Last week I learned a new flower technique from my friend Jackie James, the owner of “Bespoke Flowers” in Chicago. Look for her on Instagram @bespoke_flowers_ Jackie’s arrangements are stunning! I couldn’t wait to try out the new sunflower method!

I also had two of these cute watering can/spray bottle containers I thought would be the perfect vessel to arrange these flowers in. “Trader Joe’s” had all the flowers I needed to make two of these happy arrangements. The nice clerk at the checkout stand asked if I would like a bucket of water to transport the flowers home in, and I happily said yes! And I don’t even need to return it.

With every flower we buy it is important to prepare and condition them as soon as you get them home. I brought them home, cut the stems off about an inch to two inches depending on the flower or greenery, and popped them right back into fresh water conditioned with a couple packets of my favorite flower food, “Chrysal”. If you aren’t arranging them immediately, store them in the coolest place in your home. I find my food storage room in the basement is the perfect place.

Here is a tip to keep hydrangeas looking better and healthier longer, or to revive them if they are wilted. Start by removing any leaves that are below the water level and give the stems a fresh cut 45 degree angle. Then using really sharp floral scissors or secateurs, cut a criss-cross cut up into the thick stem about one to two inches. This allows the flower to fully hydrate itself. If your hydrangeas are looking wilty, you can submerge the flowers in cold water, either in a vase or a sink, for a few hours. For an extra boost, you can try boiling the ends of the stems for a minute or two before placing them in fresh, cool water. Then place them back in your normal conditioned water. You will be surprised how they perk up! If you trim the stem again as you are arranging your flowers, be sure to criss-cross cut the end of the stem again before final placement in your vase or container. This method is a good one to use on any woody plant stem as it opens up the tissue in the stem to take in more fluid.

The fun tip I learned from my friend Jackie is a different take on sunflowers. You might want to use a pair of medical gloves to do this as sunflowers are quite sticky. She recently made an arrangement where she pulled all the yellow petals off the sunflowers she used.

This left a glorious dark lime green center with lighter lime green leaves that take on the look of petals!

With my favorite color being green I couldn’t wait to try this new technique! If your sunflowers look a little wilty, trim the ends, and then immediately place them in a vase with lukewarm water. Sunflowers absorb water better when it’s slightly warm, and this helps prevent sudden temperature shock to the stems. Let them sit long enough to revive and then arrange with your other flowers as you normally would.

As a rule of thumb, I re-cut all my flowers, taking off one to two inches at a 45-degree angle as I arrange them. This increases the flower’s ability to rehydrate better in addition to removing any dried or clogged stem material to promote better water absorption.

You will also want to remove any leaves that would normally sit below the water level in your vase or container. Submerged leaves decay and promote bacterial growth, which will shorten the life of your flowers and make your water murky.

Using flower food is a practice some florists use and some don’t. If you don’t change out your water every day, you will most likely want to use a packet of flower food to help your flowers last longer. However, changing the water out every day, and re-cutting the stems in your arrangement every couple of days to maintain water flow will make your flowers last much longer than just adding a packet of flower food.

Here’s one more tip. If you have and reuse flower buckets like the one they gave me at Trader Joe’s, you will want to clean it before using it again. Start by removing any flower debris from the bucket.

Then, sanitize the bucket using a one-part bleach solution to nine or ten parts water. You can also use a commercial floral cleaner instead of the bleach solution. Once the bucket is clean, rinse it thoroughly and allow it to air dry before storing or reusing it.

I know people are looking forward to the upcoming Fall season. Hobby Lobby has had pumpkins and Christmas up for four months now!!! I love Hobby Lobby, but I also love to enjoy each season of the year in the season that it’s actually in! It gives me the worst anxiety to walk in and see pumpkins in May! How about You? Does that stress you out as much as it does me? I feel like it robs me of summertime joy. It’s ok to take time to smell the roses (or whatever flowers you have in your yard) and enjoy the rest of Summer! With our weather here in Utah still in the high 90’s and no rain in sight, I intend to soak in every last bit of that wonderful sunny warmth . . . as I sit in the shade with my Coconut Cream Dr. Pepper Zero watching the Zinnias grow, and the hummingbirds flitting back and forth around me. As far as I’m concerned, summer is not over until the hummingbirds leave to fly south for the winter.

My wish for you this week is to do the same. Take some time to sit on your back porch. Rest, breathe, rejuvenate, and take in the beauties that surround us! You might even want to pick some flowers and make a lovely arrangement for your kitchen table, or drop one off to a friend. Whatever you do, have a great week!

Love Ya, Les 😊

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