Tag: flowers

A good formula for anyone who likes flowers but is terrible at buying them

I love buying flowers, and there are several good green grocers near me that sell many different types of flowers. The problem I have is, what to buy and how much should I buy? I am always disastified with what I end up as I leave the store.

So I am excited to try this formula which I found at Cup of Jo. You can too! You need to buy:

  • a seasonal flower (tulips, daffodils, whatever)
  • a filler flower (like one with little buds on it, like baby’s breath)
  • a flower that fits the color palette (spray roses look good with everything)
  • greenery (“I generally like bigger wider leaves,” she says)

Once you get home, grab a vase and fill it like so:

  1. Greenery goes first, since it’s the foundation to hold everything together.
  2. Add the filler flower.
  3. Layer in the spray roses.
  4. Lastly, add the seasonal flower, which is usually the most delicate, but everything else will hold it up.

With any luck, it will look just like the ones in the blog post (which is where the rules and instructions also come from).

Want more guidance? Head on over to Cup of Jo and read the original source of this great advice.

Japan has 72 microseasons and why having more than 4 seasons is a good thing

lilacs
Right now lilac season is starting in Toronto. Shouldn’t that be a true season in it’s own right?

When you think of it, it makes sense that we have more than four seasons. Heck according to this piece, Japan has 72 microseasons. Meanwhile in Canada, we often joke about having many microseasons, too, and they go like this:

  1. WINTER (brutal cold)
  2. fool’s spring (don’t get used to it)
  3. second winter / bleak midwinter (oh well)
  4. spring of deceptions (is spring here? As if!)
  5. third winter (snowdrop flower season, snow melts fast, weird snowfalls in April)
  6. pollen season (lilac season, tulip season)
  7. SPRING (cool but green)
  8. Nice summer (perfect weather)
  9. SUMMER (brutal heat)
  10. false fall (where’s the sweaters?)
  11. second summer (that’s better)
  12. AUTUMN (leaves turn color and fall)
  13. Lovely holiday winter (not too cold)

I think we could easily get new names for all those seasons not capitalized.

Kurt Vonnegut took a stab at this and came up with six seasons: the original four plus two more, Locking and Unlocking. I think that is an improvement on the original four, but that’s just a start.

One good reason to have more seasons is that they remind you to appreciate the changes in the world around you. Another good reason is that it breaks down the seasons that can be difficult (winter for many, summer for me) and helps you get through them. Whatever the reason, having seasons based on the climate and less on solistices and equinoxes makes more sense.

I hope we get more seasons in Canada. For now we will have to stick with the four official ones and the many unofficial ones. Now go and enjoy the lilacs.

 

 

Winter and flowers: two words that should go together

Sure, gardens are great when the weather is warm, but what about when it is not. Well then you want some winter flowers. Indeed, here are 25 Winter Flowers: Cold-Loving Plants to Plant in Winter. I was amazed how many types there are. After seeing them, you may want to order some seeds and plant them too. Like those iceland poppies, shown above.

P.S. For more on cold weather gardening, see: How to garden in the winter | Smart People I Know

(Image from Eden Brothers. They sell those poppy seeds and much more)

 

 

 

 

On the snowdrops in the yards of others

Someone on my street was kind enough to plant snowdrops in their front yard. Last week they were bursting from the ground and giving me the hope I always feel when I see them. Seeing snowdrops, I know winter is over: seeing snowdrops I know spring is starting. I love the significance of this small white flower. They’re a beautiful reminder.

If you are ever wondering about planting flowers in your front yard, I encourage you to do so. I am sure I am not the only one who walks by such beauties and feels joy. You will be giving a gift to the world with whatever you plant. How great is that?

Should we grow a victory garden for the war on COVID?

It’s an intriguing idea.

If you are not familiar with the idea, let me explain with this quote pinched from one of the links below: “Victory gardens are gardens grown by civilians during times of widespread food insecurity. The gardens were encouraged by the Canadian government during the world wars, as a way to feed both civilians and troops.”

In time of high inflation brought on to some degree by the pandemic, such a garden might help in several ways. But heck, if you want to stick with growing flowers to lift your spirits, that’s ok by me too.

For more on this, see these two pieces over at CBC.ca: How you can start your own ‘victory garden’. Also: It’s not too late to grow vegetables for your victory garden.

If you need more help on growing your own seedlings, check out that piece at Lifehacker.

Onward to victory over the pandemic, and inflation, and more!

Gardening: not just a summer activity. Read this to see what I mean

Sure, summer is a great time to garden: that goes without saying. If you are still wanting to do more gardening after summer winds down, here are two links you may want to read:

Gardening is great for many reasons, not just producing things to eat and display. If you find that to be true, don’t limit yourself to one season: try to do it year round.

(Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash )

 

Everything you wanted to know about flower arranging but were afraid to ask


Ok, fine, you weren’t afraid to ask. Still! If you want a mindblowing list of great ideas to arrange flowers, look no further than here: The Best Flower-Arranging Tricks & Tutorials | Apartment Therapy.

Then take those new ideas and go out and buy a big bunch of flowers and arrange them all nice and fancy.  You deserve it.

How to make basic flowers into something beautiful

Flowers from grocery stores and other such places are often uninspiring. Sure, you could take them home and stick them in a vase and be done. Or you can go over to this post and get some better ideas on how to make even a few stems of anything look beautiful: How to make basic flowers into something beautifulHow to Arrange Grocery Store Flowers | A Cup of Jo

The photo above is just one example. Go to A Cup of Jo to see some other smart examples.

It’s that time of the year and seeing how people are into it, here’s how to start a garden without a backyard


I’m seeing lots of people growing pandemic gardens in their homes using scallions, celery, etc. I think that is cool. If you’ve done that, or if you want to go to the next phase, read this: How to Start a Garden Without a Backyard – The Simple Dollar

I want to add that many dollar stores will have seeds and other things to get started. You can also shop garden stores online and get supplies that way. You have options.

Of course, if you have a backyard or other areas you can plant, go for it. But if you have more gardening ambitions than you have space, give that a go.

An alternative to decorating with flowers

Is this: decorating with large vases and branches. As you can see from this article, the result is beautiful.

(Image credit: Emily Henderson)

Of course, you can also do flowers:

(Image credit: Design Sponge)

Either way, if you have the space, oversized branches, flowers and vases are dramatic and gorgeous.

For more on this, click the Apartment Therapy link above. Images linked to from that article.

How to arrange supermarket flowers and other flower arranging tips

Flowers
If you are fortunate, you have access to a great florist and they can arrange your favorite flowers for you. If you don’t have that, if the best you have is flowers from the supermarket or the corner store, you can still do great things, as these three articles show:

  1. How to Make a Stunning Bouquet with Supermarket Flowers | Bon Appetit
  2. Three Stylish Takes on DIY Flower Arrangements – Bon Appétit | Bon Appetit
  3. Three Great Tips for Making Better Flower Arrangements | Healthyish | Bon Appetit

My advice: pick one or two of  these rules or examples and then get some flowers based on them. If in doubt, start small and keep it simple.  As you can see from the photo, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a big bouquet stuffed in a large vase: a simple collection of one type of flower in a simple bottle still looks wonderful. If you get a bunch of 4 or 5 different flowers from the supermarket, break them up into groups of 1, 2 or 3.  Try different things. Flower arranging is an art in more ways than one.

Also, when cutting your flowers, take your time and cut away a bit at a time until you get the height you want. You can always cut further, but obviously you cannot lengthen them!

Flowers bring automatic beauty into your life. Go get some.

P.S. If you have to get vases and you don’t want to spend alot, consider the local dollar store. Most will have a collection of simple glass cylinders of all heights. Get a small, medium, and large size cylinder and you will be all set for whatever flowers suit your mood that day, be they a small bunch of daisies or a big batch of sunflowers.

Why not buy flowers…

On the weekend I was in Dufflet on Yonge in Toronto having a delicious brownie. This particular Dufflet also has a flower shop in it with gorgeous flowers for sale. While I was enjoying my brownie, a woman walked by with a gorgeous bouquet. As she exited, she exclaimed “I am buying them to cheer me up”.

It may seem extravagant to some to buy flowers. You can’t do much with them. But we pay for movies and attend musicals and watch TV shows on cable TV. If anything, flowers last longer and cost less than these diversions. Even my brownie is not something I have to eat. I enjoy it for much more than the calories it provides (and it does provide alot of those!) It’s a small extravagance.

No, flowers are no more extravagant than any of those. If you want to make yourself better, you could do worse than buy flowers. Even one small one, in a tiny vase. Go ahead!