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| Lavender cut from my garden |
Tutorial on making flower arrangements for free from
flowers in your yard.
My garden in Orange County is 100% organic.
I do not use pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers.
I'm growing herbs, flowers, and vegetables.
In California public schools funding for sports other than
the main stream - is non existent. Events are put on with
the parents funding everything. I want the end of season
party to be special and fun.
My son plays Lacrosse for Dana Hills High School
Out banquet was last night and I made ten arrangements
from flowers in my yard.
Here is the step by step.
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| orange buck of water with frecias and lavender |
You will need
some buckets filled with water
good pruning sheers
regular scissors
recycled plastic food containers
paper
recycled ribbon or twine
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| White bucket of water with Boston fern fronds |
First step is to cut more than you might think you need.
Boston fern grows like a weed on my shady side yard.
I cut about fifty swords and threw them in a bucket.
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| French lavender, grosso, latifolia, and intermedia |
keep blooming as long as I keep them thinned out. Cutting some
eighteen inch stalks and they go in another bucket. I trimmed about
40 big bunches.
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| roses, coreopsis, and lavender |
Out front I also have some roses, sunflowers, freesias, and
snapdragons. I cut half of the front yard flowers to make long
as possible stems.
This mix went into another bucket.
Trimming out flowers will keep the plants
healthy and make them repeat bloom.
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| lavender cut outdoors on brick patio |
Instead of working in my garage I chose to sit on my front
this makes clean up easier and the weather here is amazing.
This photograph shows a long stalk of lavender. Only two
flowers will be used from this piece.
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| remove lower leaves |
With your fingers strip off almost all the leaves and stack the
flowers facing same way. Trim the bottoms off to have a
piece now about eight inches long.
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| trimmed stalk - more flowers fit in the vase and less bacteria in water |
You don't want all the leaves to crowd the vase, or rot
in water. The flower is the most fragrant and pretty part
of the plant. This activity is quiet lovely. The aroma of
the lavender will penetrate your soul and relax your mind.
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| lavender on wicker chair |
Some photos of the lavender waiting for trimming. The bees
followed me into the shade. They didn't bother me, I think
they were getting one last sip of the now easy pickings.
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| painted blanket, rosemary, feverfew for arrangement |
From my backyard:
sweet peas, painted blanket, rosemary, thyme,
chamomile, and more roses.
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| plastic buckets to keep flowers fresh before the event |
I am using plastic food containers that I save and keep
clean and stacked under the sink. Ask friends to save them
- recycling at its finest :)
I stripped all the flower leaves down and begin distributing
a variety to each vase. They don't have to be perfect or
exactly matching. This is fun.
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| to save costs and the plastic vases are covered in tissue and ribbon |
You could use fabric to cover the vases. I've hot glued bark
on vases and used brown paper lunch bags. These are just
a simple thank you gift to volunteers and Senior Mom's
on the team.
Each arrangement has about 30 flowers and they smell
heavenly
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| view of arrangements before the event |
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| flowers are colorful and will cheer up the tables |
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| Gallardia |
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| gallardia, roses, rosemary |
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| complete arrangements ready to be loaded in the car |
They are done! Sitting on my dining room table, waiting to
be loaded into two baskets with some rags underneath to
keep them standing upright for the ride.
Our dinner at El Adobe was a success. I hope the simple
gift of a little bouquet with a note saying :
"Thank you"
will inspire more volunteers for next year.
If you have an Orange County Charity
that might need free table arrangements
or you want to pick up organic flowers
to cheer someone- let me know how I can help.
Thank you for stopping by -
If you have need of a low mortgage rate
please call me (949) 784- 9699
NMLS 324982
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