Velvet Brown - Home Accessories

Without doubt the cut flower for December has to be the Amaryllis - also known as Hippeastrum.  With it’s long, thick stem, large and bold flowers and superb lasting ability it really is the ‘king’ of the cut flower world.  It is also the perfect cut flower to have indoors in December as it has excellent long-lasting ability and will cope well in most centrally heated homes. 

The stems of Amaryllis are hollow and it is along this hollow channel that the flower takes up water.  As you take a cut Amaryllis stem out of a vase of water, you’ll hear the water trickling back down the stem.  For this reason, always place cut Amaryllis in deep clean water as they are thirsty flowers. 

Each Amaryllis flower has stamens similar to Lilies and it is worth removing the pollen on the stamens when the flowers open, to avoid staining furnishings - do this as soon as the flower opens and it will help to make the flower head last longer too.

To create a striking arrangement, place two or three stems of cut Amaryllis in a vase with long-stemmed foliage or twigs - no special flower arranging skills required, the Amaryllis with their stunning flowers and colours will do the work for you!

The much maligned Chrysanthemum gets a lot of bad press in the world of floristry, however with an increasing number of new varieties in an array of colours, there couldn’t be a better cut flower to have indoors durng the start of the winter months. 

Used imaginatively and simply the Chrsanthemum is the perfect cut flower for November.  Most Chrysanthemums are long lasting and tolerant of warm temperatures - an added advantage as we all start to turn on the central heating.  With the large, long-stem single-bloom varieties, such as limey green Shamrock, the autumnal Tom Pearce, or the crisp white Anastasia, it’s easy to create a stylish vase arrangement from a few simple blooms.   

Chrsanthemums have fairly woody, tough stems so it’s important to re-cut each stem before arranging the flowers in deep, tepid water. Even if you’ve only bought your flowers a few minutes earlier, you should always cut at least one inch off the base of each stem before placing in water as this will allow the flower stem to take up water efficiently.

For a daintier vase arrangement look out for the mini-spray varieties of Chrsanthemum, classified as Santini.  Especially pretty in a white daisy form or a rich yellow variety, Santini Chrysanthemums make pretty posy arrangements or are useful to cut up into more formal floral arrangements.

 It is important to keep changing the water in vases that have Chrysanthemums, as they can cloud the water if left for too long in the same water.  Also, make sure all leaves under the water line are removed as they will only cause bacteria growth in the water.

October heralds the start of Autumn and the plentiful supply of summer flowers beings to wane.  However if you’re struggling to find beautiful flowers to bring indoors in October, the Hydrangea will save the day.  Late season mop-head Hydrangea are the perfect cut-flowers to display in a vase as they’re easy to arrange, long lasting and are available in an array of Autumnal colours to complement the season.

If you’re cutting Hydrangea from the garden, it is easy to dry the flowers.  The best time to cut the flower heads is when the florets feel like fine tissue paper.  Cut the flowers and remove all the leaves, as these will become dry and crispy.  Then simply arrange the flowers in a clean vase with a little tepid water, ensuring the stems are immersed in water.  After a few days the Hydrangea heads will slowly dry on the stem and will stop taking up water.  Discard the water and these dried flower heads can then be used year-round as a dried display.  For a festive touch simply spray the flower heads with metallic paint, or cut the flower heads into clumps and add to seasonal flower arrangements or festive door wreaths.

There are now some stunning long-stemmed cut Hydrangeas available from good florists in an array of colours.  Three or five long stems in a vase will look amazing, however occasionally these long stems will struggle to take up enough water to keep the flower head looking fresh.  If the flower head starts to wilt, simply recut the base of the stem and place in fresh water and the flower should revive.

Sunflowers are one of the top ten best selling cut flowers in the UK and are plentiful in September.  With their bright yellow petals and rich velvety brown centre, Sunflowers are adored by children and adults.

 The latin name for the Sunflower is ‘Helianthus’, derived from the Greek word ‘helios’ meaning sun, and ‘anthos’ meaning flower and they belong to the Aster flower family.  Cut Sunflowers come in many varieties and sizes, including a rich maroon and brown variety (’Prado Red’) and several ‘double’ varieties such as ‘Teddy Bear’ with multi-layers of petals.

When buying cut Sunflowers always look for sturdy stems with upright flower heads.  When you get the flowers home, cut at least 2 or 3 cm off the base of the stem, preferably at an angle, and arrange the flowers is fresh, tepid water with flower food.  Sunflowers are thirsty flowers and it’s worth changing the vase water and re-cutting the stems every other day to prolong the life of the flowers.  If the petals start to fall off the sunflowers, pull off all the remaining petals to leave an interesting ‘flower’ centre, which looks good in Autumn arrangements.

I like to think I’m easy to please.  I don’t particularly like expensive foreign holidays, I don’t wear designer clothes nor carry designer handbags and I don’t crave the latest Ipod. (Truth is I don’t actually own an Ipod and I don’t think I’d use it a great deal if i did.)

For me it’s the simple things in life that give the most pleasure. Last Sunday we had one of the most perfect late summer days I think it is possible to have.  The morning was a little bit misty but was soon burnt off by warm sunshine. The sky was clear blue throughout the day and then it was all finished off by a gorgeous chilly evening .

Having got up late and breakfasted outside on the patio we went for a lovely country ramble from the door.  We had no specific plans of where we were heading but just followed our noses.  I think they must have sniffed out the blackberries.   I don’t think I’ve seen such a fruit laden hedgerow! The area we were in is not heavily walked, so the bush was hardly touched but these few dry days have done wonders for ripening some of the hedgerow fruits.  We could have picked all day but ran out of bags to carry them home in.  (It was only fluke we had some bags in our pockets!) We picked for ages whilst Lottie (our Jack Russell) checked out all the rabbit burrows in the hedge. We didn’t see a soul all the time we were out.

As well as lots of juicy blackberries I picked lots of ivy and rosehips and made a beautiful autumn wreath when I got home. I’ve hung it on my gate to welcome visitors. 

There is something very satisfying about hedgerow finds. Having got home and pottered around in the garden all afternoon (the weather has not only been good for blackberries - the weeds have loved it too!) we lit a lovely log fire and I cooked a big roast dinner with runner beans and fennel from the garden followed by a delicious blackberry and apple crumble served with generous dollops of Creme Fraiche. It all got washed down with a glass or 2 or red wine .

For me - a perfect day. Told you I was easy to please.

The much maligned yet magnificent Gladiolus has to be THE flower to buy in August. With it’s tall, elegant spikes of flowers, resplendent colours and good vase life, the Gladiolus (or Gladioli plural) has grown in popularity in recent years. 

Often associated with the celebrity character Dame Edna Everage, the Gladiolus became a trademark of her stage shows as flower stems would be hurled out to the audience.  Although Dame Edna has Australian origins, the Gladiolus is actually native to Africa, notably South Africa.  However, as its popularity as a cut-flower has grown, Gladioli are now grown across Europe and are increasingly being adopted by English growers for the home market.

As well as the traditional tall, large flowering varieties there is also an old fashioned miniature variety known as ‘Bridal Gladioli’ or Gladiolus Colvillei which is a smaller, dainty version of Gladioli popular in wedding floristry.

Buy Gladioli when they’re in season and you can create a stunning vase arrangement simply and inexpensively. To prolong the life of Gladioli cut approximately one inch off the base of their stems and place in deep, clean water.  Then pinch out the top two or three buds at the stem tip as this will encourage the lower flowers to open and keep the stems straight.  Gladioli tend to be thirsty flowers so keep an eye on the water level in the vase.

Ever been in the situation when you have friends round and the conversation starts to flag.  What you need are talking points.  What do you think of some of these talking points below?  I’m sure there must be something amongst them that would keep the conversation flowing!                   

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http://freshome.com

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Scabious - such an unattractive name for a very pretty flower!  Scabious have a fairly short season in the florist calendar but are a summer delight.  In soft bluey/lilac, or less commonly white, Scabious are a true English summer flower, frequently seen in cottage gardens or growing around the margin of corn fields.  

The vase-life of cut Scabious flowers is approx 5 - 7 days. When buying Scabious look for flowers with a smooth, tight pincushion centre, when the petals appear small and crumpled.  If the centre of the flower is fluffy and the petals ragged the flower is probably several days old. 

For maximum vase life simply cut the stems and place in fresh water in a clean vase.  Sadly English-grown Scabious are becoming hard to find, as many growers diversify into other products.  Many Scabious found today in florist shops tend to be Dutch-grown but they have the added benefit of long, straight stems - up to 60cm often with  a spray of buds halfway along the stem.  If cutting the long stems shorter, add the budded stems to the vase or arrangement as they’ll still look attractive and may even open into small flowers.

Sweet Peas

Who doesn’t love Sweet Peas? One of life’s little luxuries. This delicate flower is a gardener’s delight, as the more you pick the flowers from the garden the more they’ll keep coming.

Available from good florists during May, June and July many of today’s cut Sweet Peas are imported from Holland, however with a revival of the British-grown flower market we’re starting to see more British Sweet Peas. You can also buy locally -grown Sweet Peas at many of today’s local farmers’ markets.

The Sweet pea comes is a large spectrum of colours from deepest purples, rich reds, all shades of pink and lilac through to pure white. This five-petalled delicate bloom also has the added bonus of carrying a gorgeous sweet perfume.

The vase life of the Sweet Pea is around 5 - 6 days though they can be sensitive to weather conditions.  Hot summer days and damp drizzly weather are the enemy of the Sweet Pea and the petals will wilt quicker under these conditions.  Wherever possible display Sweet Peas in a cool and airy room to give them their best chance.

The Sweet Pea has become very popular for Summer weddings.  However it’s a volatile crop so it may be prudent to choose an alternative if the season is particularly poor or the weather is very wet, nonetheless an array of Sweet Peas can typify a country wedding.  Mixed with other seasonal flowers and foliage such as Alchemilla Mollis, Peonies and delicate Roses , Sweet Peas will give a relaxed and informal style to any wedding.                    

 Sarah Raven gathering sweet peas

If you’re forever looking for inspiration and ideas for something a little different in your room design, take a look at this selection of interiors.  From elegant to eccentric, weird to wacky, there are some amazing ideas.  The ‘outdoor bedroom pod’ looks inviting, however the ‘coffin beds’ and ‘orange goldfish’ are probably an acquired taste? Let us know your favourite! And what about home accessories inside? Do you like it?

http://epn.dk/

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