SPRING BOUQUET

I can't live without fresh flowers in my home.  They bring personality, color and fragrance to a room-and they look fabulous!  Whether its a bunch of vibrant parrot tulips or branches of luscious blue hydrangea, I love scouting out what's fresh, taking them home and creating a pretty bouquet. Long considered a luxury, fresh flowers are readily availability and best of all, they are priced to enjoy without the guilt. Bring home a lovely bunch of flowers and follow my easy steps to create a beautiful spring time bouquet.

I went to my local Whole Foods and found an assortment of spring flowers.  I like the monochromatic color scheme from this bouquet. 

I trimmed the leaves and cut the stems a little to make the flowers easier to work with. I also discarded the green filler and baby's breath that is sometimes included.  I learned this flower arranging technique from a very patient florist in the flower district in Manhattan. 


Start with two flowers and crisscross them by the stems in the palm of your left hand (I am left handed but I will give directions for right handed). 

Continue to rotate the flowers placed in your left hand while you add flowers on an angle with your right hand.  Hold them loosely and adjust the flower height as you go along. 

Continue to rotate and add flowers until you have a full, uniform shape.  You can adjust the height and pop in a flower to a section if necessary.  Take your scissors and cut the stems to a uniform height that will fit the vase. (I've used a short square vase which I lined with  green leaves.)

Place the arranged flowers in the vase and adjust if necessary-well done! 
What are your favorite flowers for Spring?

FESTIVE FLOWERS

Although I'm reluctant to buy flowers for myself, send me a gorgeous bouquet of roses or peonies and I'm yours forever!  Speaking of flowers,  I received a brilliant floral arrangement from some dear friends a few weeks ago and took a photo while the flowers were in their prime.  Although the type of flowers used were very traditional, the arrangement is a fresh and modern translation because of the unusual method the flowers are arranged.  Five mini groupings of roses, lilies, hydrangea and orchids stand on their own beautifully but together, make a bold visual statement.  I took the photo with the thought that I could replicate the arrangement in some form for my Thanksgiving floral centerpiece.

I'm spoiled because my corner grocer carries the most wonderful selection of fresh seasonal flowers right outside my door. They also make a great cappuccino and sell homemade mozzarella--but that's another story. This morning I found a beautiful assortment of of flowers which included roses, carnations and hydrangea in the red, yellow and white color palette found in the inspiration arrangement. I used a round vase which I filled with fresh cranberries and arranged the flowers in small clusters by type.  It was easy to do and I'm really pleased with the results. Almost ready for guests!

Fresh flowers from my corner market

Inspiration Bouquet