Dead in the Water

Here is a wonderful article from the New Yorker Magazine that spells out a flowers expected life span and how to make your fresh flowers last as long as possible.

Creative Containers

Think about all of the unusual, unexpected and fun things you already have around the house that can hold water and interest. Here’s a short list to get your creative ideas going:

Flowers Throughout Your Life

Today, you can use flowers to enhance any color palette and create any number of decorating effects. You can even use flowers in place of traditional home décor items. For a window treatment, imagine a row of simple vases holding your favorite flowers, instead of the usual curtains. For artwork, how about hanging a vase of flowers instead of a watercolor?

Back To School Arrangement

Here is a nice idea to welcome your favorite teacher back to school – or maybe get off on the right foot with a new one! It’s a lovely and simple arrangement that would look just as good with plain yellow pencils and whatever flower happens to be your teacher’s favorite.

Hanging Jars

These lovely simple hanging jars would be wonderful for a garden wedding or backyard party.

Tips to Make Your Flowers Last Longer

Here are some great tips from Darcy Logan at Do It Yourself to keep your cut flowers lasting as long as possible.

Edible Flowers

I’ve eaten flowers in salad (pansies were good, marigolds I’m not so fond of) and had candied flowers, so I was excited to find this wonderful article at Wise Bread about edible flowers.  Linsey Knerl, the article’s writer,  has includes some great links, including a couple lists of flowers that are edible and those that are poisonous – make sure to check the list carefully before snacking!  Also, keep in mind that flowers you’ve sprayed with pesticides aren’t good for eating, even if the flowers themselves aren’t poisonous you don’t want to ingest those harmful chemicals.

Olympic Flowers

This is from the Official Olympic Website:

Fresh flowers are everywhere to be seen and smelled in the Fengtai Flower Distribution Center. Here, over 1,500 kinds of flowers have been carefully selected for use in the many display areas and during the various kinds of Olympic ceremonies. In August, these high-quality flowers will be sent safely and accurately to the various Olympic venues.

Quick Arrangement Tips

Basic One-Minute Arranging

If you’re in a hurry and you’ve just picked up some bouquets from the grocer’s you can pump up the impact of a mixed bouquet with these quick ideas

photo source: www.realsimple.com

Paper Daisies

Here’s a nice alternative to silk flowers – paper ones that you make yourself.