Ideas for Displaying Fresh Flowers

With Spring comes warmer weather...

But the weather can be fickle. Warm, sunny days, then like today - it's overcast and quite cool. So, why not bring a little outdoors in with some fresh, sunny flowers?

One of the things I've always loved doing is "forcing" branches of flowers to bloom. It really, really works! You can do this with forsythia, cherry blossoms and flowering quince. I have done it with all 3 of these plants with great success.
Just cut some of the thinner branches off. These might be the ones that would need to be trimmed anyway, so you might as well enjoy them.

If it's a "woody" type of stem you need to bang on the stems at the end. Just take a mallet of some sort and pound them about an inch or so from the bottom. Helps them drink.

Tips for Keeping Fresh Flowers Fresh

- Trim the stems just before immersing in water so they will be open enough to drink. - Use a lighter to heat-seal stems of flowers with a milky sap. - Cut off leaves below water level. Those leaves start to smell quickly! - Change the water every couple of days or so. - Pinch off dead blooms; some flowers will continue to bloom if they have buds on them - Use a cork coaster to protect furniture. Just use double-sided adhesive to stick it to the bottom of your vessel.

Ideas for Vessels:

• Fish bowl (the small goldfish kind)
• Clear or colored glasses or jars
• Bottles - vintage ones would look especially nice
  
• Compote dish
• Jars
• Votive candle holders
  
• Egg cups
• Empty cans wrapped with pretty paper or fabric

Clear glass vases are always pretty; I love them just as they are. But if you want to make them even more special, fill them with marbles, pebbles or glass beads in the color of your choice. Anything that's waterproof can work!

I'd love to see your spring flowers! Send me a picture or a link and you may see it posted here.

Photo Credits:

Cherry blossoms in bloom. Photo by Tom Leighton

Glass Votive Vase from Neutral Dwelling

Egg Cups from Country Living