4 Tips on how to Arrange Short-stemmed Flowers in a Tall Vase

My most popular blog post ever was ‘How to Arrange Short-stemmed Flowers in a Tall Vase’. Since that was a while ago I thought I would share my suggestions again.

Here’s what you can do when you have a vase that is too tall for your short-stemmed flowers:

• Tape a grid: Take some scotch tape and tape a criss-cross grid along the top of your vase. Make sure the holes you create are quite small. You want the stem of a flower to fit through the opening, but not slip all the way down. If the stems are very thin, you could put a few together into the same space. Make sure you keep the water level topped up using this technique as the stems won’t be reaching very far down into the vase.

• Rule of thirds with a flower arrangement: In floral arranging, there’s the ‘rule of thirds’; the vase or container should be ⅓ of the total height of the arrangement and the flowers should be ⅔’s. This will create a balanced look. But, you can also do a ‘reversed rule of thirds’, so the flowers are ⅓ of the total height of the arrangement and the vase is ⅔’s. This is definitely a different look and may take you a bit of getting used to, but it will create a balanced looking arrangement.

• Attach to a long-stemmed flower or piece of foliage: A little trick you can do is take some floral tape, or a piece of twine, and attach your short-stemmed flower, to the longer stem of a flower or piece of foliage. The longer stem will go to the bottom of the vase while giving the flower some height. With this technique, once again you need to keep your vase filled almost to the brim with water, to make sure the tip of the short-stemmed flower is always in water.

• The upside-down container: Find a container in your kitchen that’s a bit narrower than your vase and about ½ to ⅔ the height. Turn it upside down in the vase and then fill the vase with water. The bottom of the container makes a false bottom in the vase. Your short stems will be able to rest on it giving them the needed height.

I hope these tips help. Let me know if you try any and how they work for you. And if you have any other tips, please share with us in the comments below.

New Beginnings

March is almost here which means the arrival of Spring. This is the perfect time for new beginnings. And how fitting it is that the birth month flower for March is the daffodil, with the meaning - New beginnings!

My new beginnings:

• I’m updating my website. I love the changes I’ve already had made (thanks Mel!) that give it a fresh new look.

• I’m working on a project that I’ll be able to share soon.

• I’m learning more about gardening.

• I hope to do some floral tourism and get some great photos.

What ‘new beginnings’ do you have planned for this year?

How the Snowdrop Gets it's Name - it may not be what you think ..

Just like every month has a gemstone associated with it, every month also has one or two ‘birth month flower/s’. January’s birth month flowers are the carnation and the snowdrop. 

Today’s focus is on the snowdrop.

Snowdrops are one of my favourite flowers. They are simple, pure, and elegant, and I love their symbolism. 

One of the first flowers to bloom in the new year, in the language of flowers snowdrops have been given the very appropriate meaning of ‘hope’. They give us hope that the long, cold, dark, winter days are coming to an end, and hope for what a new, brighter season will bring us. 

It’s commonly thought that snowdrops were named ‘snowdrops’  because of the way their pure white bloom pushes its way up through the snow. But they are actually named after earrings. Yes - earrings! This goes back as far as the 15th century when ladies often wore white, drop-shaped earrings, known as ‘ear drops’ . Do you see the resemblance between a ‘snowdrop’ and an ‘eardrop’? 

This January as well as enjoying going for long walks spotting snowdrops out in nature, why not treat yourself - or someone with a January birthday to a pair of pearl earrings to remind them of their birth month flower.

Maison de Camille pearls

A great place to get pearl jewelry is from Maison de Camille .   She has a wide selection of styles and prices for you to choose from.

What's Old is New Again

Just like every month has a gemstone associated with it, every month also has one or two ‘birth month flower/s’. January’s birth month flowers are the carnation and the snowdrop. 

Today’s focus is on the carnation, which ties in well with January’s gemstone, the garnet.

I have a special memory of carnations. When my husband and I had our first apartment, he would come home every week with half-a-dozen red carnations, put them in glass coke bottles, and place them all around our apartment. Nothing fancy -  single stems in recycled bottles - but that simple act created a happy memory that has lasted for years.

The carnation is a very under-appreciated flower. Once a prized favourite among elite society, somewhere along the way carnations fell out of favour. They gained a reputation for being old-fashioned, common and unrefined. But, as tends to be the case, things have come full circle, and what’s old is new again. The carnations of today are quickly becoming a fan favourite. If you’re not on the carnation bandwagon yet, here are five reasons why you should quickly jump onboard:

1. Layers upon layers of dainty ruffled petals give the carnation a soft, dreamy feeling. Their fragrance is a bit sweet and a bit spicy, yet oh-so subtle. 

2. Carnations are affordable, and affordable is never a bad thing. 

3. Carnations have one of the longest vase lives of any flower, giving you an even bigger bang for your buck.

4. Carnations are available year round so you never need to be without them.

5. No longer do carnations come in just the standard old red, white or pink. Growers are cultivating and producing new show-stopping varieties. The new editions come in a wide spectrum of colours and hues that are vibrant and trendy. One of the most popular colour choices during the winter months is a deep, dark burgundy - very reminiscent of a stunning garnet.

Carnations are filled with symbolism. As well as being the flower for the month of January, it’s the flower to celebrate first anniversaries, and the national flower for Monaco, Slovenia and Spain. And let’s not forget about the language of flowers.

In general carnations symbolize admiration/affection, while a pink one symbolizes gratitude/mother’s love, red ones love/passion, and white ones innocence/sweet & lovely.

I hope this helps you look at carnations in a different way, and as January is a great time for new beginnings, how about making this the year you start your love of carnations.

One of my favourite places to find beautiful jewelry - garnet or otherwise - is Maison de Camille .   This is a woman-led business, that began during the 2020 Pandemic. Kerri-Lee and her team create meticulously handcrafted pieces in their Vancouver, Canada, workshop.

Five Flowers That Express Surprising Sentiments

Using flowers to express yourself is the language of flowers, or floriography.

It’s well known that a red rose symbolises love, but what’s not as well-known is that most flowers have a sentiment they convey. You may be surprised to learn what some of those expressions are. 

If you know someone who is going through a sorrowful or tough time you could say “My thoughts are with you”, by giving them a bunch of calendula. These cheerful looking orange or yellow flowers are certain to brighten any room. 

After having a wonderful visit with someone, nothing could be better than giving them a bouquet of delicate and fragrant sweet peas to say “Thank you for a lovely time.”

This next one has to be one of my favourite sentiments a flower has - “There is sunshine in your smile.” Which flower expresses that? The yellow tulip.

A unique way to thank someone for their support would be to give them a petunia plant. It expresses the sentiment “Your presence soothes me”. 

And to round up my top five is the pansy, which simply says “I’m thinking of you”. 

If learning about how these flowers can express your sentiments has caught your interest, stay tuned as I’ll be sharing more about how to communicate with the language of flowers through the upcoming months. To not miss out on anything, just pop your email address into the ‘subscribe’ box on my home page, or email me directly. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

My Top Money Saving Tip For Having Flowers In Your Home

Today I am looking back at a post I wrote about a year ago, because as winter is upon us and the days become shorter and darker, it’s more important than ever to find ways to add beauty and brightness to our lives. 

A great way to do this is with flowers - and it doesn’t have to be expensive. A great money-saving tip is to use long-lasting greenery along with the flowers in your bouquets and arrangements. If treated correctly the greenery can be reused for weeks, so all you need to do is replace the flowers.   

In this post I’ll be sharing with you: the important role greenery plays in flower arrangements, tips on properly caring for greenery, suggestions for hardy greenery that has a long vase life, and ten suggestions for winter greenery.

Five ways greenery plays an important role in a flower arrangement:

1 - Provides a backdrop to highlight the flowers.

2 - Adds a rich texture.

3 - Fills space to create a fuller look.

4 - Acts as an armature to hold the flower stems in place.

5 - Creates a more ‘garden-esque’ look.

Six tips on how to properly care for greenery:

1 - Use mature growth. New growth has not had time to get robust and won’t last as long.

2 - Make sure your vases are clean and have fresh water.

3 - Clean the stems so any leaves that would be below the waterline are removed.

4 - Cut the stems at an angle so they have the largest surface for absorbing water.

5 - Keep out of direct heat sources and away from open flames.

6 - Replace the water and recut the stems every two days.

Top tip:

You may have heard that it’s a good idea to bash stems that are ‘wooden’. I suggest you don’t. Bashing them prevents the water from flowing freely up the stem.

Four long-lasting greenery suggestions that are available all year  long:

1 - Eucalyptus

2 - Salal

3 - Ivy

4 - Ruscus

Ten suggestions for winter greens:

1 - Noble fir

2 - Holly

3 - Rosemary

4 - Cedar

5 - Hemlock

6 - Pine

7 - Magnolia

8 - Blue spruce

9 - Juniper

10 - Carolina Sapphire

To note: 

The fragrance of winter greens will instantly make your home feel cozy and put you in the holiday spirit. As with all greens, treat them properly to give them the longest vase life possible.

Final words:

The colour green symbolizes life, renewal, energy, growth, harmony, and good fortune. You can find out more about specifically green flowers in my blog post, ‘Yes, There are Green Flowers’.

Top Tips For Creating Winter Flower Arrangements

In winter,  fresh flowers are more important than ever, as they’ll boost your mood and brighten your environment during the long cold months. With just knowing a couple of things, you can take a few flowers, a bit of foliage, add some accents and you’ll have heart-warming arrangements that will not only be great for everyday life, but will add a sense of festivity to seasonal events. The main things to keep in mind are - season, colour, texture, fragrance.

Choose Seasonal Flowers:

There are specific flowers that bloom in winter and are readily available. Combine these with flowers you find year round like roses, carnations, alstroemeria, and lilies. 

Winter Flowers:

• Anemone

• Hellebore

• Ranunculus

• Paperwhites

• Amaryllis

• Star of Bethlehem 

• Waxflower

Consider Colour:

There are two ways to go with winter colours. You can create a warm look or a cool look. A warm look will create cozy, cherry vibes, while a cool look will create the feeling of a perfect snowy, winter’s day. 

Warm Colours:

• Golds, reds, burgundys, purples, dark greens

Cool Colours:

• Silvers, whites, blues, pastel pink, soft greens

Select Foliage: 

There’s nothing like the fragrance of winter greens to put you in the festive spirit. There are plenty of choices so choose a mix of textures to use throughout your house. Winter foliage can be stored outside until ready to use. Once it’s inside, make sure to occasionally spritz it with water to keep it from drying out too quickly.

Winter Foliage:

• Carolina sapphire, cedar, fir, pine, hemlock, cypress, eucalyptus

Get Creative

Use your creativity to make your arrangements truly unique with additional items.

Add-ins:

• Berries, pine cones, hemlock branches, magnolia leaves, ornaments

Tips for winter flower care:

Keep away from heat source

Care with candles/open flames

Meaningful Flowers For December Birthdays

If you know someone with a birthday in December 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 December:

Birth Month Flower:

Narcissus -Renewal

Zodiac:

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21): Carnation - Admiration/Affection

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19):Pansy - Thinking of you

Birthstone: 

Turquoise - Pale blue/green mix

Seasonal Flowers:
Amaryllis - Splendid beauty

Hellebore - Balance

Narcissus - Renewal

Poinsettia - Good Cheer

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 December birthday person.

Just a Reminder....

Just a reminder of why flowers are so important for us:

Intuitively we know flowers make us happy. Scientific research backs that up. Flowers boost our mood, brighten our environment, improve our sleep, decrease our anxiety, increase our productivity, and strengthen our memory. Flowers make life happier and healthier.

Unfortunately, there are some people who think flowers are a waste of money. The reason why? They think because flowers die, you shouldn’t spend your hard earned money on them. If you think about that, this reasoning doesn’t really make sense. You’ll spend money on a movie, but that experience is over in about two hours. You’ll pay to go out to dinner at a restaurant - again, over in a couple hours. You’ll pay for a bottle of wine, that you’ll drink, and a box of chocolates that you’ll eat, but neither of those last for long. I could go on and on with examples of how we spend money on things that don’t last. But instead, here are my top three reasons for why I think we should have flowers in our lives, and why they’re worth every penny we spend on them:

1 - Flowers spread joy:

Flowers are instantly mood-boosting, brightening the day of whoever sees them. When I delivered flowers for my floral business, not one person receiving them ever responded with a frown. The added bonus is, giving flowers not only boosts the mood of the one receiving the flowers, but also the one giving them. So right there you’re doubling the value of your money. And the great thing is, this works just as well with a massive bouquet as it does with just a few stems, so you don’t have to spend big money to feel the positive benefits. 

2 - Flowers are suitable for every occasion:

No need to waste time wondering what to get for a birthday or anniversary gift, or to thank someone for helping you out, or to congratulate someone for a job well done, or to send your condolences – flowers work for all these occasions. You don’t even have to think about it, flowers suit the occasion. Knowing this saves you time - and time is money, they say! So once again, your money is well spent.

3 – Flowers create lasting memories:

Research shows that flowers, with their vibrant colours and fragrant scents, have the ability to recall memories more than other objects. In fact they have such an impact, they create a ‘memory picture’ of the day that is called upon again and again. So you give flowers one day – creating warm, happy feelings – and this moment is relived over and over, for years to come. So…pay for one gift, and that gift is enjoyed multiple times. That’s well worth your money.

If you’re one of the people who think that flowers are a waste of your hard-earned dollars, I hope you’ll now reconsider. Make someone’s day (and your own), better and brighter with the gift of flowers.

“Just living is not enough…one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.”

Hans Christian Anderson

Floral Water - Easy Recipe, Multiple Uses

As you know by now there are many flowers that are edible. They can be eaten either fresh or dried, used in sweet or savory dishes, or for teas and cocktails. Today I’m going to share a really easy recipe with you for ‘Floral Water’.

Floral Water can be used as an alternative to plain water to add flavour to ice cubes, baking, or to drink.You can also put it in a spray bottle and use it as a refreshing face spritz.

As always make sure the flowers you are using are safe to consume. (You can look at my post ‘My Top Three Rules For Using Edible Flowers’.)

Floral Water 

200ml filtered water

6 Tbsp fresh or dried edible flowers

Sterilized jar, bottle, or spray bottle

• Place your water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

• Place flowers in a heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over top.

• Place a plate inside the bowl adding weight to keep the flowers submerged in the water.

• Leave to infuse at room temperature overnight.

• Strain water into your sterilized container.

• Store in the fridge for up to six months.

Suggestions of types of flowers to use:

• Lavender, chamomile, geranium, rose, jasmine. 

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Here are links to some of my previous blog posts on edible flowers:

Three Flowers For Festive Cocktails

Edible Candied Flowers

5 Easy Ways To Use Edible Flowers

Six Things About Poppies You May Not Know

I thought since Remembrance Day is this week, I’d share some things about poppies. Some are about the red poppy and it’s association with Remembrance Day, and some things are about the poppy flower in general.

• During WWI, poppies stopped growing in the fields because of the bombing and the trampling of soldiers over the battlefields. This lasted for four years. After the war the fields erupted in an overwhelming display of red poppies. 

• Poppies should be worn on your left side, as close to your heart as possible.

• Have you ever noticed that Queen Elizabeth wears 5 poppies? The reason for this has never been confirmed but it’s thought they represent the five services in the war - Army, Navy, RAF, Civil Defence, and women. 

• The meaning of poppies is restful sleep and remembrance.

• Poppies aren’t only red. They come in white and shades of pink, yellow, orange and purple.

• Poppies make a great addition to a bouquet, but they have a relatively short vase-life - average of five days.

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In Flanders Fields - John McCrae (1872-1918)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; ;and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

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Meaningful Flowers For November Birthdays

If you know someone with a birthday in November 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 November:

Birth Month Flower: 

Chrysanthemum - Cheerfulness

Zodiac: 

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) Geranium - Friendship

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Carnation - Admiration/Affection

Birthstone: 

Topaz - Golden brown

Seasonal Flowers:

Asters - Patience
Chrysanthemum - Cheerfulness

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 November birthday person.