Five Books To Learn Flower Arranging

Over the years I’ve gathered quite a collection of books about flowers. My biggest section would be on the language of flowers, the next would be on flower arranging. Here are five suggestions for flower arranging books that will not only help you learn how to arrange flowers, but are also beautiful books just to look at. Links to all books included:

The Judith Blacklock Encyclopedia of Flower Design - Judith Blacklock

• The essential ‘how to’ manual for everyone interested in flowers and floral art.

Decorating With Flowers - Paula Pryke

• Classic and contemporary arrangements

Simple Flower Arranging - Mark Welford and Stephen Wicks

• Step-by-step designs and techniques

The Flower Recipe Book - Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo of Studio Choo

• 100 magical, sculptural, seasonal arrangements

Fresh Flower Arranging - Mark Welford and Stephen Wicks

• Step-by-step designs for home, weddings, and gifts

Six Things You Need To Know

Here’s something interesting to think about. Flowers are often seen as something for special occasions. But scientific studies have proven over and over that flowers make us happier and healthier. So why are they not something we have in our lives on a regular basis?

Here are six ways flowers have a positive impact on our lives.

1 – Mood:

Flowers boost our mood: Instinct tells us that flowers make us happy. Scientific studies have proven it. We can literally change our mood or someone else’s with fresh flowers. When you see flowers, the positive effect on your happiness is immediate. Your spirits will be lifted, and that in turn will improve your mental and emotional well-being for the rest of the day.

 2 – Environment:

Flowers brighten our environment: It’s scientifically known that adding flowers to an interior promotes well-being. Flowers brighten up a space, creating a more positive atmosphere, making it more welcoming. Think of flowers as a form of natural art.

3 – Anxiety: 

Flowers decrease our anxiety: In a life that moves at a frantic pace, flowers provide a moment of calm. Studies show that the presence of flowers can decrease anxiety, making them a must-have at home, work and in the classroom.

 4 – Sleep:

Flowers improve our sleep: Some of us struggle with sleep every night and some just occasionally, but either way there are things you can do to improve your chances of having a good night’s sleep. Something as simple as having the right flowers in your bedroom can make a difference.

5 – Productivity:

Flowers increase our productivity: Whether you work from home, in a small business or the corner office of a big corporation, research has shown that employees’ creative performance, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking improves when there are flowers in the environment.

6 – Memory:

Flowers strengthen our memory: Flowers, with their vibrant colours and fragrant scents, can conjure memories more than other objects. The memory of the sweet scent of flowers can cause a powerful emotional reaction. Creating these moments in childhood will strengthen your memory when you’re older.

Addtional Information:

If you’d like to read more about how flowers have a positive impact on our lives, here are links to some of my previous blog posts:

Calm Down - How Flowers Can Help

Five Ways You Can Use Flowers To Boost Your Mood

Happy And Healthy At Work With Flowers

Meaningful Flowers for October Birthdays

If you know someone with a birthday in October and want to give them some flowers, no matter what flowers you give them, they’re going to be well received. But why not make your gift extra special by choosing flowers with a meaningful message.

Here is some information specifically related to the month of October:

Birth Month Flowers: 

Cosmos - Harmony

Marigold - Affection

Zodiac: 

Libra (September 22 - October 22) Rose - Love

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) Geranium - Friendship

Birthstone: 

Opal - Various colours

Seasonal Flowers:

Alstroemeria - Devotion/Friendship

Borage - Courage

Camellia - My destiny is in your hands

Chrysanthemum - Cheerfulness

Personal touch:

Consider the person you’re giving the flowers to. Try adding into your bouquet, their favourite flower or flowers in their favourite colour. 

To note:

You don’t need to include all of these suggestions. Pick what works for the message you want to send, and you’ll have created a unique and meaningful gift for that lucky October birthday person. 

Six Fragrant, Flowering Houseplants (And Their Meanings)

There’s nothing better than a vase of fresh flowers to brighten your environment.  But a close second is a flowering plant. As we head into autumn with colder, darker days, a flowering plant or two makes a great addition to your home. And a fragrant flowering plant is even better. 

I’ve chosen six fragrant, flowering plants that will fill your home with visual and scented beauty this autumn season.

Jasmine - Elegance/Grace:

Jasmine’s pretty white star-shaped flowers have quite an exotic fragrance. You can let the vines grow long, or train them around a wire ring or trellis.

Gardenia - Joy/Love/Peace/You are lovely:

A gardenia plant has gorgeous, shiny dark green leaves. They’re the perfect backdrop for their  intensely fragrant rose-like white blooms.

Miniature rose - Love: 

Miniature roses come in a variety of colours. Their sweet-perfuming smell is sure to remind you of a warm summer's day out in the garden.

Scented Geranium - Friendship:

Some varieties of geraniums are scented, while others aren’t. To fill your home with a citrusy-floral scent, make sure you check the one you are getting is fragrant.

Lavender - Devotion:

We’re all familiar with lavender growing in the garden, but a pot of lavender will grow well indoors as well. I suggest choosing English lavender as it has a stronger fragrance.

Orchid - Refined beauty:

Orchids come in a number of different varieties and colours, but not all are fragrant. Each variety that is fragrant, has its own unique scent. Speak to your knowledgeable, local florist for guidance in choosing one with a scent that suits you.

If you have any suggestions for fragrant, flowering houseplants, I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

How to Easily Create A Beautiful Autumn Floral Arrangement

After all the floral beauty in spring and summer, you may think autumn is a difficult time for flower arranging. But that’s not the case. Autumn’s bounty provides plenty for you to work with to create a beautiful floral arrangement with ease. 

Colour: 

Start by choosing colours in rich hues that naturally appear at this time of year to give your arrangement an autumnal feel. Once you are comfortable with that, add in your own personal touches. In my case that would be a touch of pink.

• Rustic red

• Burnt orange

• Golden yellow

• Forest green

• Deep purple

Flowers: 

Continue using flowers that appear year round - alstroemeria, carnations, gerberas, lilies, roses  - but also use flowers more specific to this time of year. 

• Amaranthus

• Asters

• Celosia

• Chrysanthemums

• Dahlias

• Marigolds

• Zinnias

• Sunflowers

Add-ins: 

This part is lots of fun! Go on a treasure hunt in your neighbourhood to collect seasonal add-ins for your arrangement. Focus on the textures of autumn. 

• Berries

• Branches

• Pine cones

• Wheat

Vessel: 

Focus on a more natural looking container during this time of year.

• Baskets

• Burlap wrapped vases

• Pottery

Have fun creating and recreating arrangements throughout the season, bringing in different aspects that reflect the changes in nature throughout the months.

Thoughts Of Absent Friends

I read recently that this summer there was a big increase in the number of people who started growing zinnias. I found this interesting, as I fell into that category. While I am not a gardener at all, this year I did have a little plot in a community garden - and I did try growing zinnias.

At first I wasn’t going to grow any because they tend to come in big, bold colours and I prefer pastel colours, but the meaning of zinnias won me over - ‘thoughts of absent friends’. I’m sure most people who started growing zinnias this year wouldn't have known that, but I like the fact that in a time when we’ve been separated from so many friends, the flower with the meaning ‘thoughts of absent friends’ is the one people were attracted to.

I was really pleased I did decide to go ahead and plant the zinnia seeds. They were super easy to care for and flowered abundantly. But the best surprise was how long they last after they’re cut and put in a vase. They still look great even after three or four weeks.

And it turns out I’m wrong about them only coming in bright colours. Flower breeders now have gorgeous pastel coloured varieties. Click HERE  to take a look at some of the options Floret Farm grows.

Next year, why don’t you try growing a few zinnias in a pot or in your garden. Or support a local flower farmer or your neighbourhood florist by buying a bunch or two. And then while basking in their beauty, spend time thinking of your friends.

Meaningful Flowers For September Birthdays

If you know someone with a birthday in September and want to give them some flowers, no matter what flowers you give them, they’re going to be well received. But why not make your gift extra special by choosing flowers with a meaningful message.

Here is some information specifically related to the month of September:

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Birth Month Flower/s: 

Flower: Aster         Meaning: Patience

Flower: Morning glory         Meaning: Affection

Zodiac: 

Sign: Virgo                   Date: August 23 - September 22

Flower: Buttercup         Meaning: Cheerfulness

Sign: Libra         Date: September 23 - October 22

Flower: Rose                 Meaning: Love

Birthstone: 

Stone: Sapphire                     Colour: Blue

Seasonal Flowers:

Flower:        Meaning:

Aster        Patience

Chrysanthemum Cheerfulness

Dahlia        Dignity/Elegance

Phlox         Agreement

Yarrow         Healing

Personal touch:

Consider the person you are giving the flowers to. Try adding into your bouquet their favourite flower or flowers in their favourite colour. 

To note: You don’t need to include all of these suggestions. Pick what works for the message you want to send, and you’ll have created a unique and meaningful gift for that lucky September birthday person.

Top Tips For Arranging Sunflowers

Sunflowers have the amazing ability to make it seem like the sun is shining right inside our own home. While it’s great to have these beauties beaming their happiness at us, they can be a little bit tricky to arrange, so here are a few tips to help. 

Basic tips for arranging sunflowers:

• First, make sure you follow the routine for basic flower care. You can find that in my article ‘My Top Tips for Flower Care’.

• Choose the right size vase. Sunflowers tend to be top heavy so you need a vase that won’t tip over from the weight. Choose vases with a wider base and a cinched neck. Pitchers are a good choice.

• When arranging sunflowers stagger the stem heights. This will allow you to see the face of each flower better.

• As the leaves and petals fade, remove them. This will extend vase life.

Four ways to arrange sunflowers:

• On their own: Add marbles to the bottom of the vase to help hold the stems in place.

• Mix with greenery: Choose sturdy greenery to add support to the sunflowers. Salal and eucalyptus work well.

• Make a monochromatic arrangement: Choose flowers in various shades of yellow. Good choices are snapdragons, gerberas, chrysanthemums, lilies, and goldenrod.

• Mix sunflowers with other coloured flowers: White and blue flowers work especially well. Try delphiniums, hydrangeas, lisianthus, and lilies. 

Now a few interesting things about sunflowers:

• Sunflowers are the flower for the zodiac sign Leo.

• A single sunflower can yield up to 1,000 seeds.

• When growing, the sunflower’s face follows the sun throughout the day from east to west.

• The meaning for sunflower in the language of flowers is adoration.

Dahlias - Easy Care Tips to Lengthen Their Vase Life

It’s dahlia season! These vibrant beauties are abundant during August, September, and even into October. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours making them a favourite flower choice to use in bouquets and arrangements. While known for having a relatively short vase life (3-4 days), there are easy things you can do to make them last longer.

Follow these steps and you’re sure to find success:

1 - Fill a vase with warm water. Dahlia stems are hollow, so getting water into them quickly is very important. Warm water will flow into the stems faster than cool water, and that in turn will prolong the dahlias' vase-life.

2 - Clean all the leaves off the stem that would sit below the water line. Then, holding the stem under the water, use a sharp knife to cut about 1 inch off the bottom. If you cut the stem at an angle it will give a larger surface area from which to absorb water.

3 - As much as you can, keep your vase of dahlias in a cool place. This means away from direct sunlight, heating vents and any warm appliances. If you’ll be using them as a centrepiece for a dinner party or event, keep them in a cool room for as long as possible before placing them on display.

4 - Change the water every day. Fresh, clean water will make a huge difference in how long your dahlias will last. 

5 - Dahlias can be a bit top heavy. They seem to last a bit better if the flower bloom is supported by other blooms. Experiment a bit when arranging them and see what you think works best.

Follow these tips and you’re sure to enjoy your spectacular dahlia blooms for days on end. Now I’m off to buy some dahlias …

Of special note: As mentioned, dahlias come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and not all varieties will last the same amount of time. Tighter, more compact varieties like ‘pom-pom dahlias’, will last longer than the big ‘dinner plate’ varieties like ‘café au lait’. 

PS: In the language of flowers dahlias have the meanings of dignity and elegance.

Amaranth - A Must Read

Last week I came across a great article in the Guardian titled: “It Could Feed the World: Amaranth, a Health Trend 8,000 Years Old that Survived Colonization”. I was so intrigued.

The only things I really knew about amaranth before I read the article were how it has a unique appearance that adds interest to a bouquet, and sometimes it’s referred to as ‘Love-lies-bleeding’. Not the nicest sounding name, but somehow it does suit the look of the flower.

But after reading this article, I’m looking at amaranth in a whole new light. I’ve learned that amaranths are very nutritious. They’re full of vitamins and minerals with every part of the plant  - flowers, stems, leaves and seeds - all being edible.

But that’s not all. This article is also about the incredible “indigenous women in North and Central America who are coming together to share their ancestral knowledge of amaranth”.

I hope you’ll take the time to read this fascinating and informative article.

You can access the article HERE

(Note: You must make sure any flowers you are consuming are safe to eat. Learn more from my article ‘Top 3 Rules for Using Edible Flowers’.)

3 Quick & Easy Ways To Use Dried Lavender At Home (In a sachet is not one of them.)

Lavender is a versatile plant with many uses both in fresh and dried form. One of the best things about lavender is it emits a sense of calm and relaxation. Today I’m sharing three quick and easy ways you can use dried lavender in your home, helping to create a calming atmosphere.

1 - Use while vacuuming:

Sprinkle your flooring with dried lavender buds before vacuuming. As you vacuum the lavender’s gorgeous floral fragrance will be released into the air. 

2 - Lavender and rosemary fire logs:

The fragrance of these herbal bundles will create a relaxing atmosphere when added to your wood burning stove.

To make them all you need to do is take 10 stems each of dried lavender and rosemary. Layer the herbs, alternating ends, and tie tightly with raffia. Place them in the fireplace along with your wood logs.

3 - Lavender Vinegar:

This is super simple to make and a great natural cleaning product for your home. Put one part dried lavender buds to 4 parts white vinegar in a glass jar and cover with a plastic lid (or cover with a piece of plastic wrap before adding a metal lid). Let sit for a couple of weeks, then strain the lavender buds out and put the infused vinegar in a spray bottle. Use as an all purpose cleaner on sinks, countertops and mirrors. 

I hope you enjoy these uses for dried lavender. If you have any other suggestions please share them in the comments below.

Meaningful Flowers For August Birthdays

If you know someone with a birthday in August and want to give them some flowers, no matter what flowers you choose, they’re going to be well received. But why not make your gift extra special by choosing flowers with a meaningful message.

To help you make your flower choice, here is some information specifically related to the month of August:

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Birth Month Flowers:

(Every month has a flower or two that represents it.)

Flower: Gladiolus Meaning: Strength of character

Flower: Poppy             Meaning:  Remembrance/Restful sleep

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Zodiac:

(Every zodiac sign has a flower that represents it.)

Sign: Leo          

Date: July 23 - August 22. Flower: Sunflower Meaning: Adoration

Sign: Virgo          

Date: August 23 - September 22. Flower: Buttercup. Meaning: Cheerfulness

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Birthstone:

(Use the colour of the birthstone as inspiration for what colour flowers to choose.)

Stone: Peridot. Colour: Light green

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Seasonal Flowers:

(Every season has flowers that bloom locally in your area. Adding them into your choice gives your flowers a fresh feeling.)

Flower: Meaning:

Aster Patience

Cosmos Harmony

Dahlia Dignity/Elegance

Hydrangea Perseverance 

Nigella Independence/Prosperity

Sunflower Adoration

Zinnia Thoughts of absent friends

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You don’t need to include all of these suggestions. Pick the ones that work best for the message you want to send, and you’ll have created a unique and meaningful gift for that lucky August birthday person.