Even though Mother’s Day just past, May is the perfect time to brush up on your flower arranging skills. Because April showers brought some fabulous May flowers. And you should learn how to make them look pretty.
Roses can be thorny to arrange. But if you know a few simple tips, you can nail gorgeous home arrangements and even impress yourself.
First “clean” your roses. Remove all of the outside leaves. Remove any browned or loose petals.
Next cut your roses to the same level – 2-4 inches above the rim of the jar. Don’t worry that they are too high or perfect. It’s impossible to add stem later, so be more conservative on your cutting.
Next arrange your flowers like you are making a bouquet, crossing roses over each other and building out from the center.
**TIP: try to keep fuller roses in the center of the bouquet and the “thinner” roses around the edges. Try to give your bouquet a spherical shape instead of being flat across the top.
Tie your bouquet with a piece of twine.
Place in the water and cut the stems as needed to rest right on the lip of the jar.
I have a succulent obsession. I mean they are stunning, geometric and interesting plants that don’t die. Literally it is hard to kill them. I love the idea of utilizing a centerpiece that can be preserved.
And so, when my friend RoseAnn wanted to create a rustic centerpiece for her {beautiful} daughter Bella’s communion, we opted for rustic succulents. These are so easy, I promise you can’t screw them up. They would make a gorgeous {homemade} Mother’s Day gift.
Square piece of burlap cut so that it will hang over the crate
Potting Soil
An array of succulents
Hydrangeas
Plastic grocery bag
To create:
Place the burlap on the bottom of the crate.
Then take a plastic grocery bag and place on top. You are going to fill this bag with soil/plants so that the arrangement is contained and doesn’t leak.
Place a few inches of soil into the bottom of the bag/crate. You will fill in more.
Set up the arrangement as you would like it.
We opted for just a few hydrangeas {which will not last} and succulents for the remaining space. Use a cup or a small shovel to secure the plants in with additional soil.
I’m excited for an upcoming Sunday of margaritas & guacamole. Oh, and maybe a Heat game? If you need a simple pop this Cinco de Mayo, think outside the box. Or in my case… outside the can of beans. These colorful bean cans are the perfect vessel to place a brightly colored arrangement.
Simply clean out the cans and fill. You can even use cilantro as a “filler” if you want to be really authentic!
