Springtime is a great time to breathe some fresh air into your home. Tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are beginning to pop up all around Southeast Idaho and they are beautiful! Gardens are just beginning to sprout with some flowers. Mother's day is upon us and gardening is on our minds, especially after our long, harsh winter we just went through. Why not bring your fresh flowers into the home and make your home feel like it is really spring? Fresh flowers are always a wonderful addition to the home and they always create an inviting feeling. Did you receive Mother's Day flowers? Did you know there are several things you can do to keep your fresh flowers looking great for long periods? Let’s look at some ideas.
Fresh flower arrangements should always begin with a clean vase or container. Containers that do not start out clean will breed bacteria and make your flowers die quicker.
Fill the vase or container two-thirds full of fresh water that is not extremely cold. You may want to add a foam brick that is made for flower arranging. This gives the arrangement some stability in the vase.
If you have flower preservative, add it to the fresh water. Now, before you add the flowers to the water, cut off about an inch and a half of the flower stems with a very sharp knife under lukewarm running water.
Arrange your flowers in the vase keeping it higher than it is wide since it is more pleasing to the eye this way. Position the largest and your main focal point flowers in the center of the arrangement. If you arrange them a little lower than the center of the arrangement it will actually create a sense of balance.
At this point, fill in with extra flowers like carnations, daisies and the like. Not sure where to find some? Even your grocery stores or stores like Fred Meyer have some really nice selections. Try to maintain a triangular shape to the overall arrangement since this is very pleasing to the eye.
That is all there is to it! If you want to extend the life of your arrangement, keep the flowers in a cool place, out of the direct sunlight. Change the water often too. Fresh flowers remind us of spring.
Written by Alesha E. Churba, owner of A.E.Churba Design, LLC- Simple and Divine Interior Design, a Southeast Idaho based interior design business. She can be reached by phone (208)-313-6414, by e-mail at Alesha@aechurba-design.com or through her business website at aechurba-design.com. A.E.Churba (Alesha E. Churba) is a Certified Color Expert and an Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) with experience in Residential and Commercial Interior Design and Decorating in Southeast Idaho.
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