Leaving flowers well and truly behind

The ingredients of flower food

What does flower food contain? Most have high sugar content — up to 95 per cent — in the form of saccharose and glucose. This explains why lemonade or ordinary sugar has a beneficial effect. The sugar provides the energy that the flowers need if they are to attain full maturity, and it enables the buds of flowers such as freesias, gladioli and carnation sprays to develop into open flowers.


Unhappily, the sugar also provides the perfect conditions for bacteria and microrganisms to grow and multiply very rapidly. Bacteria will reproduce in the water, on the cut stem ends, and on damaged cells. This, in turn, leads to unpleasant smells and to the blockage of the water-carrying cells. Good florists Plympton will always use good quality flower food on all their plants.

Methods for Drying Flowers

In earlier, more romantic days, a single flower was placed between the pages of a book or bible to preserve its beauty. Even scientists used heavy books to carry home new and unusual plant material for study. Drying methods have since become more advanced, and today we have a variety of ways to preserve flowers and retain much of their natural beauty. This is important, since Mosgiel flower delivery has become so popular and flower preservation is in rising demand. The six basic methods of preserving flowers and foliage are air-drying, water-drying, drying in a microwave oven, using desiccants, preserving in glycerine, and pressing. Each method has its advantages and its disadvantages and some methods are better for some plants than for oth­ers. For example, foliage dries best if preserved in glycerine. Air-drying is the simplest method. And when the desiccation method is used, flowers retain their natural color and shape (in­deed, they're often mistaken for fresh flowers). Serious flower driers use all the basic methods, alone and in combination.

Wildflowers: Familiar Faces

Planting wildflowers in the cultivated flower garden can be a debatable subject, as most San Dimas florists can attest to. Most are better suited to a more natural setting, and many require shade, especially in summer. There are notable exceptions, however: Violets fit nicely into even the most formal perennial garden, for instance, while bunchberries (Cornus canadensis) make great edging plants. In our own yard, we enjoy a clump of maidenhair ferns (Adiantum) in a shaded part of our back border, and wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) has seeded itself beautifully in part of one sunny bed. Wild shrubs, such as flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus) and red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), add some interest as well as beauty to a planting, and wild roses can make a nice impenetrable background.

Everlasting Annuals

Annuals are plants that complete their life cy­cles in one growing season. One of the great features of annuals is that they can be harvested and enjoyed in just a few weeks. Annuals come in a wide range of colors, textures and heights, and most are easy to grow from seed that you can obtain from Lambeth florists at a reasonable price. Everlast­ings are annual flowers with petals that are nat­urally strawlike and stiff, even when growing.

You will find that everlastings can be very use­ful in the garden because they hold their color throughout the summer and tolerate heat and dryness. They can also be harvested in stages to prevent bare spots in midsummer. Some of the more unusual everlastings are Lunaria annua (money plant), Moluccella laevis (bells of Ireland) and Lagurus ovatus (hare's-tail grass).

Harvesting/Drying Roses


Your success with drying roses depends on the methods of drying and the colors of the roses. Hang drying works quite well with most roses; rosebuds, for example, air-dry very well. However, mature roses hold their shape and color best when dried quickly using a silica gel. Red and dark pink roses will dry close to their natural color. Yellow, pale pink and white roses tend to turn a beige color at the base of their flowers Whitehall when air-dried. White roses also take on an antique cream color after drying. The faster the drying time, the better the natural color will be retained. The time of harvest depends on the effect you wish to achieve. If you want to dry roses in full flower, pick them in late morning after the dew has dried and before the heat of midday. If rosebuds are your choice, harvest then in late morning after dew is dry and before they begin to open from the warmth of the sun. To air-dry buds, simply cut the stems at the desired length and hang them upside down in your drying room.

My Favourite Flowers - Alstroemeria

The ligtu hybrids are the only alstroemerias that I personally would consider growing. Once established, these perennials will give a profusion of multi- headed flowers, with a colour range of cream, apricot, orange and shades of pink. Blooming in June for several weeks, they add excellent colour in the border, and are rewarding as a cut flower since they last so well in water. (Also better value than getting your flowers delivered Stratford-upon-Avon by the local florist.)

Cultivation


Always buy pot-grown plants, and plant very carefully without damaging the roots. March or April are the best months to plant. Choose a sheltered spot, preferably against a south or west-facing wall; any good garden soil is suitable. In all but the mildest areas protect in winter with a 15 cm (6 in) layer of bracken, peat or straw. Pick sparingly for the first year or two. Some support with pea sticks may be necessary. Cut the stems down to the ground after flowering.

Conditioning and preserving

A long drink in deep water immediately after picking is really all that is necessary. The seed heads are attractive if allowed to form on the plant and then picked and hung upside down to dry. They can then be used full length for larger dried arrangements, or separate florets cut off for smaller arrangements.

Arranging

I think these flowers look very well in a vase on their own, perhaps with a little green foliage, but not enough to distract from their delicate colours; the greenish feathery heads of Aichemilla mollis make a good foil. Otherwise they can be used in groups of apricots or pinks. One or two stems tucked into the centre of an arrangement give added colour for the focal point, and as they can be cut short or left with long stems, they can be used in this way for almost any size of arrangement.

Show your gratitude


One of the most common sentiments behind floral gifts is gratitude, and flowers are ideal for expressing this. There aren’t really any definitive rules here; the most important thing is that they convey a sense of sincerity and perhaps feel like you’ve put some personal thought into your choice. A casually arranged selection of some complementary flowers of your choice should be fine. Pink carnations are traditionally the floral symbol of gratitude.

. . or your remorse

Flowers are the male weapon of choice for getting out of trouble. Whenever a guy forgets something important or makes a pig’s ear of something then the florist gets a call. Somehow a floral gift makes it almost impossible for anyone to hold a grudge for too long. Go for arrangements of delicate warm tones and put a bit of thought into an accompanying note. The note that accompanies your flower delivery Thornhill should be heartfelt and sincere.

Baskets

Baskets are an ideal accompaniment for flowers. They are available in a multitude of materials and an amazing assortment of shapes and sizes, so it is possible to purchase a suitable basket for any occasion. Small delicate baskets can be used for designs to be carried, large ones for planted displays, and all the sizes in between for fresh, fabric or dried arrangements.

With a coarsely-woven rustic basket, use a profusion of dried country-style flowers, such as larkspur, yarrow, alchemilla and tansy. Fabric flowers in a small pastel-coloured basket can create a wonderfully romantic display for a bride or her attendants. Complete the design with a bow of good- quality fabric ribbon just as any good florists Speke would do.


It is a good idea to link the colour of the basket to the arrangement, so choose pale pastel shades to fill a straw-coloured willow basket, or vibrant exotic flowers to complement baskets of woven palm or bamboo.

Pleasing your girl with flowers

Create a fresh bouquet of blooms of different varieties in various shades of her favorite colour. This monochromatic look is a sure winner. Your other option would be to mix both colors and types, resulting in a contemporary and adventurous look to take her breath away.

Always remember to include a message with the flowers. Don't be too abrupt here, say something meaningful and lasting because you can bet your life that long after the flowers have perished, she will have kept the card. These cards will surface from time to time throughout your relationship, particularly in the middle of arguments, to prove a particular point. Your local Big Spring Florist wil be able to deliver the card with the flowers.

Can't get enough aye?
Ok, so you need even more facts, tips and information on flowers? Well, you're in luck, just head over to Angel's Flower Facts for more great information. Say hi from us as you browse through their mountain of flower and florist tips.