Shop for Flowers & Greenery From Your Own Garden

Flowers and greenery make rooms and patios come alive and summer is the perfect time to use your own garden as your floral shop.  Selecting flowers and greenery from your yard not only saves money but it is also easy and great for spur of the moment entertaining.  If you are having out of town house guests, add some fresh flowers to the guest bathroom or bedroom.  Fresh flowers always say “welcome”.

Go Green

You can “go green” with your floral arrangement by simply cutting hosta leaves, fern leaves, branches and other greenery from your garden as I did in this arrangements.  By varying the shades of green, you can end up with a striking arrangement.  If you prefer a pop of color, you can add flowers as I did below with the pink hosta floral stems.

Plant a Cutting Garden

My dear friend Marti always plants a variety of flowers that she can use in her arrangements.  Her cutting garden includes some of my favorite flowers, zinnias and dahlias.  When I hosted one of our supper clubs, she offered to bring the flowers and her arrangement in her gorgeous green vase was STUNNING!

Marti also knows how to make a single flower look spectacular with a few hosta leaves as the backdrop!  The trick here is to use what they call a floral frog.

The floral frog is a flat metal disk with sharp spikes.   You place the floral frog in the vase.   The spikes keep the flowers in place.

 

One Time Purchase Produces Beautiful Annual Bouquets

In the spring, peonies are my go to flower.  I specifically have my peony plant in an inconspicuous place so that I can cut the blooms and enjoy them inside and not have to worry about the plant looking butchered!  Not one bloom is spared.  I cut every single flower to enjoy indoors, knowing that next year, that same peony bush will produce the same beautiful blooms.

These beautiful white peonies are from my sister Carolyn’s yard.

These are my gorgeous shocking pink peonies.

Hydrangeas Bloom All Summer Long

My garden usually has an abundance of hydrangeas blooming, although this year is an exception from our hard winter.  Hydrangeas make a beautiful arrangement all by themselves.  Please note that they tend to wilt within a day or two of being cut; my tip is to dip the freshly cut stem into boiling water for 30 seconds (heat water in a coffee mug in the microwave) and then immediately place the stem into your vase filled with tap water.  The hot water allows the stem to open up and can stay hydrated in the vase.

What is your favorite flower to grow for floral arrangements?

Health Update:  I am continuing to heal from my broken arm and have much more movement with my wrist.  Thanks so much for all the well wishes!