Creative with Flowers - # 19 - Two Pink Chrysanthemums

Let me set the scene. You are just home from a long day of being on your feet - kick off your shoes, grab a cup of herbal tea and a good book. Sit down in a favourite chair - made even more comfortable with a cushion and a warm blanket - and NOW you can also enjoy the flowers you made earlier!

This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As usual my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!

What could be simpler than two different pink chrysanthemums in an old apothecary jar. The jar is a little chipped and the lid is missing but that has never stopped me making use of it. 

I've used two pink colours - but twice as many stems of the darker colour with just a few of the lighter pink to lift the whole colour scheme.

The chair is a Lloyd Loom chair from the 1930's - in it's original colour! The cushion is made from a vintage patchwork quilt. Both the cushion and the chair are almost perfectly matching the flowers.

The book is by Nessa Buonomo and is called Tables fleuries. Nessa is a florist and she writes the blog La Mariee aux Pieds Nus. This is her third book and if you are wondering - and yes, it's only so far published in french. She makes lovely flower arrangements - a little wild country style and very beautiful.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Wednesday!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer - I will be back on Friday with some more floral delights. Hope to see you then. 

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

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Creative with Flowers - #18 - Pink and Green Hydrangea

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' we are taking a look at some deep pink and green hydrangea that also has petals with curled edges - so a little bit different. 

This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As usual my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!

I rather like the two toned flower heads and the slightly curled edges of the petals. 

Combining them with a neutral background and a few also neutral bits and pieces - was a must. The flowers themselves are quite strong in colour and I wanted them to stand out.

I have faintly picked up the pink in the flowers by using a cushion and a vintage bowl with some pink in them in the background.
The vintage apothecary jars are filled with mother-of-pearl buttons from my grandmother and the ball of cut and torn rags are also from my grandmother's house. They did that before weaving it into rag rugs. I can't believe this ball of rags is still around!!  

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Wednesday!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer - I will be back on Friday with some more floral delights. Hope to see you then. 

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Creative with Flowers - # 14 - Deep Pink Dahlias

This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As usual my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!

I came across these amazing deep pink dahlias at my local farmers' market. This big bunch is made up from three smaller ones. They were just perfect in every way and so cheap I couldn't resist them! 

I have used a florist's zinc bucket for the flowers - instead of a more traditional vase - perfect for the garden.

I wanted to do a little informal summer place setting for the garden. 

Added some fresh fruit - grapes, plums and a few berries.

A nautical inspired fabric in a traditional blue and white stripe is combined with purple napkins and some vintage floral side plates.

Purple place cards and mini Bon Maman jam and honey jars.

A cool summer drink with seasonal berries - white wine and raspberries.

There is always something special about eating outdoors. Add some cushions and an umbrella and of course pile on the flowers!!

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Wednesday!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back later in the week with some more floral delights. 

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

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Creative with Flowers - #12 - Allium siculum

This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As usual my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!

Ok, let's start with the many names of this flower. When I was studying horticulture and garden design we called this plant Nectaroscordum siculum - it has now changed it's name to Allium siculum. It also has several common names Sicilian honey garlic, Mediterranean bells and Sicilian honey lily.

It has very pretty bell shaped flowers in cream, pink and green tints. The flowers sit on top of long stems and yes, you guessed it, it smells of garlic! 

Use with other flowers in a mixed bunch for a more wild style or like here on their on for a more modern and contemporary look. 

I wanted a very clean and minimal look so I have used a cylindrical clear glass vase, a vintage wooden foot stool and as a backdrop a black and white print by Manya Goldman, an old friend of mine from art school. 

The flowers are from Forever Green Flower Company. An organic flower farm run and owned by Cel Robertson in Norfolk. I buy her flowers twice a month when she has a stall at my local farmer's market.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Wednesday!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Friday with another 'A Bunch for the Weekend'.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

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A Bunch for the Weekend - # 79 - Pink Sweet Peas

It's always a pleasure and lots of fun to buy a bunch of flowers for the weekend and this series of blog posts, called 'A Bunch for The Weekend, will show you how you can make quick and easy flower arrangements for your home. 

Buy the flowers where it's convenient and easy for you whether that is from a flower stall, farmers' market, the supermarket or a florist. 

Always try to buy seasonal flowers - they will be a lot cheaper.

Make sure you condition the flowers as soon as you get home. Remove any foliage that will end up below the waterline in the vase. Trim the ends of the stems at an angle and put in fresh water as soon as possible.
  

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I'm featuring some beautiful sweet peas. This one is pink but with a few different tones on the petals. It has dark frilly edges and the colours vary from off-white to areas that are blushed with dark pink.

The flower stall where I buy most of my flowers is selling lots of sweet peas in several different colours right now.

Like the peony, sweet peas is one of our all time favourites. These sweetly scented old-fashioned cottage flower are perfect both on their own or mixed with other flowers.

They are available in almost every colour under the sun apart from yellow. 

The flowers you buy from florists or flower stalls have longish stems with no foliage or tendrils. Garden sweet peas will have shorter stems with a few leaves and tendrils. Leave them on to add some interesting textures. 

The botanical or Latin name for sweet pea is Lathyrus odoratus. Lathyrus is from the Greek lathyros meaning pea or pulse and odoratus means fragrant.

Flower arrangements don't need to be big to look effective. It can be like here a simple vintage jar with just one type of flower in one colour or a small posy on your desk to give pleasure while working away on your computer.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Friday and a great weekend!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' and I'll be back on Monday with another 'Tiny Blooms'.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

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Creative with Flowers - # 10 - Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll'

This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As usual my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' we are taking a look at one of my favourite roses. It's the Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll'. 

I have one growing in my garden - so all these flowers come from there. 

Instead of a traditional vase I'm using a little antique Victorian luster creamer from around the 1830s.

I love how it has flowers on it and that the pink is almost the same colour as the rose.

The stems were very short - so it was a little hard to arrange the individual flowers - so what I did was - I arranged the bunch in my hand and then simply put a rubber band around the stems to keep them in place and then put them in the creamer. 

The largest of the roses I placed on a saucer in a small amount of water and I also scattered a few rose petals around - just for fun.  

Isn't this just the most romantic little arrangement and so simple to make? 

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Wednesday!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' and I'll be back on Friday with another 'A Bunch for the Weekend'.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

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Tiny Blooms - # 33 - Peonies and Alliums

This series of blog posts - called 'Tiny Blooms' - are about small flower arrangements. Small - might be the size of the container or it could be the size of the flowers or the amount of stems. 

It can also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's simple, quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I'm allowing myself a lot of creative freedom!

Big blousy peonies and big round Alliums are two flowers that often flower at the same time. So why not try to combine them?

I used a vase with quite a narrow neck and used only three stems of each flower. I varied the height to give a little bit of visual variation 

They are both flowers that lasts for quite a long time - so a perfect combination. The colours also work very well together and the two big round shapes and variation in texture complement each other. 

It's a lovely combination that is worth trying out at this time of year. There are also many other Alliums that you can try to combine with the peonies.  You only need a few stems to make an impact with these two flowers!

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Monday!

I'll be be back on Wednesday with another 'Creative with Flowers'.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

P.S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

You can also follow me on:

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

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Florets - Floral Quote - # 113 - by Lewis Miller

"I tend to like combinations that either follow each other on the color wheel, like red, red-orange, and orange, or that falls on opposite sides of the wheel, like orange and blue. Successful color pairings are ones that have an unexpected twist, like coral with pink and rust, which is an alluring mix of hues. The rust is crucial in that trinity; without it the resulting floral arrangement is too sweet, it's as though your teeth will fall out just from looking at it! Salmon and olive; ruby, cerise, and coral; dusty lavender,aubergine, and champagne: these surprising combinations keep your eyes engaged and delighted."

~ Lewis Miller ~

[Lewis Miller: American, New York-based floral designer, founder of Lewis Miller Design, making flower arrangements for private and corporate clients and author of Styling Nature.]

[Quote from: Styling Nature by Lewis Miller, 2016.]

[Flowers: Ranunculus.]
[Container: Vintage glass bottles.]

[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Sunday!

I'll be back on Monday with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration follow me on:

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

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Tiny Blooms - # 32 - White Hyacinths in Tumblers

This series of blog posts - called 'Tiny Blooms' - are about small flower arrangements. Small - might be the size of the container or it could be the size of the flowers or the amount of stems. 

It can also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's simple, quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I'm allowing myself a lot of creative freedom!

On a little shopping trip to my local high street I went into one of the many charity stores. I found a set of colourful vintage tumblers for £ 2.00. I'm always on the lookout for containers that can be used as vases.

At home I had some white hyacinths and I thought the combination of coloured glass and white flowers would be interesting together. 

I shortened the stems and filled each tumbler with as many stems as would fit. I grouped them together and placed them where the light would shine through the colourful glass.

Another quick and easy little spring arrangement that only takes minutes to do! 

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Monday!

I'll be be back on Wednesday with another 'Creative with Flowers.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

You can also follow me on:

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

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Florets - Floral Quote - # 112 - by Selina Lake

"Using flowers and plants is one of the most economical and effective ways to style your home or party venue. The best vases for creating big, bold arrangements are those that are wider at the base than at the neck, which makes the flowers easier to arrange. For little posies, such as the sea lavender, Russian sage, dahlias and blackberries or stems of asparagus fern, a collection of smaller vases, bottles and jars gives a uniform look."

~ Selina Lake ~ 

[Selina Lake: British, freelance interior stylist and author of seven books.]

[Quote from: Botanical Style by Selina Lake, 2016.]

[Flowers: Bluebells.]
[Container: Vintage milk bottle as well as a selection of vases and other containers in the background.]

[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Sunday!

I'll be back on Monday with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

For more floral inspiration follow me on:

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

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Tiny Blooms - # 31 - Large Parrot Tulips

This series of blog posts - called 'Tiny Blooms' - are about small flower arrangements. Small - might be the size of the container or it could be the size of the flowers or the amount of stems. It can also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's simple, quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I'm allowing myself a lot of creative freedom!

I know this series of blog posts are called 'Tiny Blooms' - so why am I featuring Large Parrot Tulips. Well, if you have followed 'Tiny Blooms' - you know that it's not really always about small or tiny flowers but more about simplicity. 

The lovely Cel Robertson from Forever Green Flower Company gave this bunch of parrot tulips to me last Saturday, at our local farmers' market. She was reluctant to put them on the compost heap and asked if I could make use of them. Well, my answer was of course "Yes, please"! 

I removed the foliage, trimmed the stems and put them in a large clear glass, vintage pickling jar. What could be more simple?

I also added a bit of vintage lace, which made it almost look like a Dutch flower painting.  

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Monday!

I'll be be back on Wednesday with more floral delight from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

For more floral inspiration follow me on:

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

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