Easy Garden Flower Arrangement

3 Materials
20 Minutes
Easy
I put together a quick and easy garden arrangement with flowers and greenery from the garden for a little flower therapy and am sharing some flower arranging tips.
To make an easy garden flower arrangement, gather some blooms and greenery. Cut your flowers and greenery in the morning when the stems are fully hydrated and not water-stressed from the heat.
I used an enamel bucket for this easy arrangement, that lends a cottage garden/farmhouse touch, to enjoy on the porch. Place a wide mouth vase or smaller bucket inside a larger one, filling both with water. You can use this method with the containers or vases of your choice, using what you have on hand.
Add your larger leaves and greenery between the walls of the vase or bucket.
I used a combination of hosta leaves along with greenery from the shrubs, laurel and kaleidoscope abelia. The greenery will form a base to support the flower stems, without having to use floral foam or chicken wire to build your arrangement, keeping the flowers and greenery loose and casual, with a ‘just-picked’ from the garden feeling.
Strip all the leaves from the bottom half to two-thirds of each stem removing any foliage below the water line to prevent decay and bacteria.


Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle one inch from the bottom for maximum water uptake.


Condition the flowers and foliage by placing them in a bucket of clean water and leave in a cool place for at least two to three hours or even better, overnight.
If you don’t have any commercial floral preservative to add to your water, you can make your own to help your cut flowers last longer. Here’s an easy formula I use to help prolong the life of cut flowers:
  • Mix one part lemon-lime soda (regular, not diet) to three parts water, along with 1/2 teaspoon of bleach. The citric acid in the soda help the water travels up the stems to the flowers more rapidly, while providing food in the form of sugar. The bleach helps fight the growth of bacteria, allowing the flowers to stay hydrated and fresh.
I used a combination of blue Endless Summer Hydrangeas, purple Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), silvery Lamb's Ear blooms and Queen Anne's Lace that's growing along the roadside, free for the picking.
To help your cut hydrangeas last, use the alum-dipping method.
You can find more flower arranging tips, here.
More photos at the link below!
Mary @ Home is Where the Boat Is
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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