The first time we cured our home, and encountered the directive to "buy flowers," we procrastinated: we were between jobs; we needed the money for other things; we were never home enough to enjoy them. But, one week, we added a bouquet to our groceries and saw how it made a difference in how we perceived our home. Now we're addicted; we watch for new flowers along with the changing seasons. Available everywhere from supermarkets to high end florists, here's a rundown of some of our favorites and how to care for them...
Top 10 Flower Varieties
Carnations: Much maligned, these are worth a second look. And we love the smell.
To know: Try the variegated ones. But stick with a color scheme.
Try them: Tightly packed in a round bowl; float one, cut high, in a saucer.
Available: All year round. A personal favorite.
Daisy: Margaritas or Gerbers?
To know: Place stems in hot water briefly to prevent droop.
Try them: Keep them casual in a rough vase. A few Gerbers is plenty; have fun mixing and matching the colors in a few Gerbers.
Available: Year round but best in summer.
Iris: Tall and majestic, they say "spring" to us.
To know: Cut them all at the same height. Help them open by sticking a finger in the top; blow gently.
Try them: In a tall rectangular vase. Get two bunches. Don't fuss. Stick 'em in a great vase and leave it at that.
Available: Available year round.
Lilac: We love their fragrance...and their color.
To know: Fragile with a short lifespan. Look for tight buds. Crush the stems and keep the water level high. A fleeting pleasure.
Try them: in your biggest glass vase.
Available: They're at their best, and last the longest, in spring.
Lily: Drama queen. All the time.
To know: The pollen stains; remove with a tissue. Stargazers and Casablancas have strong perfumes. Be warned.
Try them: a single stem in a simple vase is all you need for old-fashioned glamour.
Available: all year round.
Orchid: Decorator cliche. With good reason.
To know: Surprisingly hardy, they need minimal water. Good for forgetful types.
Try them: Simply. In a pot. Where their sculptural beauty can shine.
Available: year round. We love that they're now available everywhere. We get ours at Trader Joes.
Peony: Voluptuous and fragrant.
To know: Coax tight buds open by massaging them in warm water.
Try them: In a simple vase. Let the flower do the work here.
Available: In winter and late spring; spring is also a good time to plant if you have bought young container-grown plants.
Rose: What other flower says romance better?
To know: Treat buds like peonies. Crush stems slightly; cut on the diagonal under running water.
Try them: casually, in a cup.
Available: year round, prices peak on Feb. 14.
Sunflowers: Van Gogh's pick.
To know: Try the daisy hot water trick here. Don't forget to remove the leaves.
Try them: in big bunches, in a your biggest, heaviest vase.
Available: in late summer and fall, they're cheery anytime.
Tulips: Dutch choice.
To know: They bend towards the light, so make sure to turn your arrangement daily.
Try them: in a vase in a complementary color.
Available: Best in spring.
Comments (14)
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Tulips won't bloom as fast and will last much longer when you place a few pennies in their vase and add a little gin. I received Tulips yesterday and they were a bit droopy at the stem when I finally got them in a vase, but after adding some pennies and a touch gin they were perfectly upright this morning.
view sf julia's profile
Great photos, but I don't really understand why flowers are such a huge part of the cure. To me, cut flowers are depressing - slowly dying for a few days of enjoyment - overpriced, bad feng shui if you leave them too long, and not very green (environmentally speaking) if you're buying any variety that is flown in from elsewhere.
I'll admit, arrangements can be gorgeous, and I'm all for decorating with potted plants (I have a TJ orchid myself), but there are more resourceful ways to improve your space.
view firecracker's profile
Call me obsessive, but if I have room in my fridge, I always put flowers in over night to make them last. I don't see them while I am sleeping!
view vieboheme's profile
What a beautiful post! I'm so excited about spring flowers. Fresh flowers in a room always make it feel happier - more elegant even. I ordinarily don't like carnations - I completely ignore them actually. But your suggestion of having them tightly packed in a round bowl put a different image in my head. Perhaps I underestimated the good ol' carnation.
.... I love the fridge tip! Thanks
view Carmen's profile
To save a little on this indulgence, buy flowers that are in season. They are much less expensive. Tulips, daffodils, freesias (can't believe those were left off the list -- they are long lasting and lightly fragrant) and other spring bulbs are in season now.
Be sure to scale your vase for the arrangement. A too-big vase can make your bouquet seem sparse.
In general, trim stems to three different lengths for best display.
Trim away leaves that would be submerged. They decompose faster underwater and decrease bouquet life.
Contrast is great. Mix yellow or orange with purple, for example.
view kimg924's profile
all my orchids never bloom again - and i think one is dying. Is there an online source for dummies about how to grow/keep/nurture orchids?
view judie's profile
Love tightly bundled carnations!
MUST BUY FLOWERS THIS WEEKEND!
Can't wait til the Saturday street market this spring! Man, it's been a long, cold winter!
view PlanItGirl's profile
Lillies make me feel like someone died:(
view luvdecor's profile
Oh, PS!
I learned the trick for African violets. I know how to get them to bloom all year for years and years. They love bright eastern light. Southern and Western exposures are too hot and will burn them. Northern exposures don't provide enough light. But! Put them in a window with eastern light all day long and you'll have little bouquets all year round.
view kimg924's profile
Carnations have bad associations for me...like I need to pin one to my chest for a high school homecoming dance (circa 1984). I do love cut flowers, though I tend to just buy orchids because they last longer. My favorite long-lasting cut flower is the kangaroo paw.
view di's profile
I used to dislike cut flowers in my home, too, and didn't even own a vase until very recently. Then I realized that flowers on the plant never last long, either, and this way, I can enjoy them in my home. I truly appreciate having them. Plus, I like the idea of giving a gift to my home. I have live plants, also, and love them, too!
view OneWallKitchen's profile
judie: Orchids sometimes only bloom once a year, depending on the type. It's not dead just because it doesn't have flowers! I "killed" a few before I had an enlightening talk with an orchid-obessed associate at a local nursery. They are also finicky about water - this site helped me:
http://www.orchids.com/support/supportFAQ.html
Good luck!
PS - For those of you on the westside (or willing to travel there), Julio at The Jungle on Sawtelle is an incredible resource.
view firecracker's profile
This post makes me long intensely for the four years I worked in a flower shop throughout high school. All the access to stock, phlox, genista, waxflower, and godetia (along with those that made the cut) that I could long for.
You know what's just as good as flowers, sometimes? Silver dollar eucalyptus. Gorgeous. (Also great to set off peonies, or roses that are fully blown with huge heads.) Ahhhh flowers...
view D. Humbird's profile
Flowers in season are a joke. If you're going to buy fresh flowers, pay attention to the origins. Roses, with the exception of garden roses, are nearly all grown in South America, in the floral equivalent of sweat shops, and flown to this country. California has flower farms, and it's worth the research to find out where your bouquet comes from. Sweet peas at the farmers' markets are nearly always local. Lilacs often come from near Lake Elizabeth.
view Palmetto's profile