Single and Double Sprays


This informal tribute uses materials on natural stems, which can be wired for support and control when necessary. The materials are arranged in a variety of bases, including moss foundations and, even more frequently, plastic spray trays. Foliage such as Tsuga pine or Abies grandis is used to create a good outline, and almost any combination of flowers might be used. Suggest this type of design to the customer who wishes to send a tribute as a token of sympathy, perhaps for a neighbour or a distant relative. These are perhaps my favourite of all the funeral tributes because it gives the florist a chance to use flowers Caldwell that are just beautiful.