Embrace Your Destiny: Flower Therapy

Bob picking for an order

Brother Bob grows the most magnificent flowers. He and sister-in-law Judy have always said, “Anytime you want flowers, just ask.” Why I never thought to “just ask” for weekly fresh flowers before, I don’t know. 

When we first moved back home in 2012, I helped Judy in the garage preparing flowers for wholesale or retail. For me, this was a course in  Flowers 101. I learned how to care for them, how to prolong freshness and how to arrange. Judy was patient, thorough, and creative. Bob grows the flowers, but Judy was and still is the glue that keeps their business, Poppins Posies going. I always had flowers those summers.

 

 

Small bucket used in arrangements

I learned simple, basic lessons in Flowers 101. The most important ones to me are:

• Trim every stem at an angle
• Use sharp clippers
• Use a mix of colors, shapes, heights and textures
• Mix plant food supplement into the water before starting; daffodils don’t like this treatment
• Change water and trim stems everyday
• Use pods, grasses, wild flowers or vegetables like okra for a seasonal change

When the dahlias started coming in this year,  I thought, “I didn't get any flowers last summer. What a waste! I think I'll ask Judy for a small bucket of flowers every week for pick up on Sunday. They aren't so busy then. Arranging is always fun. Hmmm, I Wonder if I still have flower food?”

In the beginning, Judy surprised me with arrangements she fixed. She used simple vases that make arranging easy.  Then she switched to her trademark, "Garden in a Bucket."

Selecting flowers for vases

How can you not enjoy working with these beautiful flowers? It's therapeutic just looking at them. The creative process is good too. I enjoy tweaking my final creations.

 

I gather my tools first. That would be vases, clippers, and plant food. Everything else is in the bucket of flowers. I work at my sink where I can trim the flowers into the trash can. That way I don't have to bend over. Then, I plan how I will use all the flowers in the bucket. Sometimes, I have enough of one color for a monochromatic theme. I get at least three arrangements from my small bucket. I like vases with a medium throat.

 

 

I usually start with the taller, bigger flowers. The dahlias have long, big, sturdy stems. I pick Zennias next because their look is totally different and they have good greenery. Greenery helps fill in the gaps and hold the arrangement together. At the end I use the small stemmed, wispy flowers like daisies.

 

Three nice vases for one small bucket

Every week my “garden in a bucket” is different. I remember in one lesson, Judy said, “Notice how the flowers change in color over the summer. As the days get shorter August the color is more vibrant. Also, weeds and grasses are fun and add a special touch. Queen Anne’s Lace, Goldenrod and Ironweed make the bucket pop.”

Why have I waited so long to take Bob and Judy up on their offer? Just walking over to the flower farm and chatting with the team of talented workers is an inspiration. Flower therapy sure works for me. Hope you will try it.