Flower Arranging Class

My flower arranging class sponsored by the UGA Alumni Association's Women of UGA was a success. What a fun way to spend my Wednesday lunch hour!

Owner of Ginger Lily Events and Florals and UGA alumnus, Ginger Bradshaw ('74), led a demonstration on creating floral arrangements for your home. Ginger was so open and honest about a range of topics from floral arrangement to small business ownership. Below are a few pictures from the afternoon:

For this simple arrangement, Ginger recommended using green waterproof florist's tape to tape the roses together just below the head before inserting in the vase to ensure proper placement.


For the arrangement below, Ginger used clear, waterproof tape to tape off a grid on the top of the glass vase. The grid allows you to place flowers exactly where you want them for the perfect display. I had never heard of this before-- but what a great idea! (I bought a roll of the tape from Ginger and plan to use it soon!)


Notice the loops coming out of the top of the arrangement as well as the coiled greenery inside the vase. Ginger used lily grass for these unique additions. For the "lily loops", simply insert both the top and bottom end of the grass into the vase. Then, adjust the height of each loop to add interest.

For the coiled greenery, simply roll several pieces of lily grass together and insert it into the bottom of the vase before filling with water and flowers. As Ginger pointed out-- oftentimes at a seated meal, guests are eye level with the glass portion of the vase so it's important to think about this space. She also recommended using grapevine for a more "woodsy" look. I love this idea!

The final arrangement uses hydrangeas-- my favorite! For this piece, Ginger used a pretty metal urn as a base. She soaked a block of florist's Oasis in water for five minutes and placed the Oasis in the bottom of the urn. Oasis acts as an amazing assistant, since it both waters the plant and holds stems perfectly in place. The arrangement below uses hydrangeas, roses, green hydrangeas, and ivy. This would look gorgeous on an entry table!


Ginger is based out of her home in Sandy Springs and was a delight to spend the afternoon with on Wednesday!

Flower Arranging Class

[I see this in my future. Image: Martha Stewart]

I opened my University of Georgia alumni email yesterday to find out that the alumni association is offering a flower arranging class this month over lunch at the Atlanta Alumni Center. Not only that, but said flower arranging class is in my building. I have wanted to take a class on this for a long time-- how perfect!

Any fellow alums or local Atlantans want to take the class with me? [Think of all you can do. Spring is right around the corner!] Here are the details:

Flower Arranging Made Simple

Event Title:	Flower Arranging Made Simple Hosted by Ginger Bradshaw, '74
Date:	Mar 31, 2010
Time:	11:30AM - 1:00PM ET
Location:	UGA Atlanta Alumni Center 3475 Lenox Rd N.E. Atlanta, GA 30326
Description:	Join us for a fun flower arranging how to lunch group. Ginger Bradshaw '74, started her own floral business, Ginger Lily Events and Florals after her daughter's wedding several years ago. She will teach us how to create simple but beautiful arrangements using treasures from your yard or home. How to make your flowers last and the tools you need to make arranging easy. Lunch will be provided by RA Sushi.

Sushi & flower arranging for $15-- sign me up!

Ashley

Flower Fresh: Make Your Valentine's Day Flowers Last

It's ironic that I am writing this post. My husband constantly teases me about my inability to maintain plant life. Let's just say that I do not have a green thumb. However, please keep in mind that the "love fern" he gave me for Valentine's Day in 2006 is still alive and kicking 4 years later despite my negligence. (Yes, he did give me a plant for Valentine's Day. He claims "it lasts longer". Touche.)In anticipation of the many, many flowers (or plants) that will be purchased this Sunday, I would like to provide a few flower preservation tips so that you can enjoy their beauty longer. These are not tips from personal experience. Rather, they are the result of approximately an hour of internet research.

Enjoy!

Tips:

[1] Cut the stem at a diagonal to make "drinking" easier. Be sure to use sharp scissors!

[2] Remove excess foliage from the stem.

[3] Place flowers in water as soon as possible.

[4] Use warm water. Apparently, flowers more readily take up warm water than cold. Interesting.

[5] Fill vase only 1/3 to 1/2 way. Flowers only take in water from the bottom. Otherwise, leaves and other foliage will rot and contaminate the water. This will cause bacteria to kill off the flowers more quickly. (YUCK!)

[4] Don't overcrowd. Allowing flowers at least five hours of "drinking time" without overcrowding them is called conditioning. Arranged conditioned flowers last almost twice as long.

[5] Use a flower preservative to keep the water bacteria-free. Don't have a preservative? A capful of household bleach will do the trick!

[6] If you don't use a preservative, water should be changed daily and stems trimmed as well.

[7] If you do use a preservative, stems will not need to be trimmed ever and water needs to be changed twice a week.

[8] Placing your arrangement near a fruit bowl, television, or sunlight will cause them to wilt faster.

Did I miss something? Please share your tips for arranging or preserving flowers below!

Have a great Thursday!

Ashley

[all images from my favorite Atlanta florist, Carithers]