Lasting Luxury, Minimal Hassle
I love the luxury of fresh flowers. In a vase on the kitchen table, they make everything seem to smell good and look just a little prettier. Problem is I don’t want to spend a lot of money on flowers. I just made the bouquet that Sean bought me last almost two weeks.
First of all, the type of flower will determine its lifespan. The Extravaganza Florist recommends the following long-lasting flowers: carnations, daisies, birds of paradise, antriums, ginger’s, protea, liatras, orchids, and most of the exotic flowers. A video about caring for flowers (Videojug has quite a collection of how-to videos) recommends rhododendron as a less exotic long laster. The arrangement of lilies Sean got me lasted almost the whole two weeks.
The other aspect of keeping cut flowers around is how they are cared for. Every web site I saw recommended 1) re-cutting the bottoms of the flowers at an angle, 2) changing the water every one or two days and 3) cutting off the leaves on the flowers where they would be submerged in the water. I actually did these things (and took flowers out of the arrangement as they died). While the arrangement was smaller at the end, what was left was pretty for two weeks. There is a debate at The Frugal Life about things you add to the water but based on my experience, giving the plants clean water is all they really need. According to Flowerbud those little packets you get with your flowers are just mild antibacterial powder that when mixed with your water ensures it is clean.
So whether you buy a bundle of flowers or force some crocuses to sprout indoors, take advantage of the fact spring is coming. It’s been a long winter; give yourself a small affordable luxury.
Photo from: http://www.naturaltapestries.com/nancyportfolio/flowers/pages/Crocus%20in%20Snow.htm