Friday, October 15, 2021

Arranging Roses Successfully

CCC
 

For those of us who live in Publix territory, roses are on BOGO this week, buy one dozen for $10.99, the second dozen is free. Not sure if all Publix are the same. With my abundance of tropical plants outdoors, I tend to use cut palm fronds and philodendron leaves from my garden for free, but can't resist when Publix has roses on BOGO.

It will come as no surprise that I love using blue and white ginger jars - there is literally not one rose color that does not work beautifully with blue and white Chinese porcelain.


CCC

I bought and photographed them yesterday, shortly after arranging them, so they are still opening. I especially love roses in peach and apricot. 

Some tips to get your roses to open/not droop/last. 

As soon as I get home I submerge the roses in a huge vase of warm water up to their necks for 30 minutes. Did you know that roses like warm, not cold water? About 70 degrees is perfect. 

While the roses are soaking, ready your display vase - a different one with warm water and floral preserver. Take one stem at a time and cut the stem to the desired length under warm running water at an angle and try to transfer to the display vase with water still clinging to the freshly cut stem end to avoid air bubbles in the stem. Florists do not have magical sources for their roses. The key is to prevent air bubbles from preventing them taking up water.

And ask what day(s) your grocery store gets their flower shipments. Mine gets a huge shipment on Thursday so I know I am getting the flowers as fresh as possible. You don't want flowers that have been sitting in the grocery store for days.

Try these tips - I have had very good success.

The other vases I love in my stash are my collection of Kate Spade Cloverdale. I don't know if any of you recall that when the Cloverdale rose bowl appeared in Lonny it went viral. They were going on eBay for hundreds of dollars. Bloggers were posting their DIY versions. At any rate, I have managed to collect four of them and they are favorites of mine for flower arranging. I have two of the rose bowl and two of the tall style and use them all the time.


CCC - Kate Spade Cloverdale Vase


Michelle Adams - Lonny


Two versions of Kate Spade Cloverdale


The vase is as important as the flowers - please don't use those cheesy glass ones that florist's arrangements come in. I love that my ginger jars in all sizes do double duty as vases.

Some more ginger jar inspiration - 


House Beautiful


House Beautiful


Pinterest


Luxe Furniture and Homewares

The vast majority of store bought roses have lost their scent due to hybridizing to make them last longer. I "cheat" by burning a wonderful Diptyque candle in Roses. The scent lingers for hours.


Diptyque Roses







14 comments:

  1. I learn more from your blog than I do from the news.

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  2. The one from Lux Furniture made me gasp. Fabulous!!🥰

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  3. I also heard that a drop of bleach is a good idea for keeping flowers fresh...?

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    1. I detest bleach and have never purchased it in my life. It is to prohibit bacteria growth, but floral preserver that I recommended has a biocide in it that prohibits bacteria growth so additional measures are unnecessary.

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  4. Al Spok Great Rose tips ! Thank you

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  5. I love roses. Peonies are perhaps my favorite flowers, but roses are right up there. They make wonderful cut flowers and are just plain wonderful when left to grow and bloom in the garden. So many colors and varieties. So many ways to arrange them, and so many different ways to make them work in a garden - ground covers, bushes, climbing up walls, arbors or pergolas. Sadly, I just learned that one of my favorite roses, David Austin's "Brother Cadfael", is not available to order. I'm not sure if this is temporary or not. (Don't forget to remove any foliage that would be submerged under water.)

    When I die, I'm going to rose heaven!

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    1. I grew many David Austin in Virginia - I loved Constance Spry and Evelyn especially but had a huge border with over 30 old garden roses and David Austin.

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  6. There was a Kate Spade Cloverdale lamp marked $125 at the NYC Upper West Side Housing Works (charity thrift shop)this afternoon. Address is 2569 Broadway on West 96th.Open 7 days a week.

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    1. The Cloverdale did not come in a lamp. That is a current Kate Spade lamp called Modern Pavillion. They are similar. Thanks.

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  7. re: lamp. It is clear glass with gold dots.

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