So last year I never planted any flowers and then I couldn’t believe it when no flowers grew. This year I knew better so I scattered wild flower seeds like there was no tomorrow and now: Badabing! Flowers everywhere for the past two months! Hundreds of butterflies, billions of bees. It’s absolutely gorgeous.
I love having flowers in the house but don’t like the air miles that most clock up so this is the perfect solution.
I’ve been arranging bunches all summer so here’s some tips from my Housewifes Handbook (actually quite a good book.)
-
Cut flowers in the morning before the dew has dried, or in the early evening.
-
Cut them using a sharp bladed knife or scissors or else you’ll blunt the stem
-
Place them all in a bucket of luke warm water for a few hours before arranging them
-
Strip off any leaves that will be below the water line
-
I always start by putting the greenery in first and building a frame. Then sticking in the ‘filler’ flowers, then the gorgeous big ones that will stand out. The damn book has no tips on actually arranging them.
-
Keep flowers in a draught free area, out of direct sunlight and not near a fruit bowl as fruit produces ethylene gas which ripens fruit but ages flowers.
-
Change the water every few days. Tada!
I’m not even sure what the wild flower mix had in it but so far I see tons of marigolds, sunflowers, dark purple poppies, borage, cornflowers, sweet pea and loads of other pretty stuff. I stick some lavender in with most of the posies just because it smells nice and I also use some herbs like sage leaves! I read that somewhere but can’t remember, it makes perfect sense though. Especially for flowers that will be on the kitchen table. So now you know what all the cool kids are up to nowadays; flower arranging.
Lilly x
Lilly Higgins: Food blogger, cookbook author and food photographer with a love for all things edible. Columnist with The Irish Times.
9 Responses to Wild Flower arranging is where it’s at…