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Simply Pretty Floral Ideas

Spring and summer backyard gardens are the best place to find a few little posies to make up a pretty and economical centre piece or wee gift to bring to a friend, put on your window sill or bedside stand.

Several weeks ago I hosted a bridal shower for my niece and needed a centre piece with some height  for the food table. I have a cupboard full of serving pieces that I only use occasionally and this tiered cupcake stand is often a go to for me for decor or food presentation.

For the flowers I picked large hosta leaves from my garden and peonies that were in full bloom.
The problem with peonies is that they are often the hiding place for little bugs and ants that one certainly does not want to have crawling out and onto a food table. 


Here's what I did.
Several hours before the party I picked my peonies and hosta leaves.
Filled a sink with warm water and a bit of dish soap.
Snipped peonies near the base of the flower. Turn flowers upside down into the sink of warm soapy water and swished flowers gently. I then rinsed them gently under running water and lay upside down on a cookie cooling rack to 'drip dry' the flowers petals.
Washed and patted dry hosta leaves. Laid large hosta leaves on each tier and arranged cleaned peonies on top of hosta leaves. They were still be a little bit wet which was fine.


The cut flowers won't be immersed in water in this arrangement but I find that peonies last this way for up 6-7 hours before they begin to wilt.
Try arranging any of your seasonal blooms on unique serving pieces for a pretty and inexpensive centre piece.
On another special occasion I used the same stand to display teacups from my grandmothers, mom and mom in law. It was so pretty and made for a nice conversation piece. Try adding small flowers from your garden to teacups. 
Why not pot some posies in an old roaster. This old roaster is from my mother in law's kitchen that I remember being the turkey roaster....a gift at their wedding over 60 years ago. The enamel has chipped away making it unsafe for cooking...but it makes for a fun and whimsical way to add colour to my backyard table.
Think outside the box.....create some centre piece fun. 
A simple vinegar jar becomes the perfect little posy holder. My hydrangea's are just beginning to bloom. Try tying a tag to the little handle with a note and this becomes a perfect little hostess gift. Simple and pretty.

This teapot was a wedding gift almost 40 years ago. I've maybe used it a few times to serve tea, but it's been one of my favourite containers when my roses bloom and I want a pretty bouquet on my table.

I really enjoy perusing the dishes isle of second hand stores. I look for little cream and sugar pitchers in glass or silver. They make for another fun hostess gift when filled with a few small snips from my garden...and I like to bring a little bit of what's blooming in my garden inside every few days.

4 comments:

  1. Lovely ideas....thanks for sharing. I love to bring snips of flowers inside to enjoy, too.

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  2. Wonderful ideas! I'm so glad you addressed the "bug" issue with peonies especially! LOL!

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  3. So pretty Kathy - thanks for the ideas. A trick or two like this take a pretty table and make it fabulous.

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  4. Beautiful Kathy! To quote Lovella - "I LOVE SUMMER" and all the pretty flowers. A bouquet on the table makes everything and even an old barn look nice. My mom had an old roaster just like that!!!

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