Fresh flowers on a budget

Flowers and greenery transform rooms, perhaps its because psychologically we see flowers and think fresh, healthy, I don’t know, but I guarantee if you dress a room with plants and flowers and then remove them, the room will look dull, lifeless. And this is the dilemma I am currently facing, my garden is under 4’ of snow and I want, no need, to bring flowers into my home but how? My budget is tight this year, so I decided to visit my favorite florist to get some advice.

Turns out I’ve chosen the best time of year to pick their brains, its quiet and they welcome the visit. Sandy a florist at Westmount Florist in Pointe Claire village was kind enough to share these tips for the budget conscious.

Extra greenery, when creating arrangements, adds fullness. She suggested including greenery from your own gardens, weather permitting. I have in the past been too shy to ask if I could have extra greenery or even buy it not wanting to appear cheap, but Sandy assures me I only need to ask. She gave me a list of flowers that have a long shelf life, great for budgets, daisies, carnations, chrysanthemums along with many exotic varieties. Try some of these ideas when working with small budgets, showcase smaller flowers and blooms in bowls, cups to display groupings of pansies, forget-me-nots, alyssum or even large flowers like camellia, roses, or lilies. Choose a bouquet of just one type of flower, a bundle of daisies or sunflowers, limit your choices to one colour family.

Cabin fever has definitely set in. The air feels stale and I’ve been staring at the same walls for 4 months. Heck, even the scent of lettuce excites me, I’m getting some flowers.

Quick tips on caring for your cut flowers:

Recut the stems at a 45 degree angle and remove excess foliage (any leaves that may be submerged in water). “Harden” the flowers by placing the freshly cut stem in 110° F (43.5° C) water then place in a cool location for an hour or two. In this one brief period while the water is cooling, freshly harvested stems, leaves, and flowers take up almost as much water as in the balance of their life.

Use a floral preservative.

Keep them cool and avoid drafts, hot spots

Use a clean vase or container and check water level daily, change water every 4th day.

The cooler you keep cut flowers without freezing the longer they last.

Checkout these websites: www. amystewart.com or www.marthastewart.com/gardening

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