This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Supermarket shopping is proving tricky at the moment – online queues are massive and you may not want to visit stores in person. Flowers may seem a low priority but I feel a house is not a home without the sight – and fragrance – of beautiful blooms. So we’ve recorded a quick video that shows you how to make impressive, but really inexpensive, flower arrangements.
First and foremost I would like to say that I am not a professional florist but my technique will give you a very cost effective and impressively large arrangement.
So, clutching your secateurs and wearing gloves (in case of prickles) collect lots of foliage from your garden. Even in the dead of winter there always seems to be something to use – I happen to have a fast growing bay and spotted laurel which are very good for displays. Upright leaves are best.
Fill a vase with cold water and add a few drops of bleach.
First, strip your foliage of any leaves that will be below the waterline. Then cut the stems at an angle so they can easily absorb the water they need to keep fresh.
For this display I popped into my local florist and bought four stems of fragrant lilac-pink flowers for £8.
If you are still able to go to the supermarket, pick up a bunch of alstroemeria as they last for at least two weeks and only cost £3.
Use the tallest foliage in the middle if your display is going to be seen from all angles. Or the highest foliage at back of the vase if you are going to put it on a shelf against a wall.
For a completely free display, at this time of year you can add daffodils to your foliage. Not the daffs that seem to smell of cat’s wee of course! These orange centred ones with their yellow petals worked a treat – they are a very cheering sight – and goodness knows we can all do with cheering up in these difficult times. If you have a lot of daffodils in your garden, why not pick a bunch and leave them on the doorstep of a neighbour who lives alone – a small kindness that might just make their day.
Secateurs – remember to dry the blades before closing them up so they don’t rust/get blunt.
If you refresh the vase water and trim the base of the stems every couple of days, your arrangement will last a lot longer.