By Kerry Johnston
Don’t feel intimidated by flower arranging. Think beyond your average glass vase and try something colourful and quirky…
1 A vintage birdcage filled with flowers in beautiful coloured-glass votives makes for a novel table centrepiece.
2 Wine decanters look sophisticated with single, long-stemmed blooms all leaning to one side.
3 Got a chipped teapot? Cut the stems of hydrangeas short so that the individual flower heads fill the pot to the brim.
4 For a rustic display, place simple groupings of flowers inside painted coffee tins.
5 Remove the labels from condiment bottles and arrange them in clusters on a tray to hold an assortment of flowers.
6 Glue a selection of coloured pencils to a glass vase or jar. Fill the vase with your favourite blossoms and tie a bow around the bottom.
7 Ceramic urns and pitchers look beautiful filled with flowers of the same colour. Try a monochromatic display of white on white, or use flowers and greens in the same colour family.
8 Make a ribbon vase by wrapping a selection of plain, striped and polka-dot fabric ribbons around an oversized square vase. Use a glue gun or double-sided tape to adhere the ribbon lengths to the vase.
9 Kitchen canisters make great impromptu vases. Simply flip open the lids and group blooms by stem length for a casual display.
10 Glass cloches or bell jars showcase flowers beautifully. An orchid looks especially spectacular displayed in this way.
Make your cut flowers last
Different types of flowers need different water levels. For instance, woody stems (roses) need deep water to help keep them hydrated, while fleshy stems (gerberas) last longer in shallow water as they tend to rot. Change the water regularly and also add flower food. The shorter you cut flowers, the longer they last because they don’t have to drink all the way up the stem to the head. Also, the more leaves you take off, the longer the flower will last as the water is not needed to feed the leaves.
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