apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Alstrumeria (sp?) are really cheap, usually $5 per bunch and last forever...two weeks if you change the water and trim the stems after one week. They come in many different colors and are super pretty.

I second the Astrolomeria. They're sooooo cheap. I buy a bundle and they do last forever. They've even got a Good Housekeeping seal on them!

I also go to our grocery stores here, Publix or Kroger, and they have "3 for $10" bunches. I buy three shades of pink carnations and mix them together for a pretty, monochromatic arrangement.

I get mine at the grocery store (Jewel and Dominicks). Jewel usually has 3 for 12 bundles. 1 bundle looks nice in a small vase. Or if I'm feeling like splurging I get the market bouquets which are usually 10.00 or less.

evergreen branches! most of the guys selling x-mas trees sell bunches of branches for $5-10 that i put all over the house. they last months and look and smell fantastic.

Mums and Astrolomeria are pretty much my go-to flowers- also bought at Jewel! They last a surprisingly long time, fill a large vase well and are usually $4/bunch.

I sometimes buy one Cymbidium stem that has about 6-8 flowers on it for about 17.00 but it last sometimes up to 8 or more weeks. I love the way they look.

Alstromeria really do last a really long time, even without water changes and clipping. Plus, they come in a bunch of colors.

haha, move to Europe:)

Buy yourself a houseplant. Christmas cacti may be available in bloom now or soon. Give some sun (east/west/south); if they turn reddish or brownish, move them away from the light.

Phalaenopsis orchids may bloom for months. Give them soft water and keep them on the dry side. (Make sure they're not packed too tightly in their moss; mass-market growers nearly always strangle them.) Northern exposure, or east through a sheer curtain.

Anyone knows somewhere to buy cheap flowers in Montreal? (I find most flowers are expensive here..)

Farmers markets!

try forcing some bulbs. personally, i like the look of the sprouting more than the flowers. for a few cents you get weeks of flowers & you only have to water them! can't beat that!

My recommendation for cheap flowers? Go to the supermarket. Buy the cheapest flowers that you like. Every supermarket that I shop has 3/$10 or 3/$12 bundles of single type blooms. I buy one (or more depending on how that week is going) and then take them home and fill out the arrangements with greenery or other plants from around the yard.

Another cheap flowers solution is to plant a cutting garden. Marigolds are easy to grow in containers, as are dwarf dahlias.

Fresh flowers can make my day, week, month! Up here in Maine in the winter though, they become a very pricey indulgence, even at the grocery. So I've devised a number of ways to indulge without breaking the bank. In addition to forcing bulbs and growing small flowering plants, I target mini-carnations as most fragrant and long-lasting. They sound kind of plain, but can be very sculptural in a spare, monochromatic arrangement.
We also have a florist locally who has "happy hour" the last open hour of the shop when cut stems are 50% off. Again, it only takes one or two stems to make a difference. You might ask if your local florist would do the same for you.
I add an interesting rock, a tea light, or any other small accompaniment to the vased flower, and the effect is so much more than one or two stems.