Floral arranging
Here are my top 5 tips for keeping flowers fresh longer:
WATER: This is the most important factor in flower care!
Water Level: Flowers drink water and need to have stems submerged in water. Make sure all items are in the water! Check the water level daily.
Water Temperature: Most flowers like warm/hot water. That’s right… not cold!
Water Freshness: Just like you, flowers like clean water. As they decay, the water will get dirty. Change water every 1-2 days. Add flower preservatives or 1-3 drops of bleach to keep the water clean longer. Remember, warm / hot water!
TEMPERATURE: Hot water + cool environments.
As mentioned above, flowers need the warmest tap water (not boiling) with every water change.
Keep out of direct sunlight or heat. Cool, shaded environments are best.
RE-CUT STEMS: Give them a trim!
The shorter the flower is, the longer it will last.
With every water change, cut the flower stem about 1/4 ”at an angle!
PICK LONG-LASTING FLOWERS: Every flower has a different life span.
Short Life: anemones, irises, stock
Long Life: daisies, carnations, greenery, filler flowers, lilies
Hydrangeas, roses, and peonies are somewhere in the middle!
KNOW YOUR FLOWER: Every flower requires different care!
Hydrangea: These big beauties are temperamental. When they start to wilt, immediately re-cut and place in hot water to revive.
Roses: Short roses last very long! Strip the leaves and thorns and place them in hot water.
Tulips: There were groves! If there was a will, then Grove & Move would be Blow Open. The floor temperature should be bagworm and note hot.
Weddings & Flowers During COVID-19
Fortunately, most of these weddings have been postponed to our slow season in July-September. If there is a silver lining, this is it. Our slow summer season will now be our busy season and our busy spring season will now be our slow season. Hurricane season better chills out.
Unfortunately for those brides with weddings this weekend, I was unable to cancel their fresh flower order. Everything had already arrived on Monday. We worked together and came up with a game plan so that they could still enjoy their flowers this week.
Additionally, all in-person consultations have been canceled from now until mid-April. To replace in-person consultations, I am offering phone consultations. If you’d like to schedule a phone consultation, please click HERE and follow the prompts.
Personally, I was struggling a bit earlier in the week. My dog of 13 years passed away on Tuesday and my kids are now home 24/7. It’s hard going through personal grief and a crisis all in a couple of days. However, I’m a strong, driven person and I allowed myself to grieve for a little while and now I’m back to problem-solving and getting the job done.
Professionally, I am surviving with ease. Sadly, my employees had to be temporarily laid off and my contract employees are not getting any work. Remember that silver lining I mentioned? My employees will get hours and work they would not normally get during the slow season to make up for the loss we are experiencing. I have a great support system from my husband and family. that’s the plus side to a family business in my mom’s backyard that’s been going strong for 20+ years!
I will also be the primary caregiver and teacher to my daughters while my husband works. No rest for pharmacists or mommas! A few hours of each weekday will be dedicated to assisting customers, creating proposals, and all that other boring business stuff. The rest of my time will be spent teaching kids and trying to stick to a routine to salvage all of our sanity.
If your in-person consultation was canceled and you would like to book our services, please let me know as soon as possible. We will have limited availability during the fall season and into the spring of 2021 as some of our events are being postponed to these dates. This applies to those that would like to book our services and haven’t met with me yet.
How to Arrange Flowers
Materials:
⦁ Flowers of choice
⦁ Vase
⦁ Shears
⦁ Thorn stripper
⦁ Water
⦁ Preservative solution or bleach
⦁ Tape (optional)
Instructions:
⦁ Select your flowers. In-season blooms will be less expensive and feel right for the time of year. Other varieties, such as roses and orchids, are available year-round.
⦁ Create a mix of complementary colors and varieties or choose one shade or variety. Don’t forget to add greenery for texture and color.
⦁ Choose your vase based on the type of flowers you plan to use and the size and style of arrangement you want to create.
⦁ Cut the stems at an angle about an inch from the bottom using garden shears. (You may need to cut them shorter depending on the vase.) Remove any leaves that will sit below the water level of the vase.
⦁ Pour water into the vase. If your flowers came with a preservative solution, add them now. If you don’t have any, you can use a few drops of bleach to kill off any bacteria and keep the flowers fresh.
⦁ Start by adding the largest flowers first, working in a circle, and turning the vase as you go to make sure the arrangement is symmetrical.
⦁ Layer in the next variety of flowers and repeat until all flowers have been added.
⦁ Finish the arrangement by adding greenery, grasses, or berries.
How to Create Floral Arrangements in a Bouquet
Simple Assorted Bouquet
Flowers Used:
⦁ Purple dahlias
⦁ White button poms
⦁ Earl Grey roses
⦁ Greenery: Ruscus
The Bouqs’ Tips:
⦁ As a rule, make your bouquet about one and a half times taller than its container. You should also balance the width and the height.
⦁ Remove any thorns or leaves from flowers. This will prevent harmful bacteria from entering the water and reduce their lifespan.
⦁ To help roses open more quickly, blow into the center of the bud. This allows the rose to breathe and extends the width of the bloom.
⦁ Keep flowers away from sunlight and heating vents.
⦁ Recut the stems and add water daily.
