Welcome Spring with Flowers

Hello Darlings, spring is blazing with beautiful flowers of every scent and color.

There is no better way to welcome the fresh new season than to gather the tall branches of forsythia and arrange the sunshine yellow flowers in a high cylindrical vase.  The longer the branches, the better for a dramatic arrangement- especially in an entry or large room with high ceiling.

The art of arranging flowers in the most perfect way, according to the type of flowers and the proper vase or container, was part of an education for young ladies in refinement during the Victorian era, and still is in the elite “Finishing Schools”

It has been reported this was a favorite class of Princess Diana, when she attended a very posh “Finishing School” in Switzerland during her teen age years.

One of the most important bits of information is knowing how to choose the correct vase or vessel for the different types of flowers.

While the cylindrical vase is best for tall branches, a bottle type vase is best for flowers or leaves with thin stems. Think lilies of the valley, sweet peas or violets for a few.

Roses, carnations, peonies and chrysanthemums have sturdy fibrous stems, so floral foam is best to hold flowers in place.

The floral foam must be soaked for an hour before using. Make sure it is saturated.

Tulips are a favorite of my mine.  Did you know that tulips keep growing even after cutting the graceful flower? This makes the arrangement shift if one does not stop the growing process.  This is done by placing a straight pin through the bottom of each stem, thus the lack of water stops the growing process.

A crosshatch technique is great for arranging tulips, as it keeps the stems straight. Simply place scotch tape in sections over the top of the vase and secure it around the edge with more tape.

Bring beautiful flowers into the house because it adds charm and that special touch of class. Placed by the bed side, the scent of such beauties is one of life’s great pleasures.