Passing on great flower knowledge

Winter Arrangements

Flowers associated with winter include hellebores which, although not generally available as a cut flower, can be purchased as pot plants. This is also true of the poinsettia, which will last much longer if the roots can be retained. Poinsettias are now available in pinks and creamy whites as well as scarlet, and combine beautifully with red carnations and carnation sprays.


The early spring flowers Warwick can be teamed with some of the flowering winter branches, such as witch hazel or Viburnum x bodnantense. The first narcissi and tulips appear in winter and these and other spring flowers help to brighten the dark winter days. The spicy scent of hyacinths makes them a favourite, and the delicate beauty of snowdrops is a very special pleasure.

An Open Posy

When ordering flowers for a funeral, many customers prefer to send a natural-looking tribute, such as an open posy or basket. The open posy can be made in a range of sizes, and various combinations of flowers and foliage can be used. This would be a suitable tribute to suggest for a child’s funeral or for a design to be sent on behalf of children to the funeral of a grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin or friend. They have that childlike feel to them, which makes them ideal when children are involved. If you are unsure when to use posys, just canvass some other florists Three Kings for their opinion, I'm sure you'll find someone willing to share their knowledge.

General flower arranging tips

• Before beginning work, place the vase you are going to use in its final position and try to arrange the flowers at the height where they are to stand. Raising or lowering a vase after an arrangement has been completed can dramatically alter its appearance.


• Try to find flowers in their various stages of growth. Mix buds with half- open flowers.


• Flower stems need to be of different lengths to avoid a flat appearance. To begin with, keep larger flowers of deeper colours for the centre or focal point of the arrangement.


• Look at your arrangement from the side as well as from the front to check that it has a balanced look.


• Point a few stems slightly backward for balance and style. Check some florists Kingstanding shops for inspiration.



• All the stems in the arrangement should radiate from a centre point. Try to achieve a natural look in the finished arrangement.


• Allow some of your material to come over the front and side of the container to break any hard lines.


• If you are only using one or two colours and kinds of flowers, group them close together for impact.

Standing Time after Microwave

After being microwaved, the plant material will require a standing time. Like food cooked by microwaves, the flowers will continue to dry even after the microwave oven has been shut off. Allow the flowers to remain in the micro­wave oven for approximately one minute after it has been shut off. For fragile and deli­cate flowers, a standing time outside the microwave of about 10 minutes should be ade­quate. Fuller flowers will often take 30 minutes.

When the standing time is over, carefully empty the con­tainer onto a piece of dry newspaper and gently lift the plant material. Remove excess silica gel from sturdy flowers by gen­tly shaking the flowers. For del­icate flowers, you will need a soft paintbrush used by Salford florists to remove the excess. Then check the center of the flower to make sure that it is completely dry; if not, cover this area with silica gel and reheat it in the microwave oven for a short time. (Allow the silica gel to return to room temperature before reusing.)

Types of wedding headdress

The most popular type of headdress is the garland or circlet. It can be made any width, to suit the person wearing it, and from flowers ranging from gypsophila and other dainty flowers, for a child bridesmaid, to large roses, lilies and even amaryllis, the latter for the bride with a taste for the dramatic. The benefit of the garland design is that it is easy to wear, will not slip out of the hair, and it suits most types of hair style.

If a full garland is felt to be inappropriate, an Alice band is a good alternative. Again, it is easy to wear, especially for small children who have fine silky hair.

Another option is a comb or slide, onto which a corsage type of design is attached. The veil is sometimes attached to the comb. If you arrange to have the flowers delivered Miracle Mile South in plenty of time the bride and groom will thank you. Allowing plenty of time for this will ensure that items are not missed from the order due to any last minute rush.

Bouquet Appearance

When you enter a flower show, rules restrict your choices, but for home use you need only consider a few tips. Before you begin, consider where the arrange­ment will go so you can design it to fit in the intended space. Will it be seen from one side only, perhaps on a mantel, or from all sides, as a table centerpiece? For a professional appearance, arrange the height of the bouquet in proportion to the height of the con­tainer. If the vase is too tall, the flower heads will barely peek out over the top. Ideally, the container should be no more than one-third the height of the arrange­ment. Before you begin, decide on the shape of your arrangement: triangular, circular, or perhaps linear. Cover the Oasis with greenery so it will be invisible. Recut the stems as you place them in the Oasis, using the heavier flowers (those that are larger or darker in color) in the center, and the lighter, smaller ones near the perimeter. Express yourself and enjoy the colors and shapes of the beautiful flowers Pollokshaws you have grown.

The 4 seasons

Each season holds its own particular delights. In the spring, flowering shrubs and trees abound in the garden, and pruning them of a few branches will only enhance future growth. Summer grasses are long and luxuriant and will be stocked by all good florists Church. At the beach, there’s driftwood to collect. And at this time of year, when flowers and plants are at their most abundant and plentiful, some specimens can be dried, including roses and lavender, and herbs such as yarrow, allowing us to enjoy them for weeks instead of just a few days. Some plant matter will last indefinitely. During the autumn, falling leaves can be collected and preserved to add to a floral display or to showcase alone, either pressed flat in frames or standing in a container. In darkest winter, arrangements of dried leaves and branches will remind you of the spring that is to come. Alternatively, glossy evergreens and bright berries practically beg to be clipped and displayed throughout the house, or even used to adorn the Christmas dinner table.

Basing your blooms

Basing is the art of padding a shape with flower heads usually chrysanthemums and then making a spray of more delicate flowers arranged across the centre . Ribbon edging gives a lovely finishing touch. The centre spray can be highlighted in the same colour as the ribbon edging to create a flower arrangement that you can be proud of. Contact your local florist and arrange for the coloured ribbon to accompany your flower delivery Plasnewydd .

Christmas Tree

You can buy a tree-shaped form made of Styrofoam, wire or grapevines from a florist Ravenswood. Dried material can be tucked into the forms or glued on top of them. Use a base material (such as moss, artemisia or baby's breath) first and then add the more colorful flowers as accents. Another method is to purchase a live small tree to use on a tabletop or mantel. Wire together tiny bunches of dried flowers and attach them to the tree. Individ­ual rosebuds, sprigs of baby's breath and colorful dried berries are also nice accents. For a final touch, you might add tiny colored bows or tiny wrapped packages.