So we all know that I have a bit of a flower habit. Okay, so that is actually the understatement of the year….I have a MAJOR flower habit. I really just cannot get enough of them! There is just something about adding flowers to a space in my home that immediately transforms it from a house to a home. They are just a very lovely and welcoming addition. So for today's post, I wanted to address a few of my best flower strategies for purchasing, arranging and maintaining fresh blooms.
The Cost of Flowers
One question/comment I seem to constantly hear from people is: "Flowers are so expensive! How can you afford to constantly support this habit?" Well the truth is that flowers can be very affordable if you are strategic about what you buy and where you buy your flowers. My #1 go-to flower store is Trader Joes. Without a doubt, I consistently find the best selection of beautiful blooms ranging from a bouquet of roses for $4.99 to 10 Ranunculus Stems for $5.69! There really isn't another floral retailer in my immediate area that can compete with these prices. Well, that is with the exception of my second favorite flower retailer…Costco! A gorgeous bouquet of the most exquisite garden roses can be purchased at Costco for a mere $9.99! I mean that is practically unheard of when it comes to finding a dozen flawless garden roses.
If you are in the market for flowers that are inexpensive, low maintenance and will last for weeks, I would suggest any of the following:
- Alstroemeria ($3.99/bunch at Trader Joe's)
- Carnations (50 cents/stem at Sam's Club)
- Hydrangeas ($5.99/3 stems at Trader Joe's -- See this post for my Hydrangea Tips)
- Sunflowers ($3.99/bunch at Trader Joe's)
Flower Vases
As my love for fresh flowers has continued to grow over the years, I have started to gain a deeper appreciation for the importance of using the right vase for each type of flower. I tend to favor using whatever flowers are in season at the moment, which means that I am needing to use vases that can accommodate a variety of flowers in order to ensure that the blooms look their best when displayed.
For instance, when I am arranging ranunculus, I like to use a vase with a smaller opening. Reason being, ranunculus tend to have heavy heads and weak stems, so the added support of the narrow vase opening provides additional strength needed to help the flower stand straight, which will also aid in prolonging its lifespan. In addition, when I am arranging flowers with very voluminous blooms (like hydrangeas) or those flowers with the potential to open into larger blooms (like roses), I opt for a vase that has a wider opening to provide the flowers with ample space to accommodate the blooms. Here are a few of my favorite vases at the moment:
- Tiffany & Co. Weave Vase
- Glass Cylinder Vase
- CB2 Joyce Bud Vase
- Tiffany & Co. Windham Vase
- CB2 3-Piece Hat Trick Vase Set
Arranging Flowers
While I tend to stay monochromatic when it comes to arranging flowers for my home, I know that there are many of you who probably enjoy mixed bouquets. While there really isn't a whole lot to arranging a monochromatic bouquet, a mixed bouquet can be rather complex.
This past Christmas, my mother in law gave me the most fabulous book called "The Flower Recipe." This book really does take the guesswork out of flower arranging by providing you with a breakdown of exactly what you will need to create each of the 100 arrangements featured in this book, as well as step by step tutorial for recreating each piece. If you are interested in learning about the art of arranging flowers, I highly recommend checking out this book.
Flowers can most definitely be an affordable decorative addition to any room in your home. The options available really can fit any budget and using the right type of vase for your floral arrangement can make all the difference. If you have any questions regarding topics covered in today's post, you are more than welcome to send me an email. I always love to hear from you all!
