Journal

How to make your flowers go further

Do you ever get frustrated when a bunch of flowers has faded when only some of the flowers are actually dead. Somehow those faded, droopy flowers make everything else in the vase look awful.

This is how I revamp tired looking flower displays and create something new which will look beautiful for a few more days.

Salvaging what is good.

There is no point in putting half dead flowers into another display as they will not last long. You also do not want to damage any of the flowers taking them out of your arrangement.

• Take the whole bunch out of the vase and put it on a work surface.
• Carefully take out any stems that you want to preserve and give them a gentle shake to make sure that they won't disintegrate. The orange tulips in the photo look fine but they lost their petals as soon as I moved them.
• Throw all the finished flowers into the compost bin and then decide what you can do with the ones you have left over.

Try a new kind of arrangement

Look on it as a chance to try a different kind of arrangement. If they are great blowsy flowers like the Spring Green tulips here it is a wonderful chance to cut the stems short and have a low, blowsy arrangement.

• Often people are reluctant cut flowers short as it seems such a waste of stem - now is a chance to have a different kind of arrangement!
• Cut the stems to the correct length.
• Pour just boiled water into a jug and sear the stem ends fora few seconds and then put in luke warm water to rest before arranging.

Another kind of arrangement which works well when you are revamping a tired bouquet is a series of old bottles.

• Collect together an odd number of small bottles - old glass or stoneware bottles are perfect.
• Cut the flower stems to different heights.
• Sear the stem ends of the flowers.
• Place the stems in the bottles - one in some, 2 or 3 in others.
• Arrange the bottles in a group.

If you enjoyed this post you might enjoy reading about creating a windowsill nature table.

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