Small Flower Bouquets

All of these flowers were bent or otherwise severed from their stems. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Small Flower Bouquets

As garden bounty hits mid-season, it’s easy to focus on big flower bouquets for home decor but think again. Small flower bouquets are more practical and convenient, and you can use those flowers that were bent or inadvertently cut.

I was not feeling my best earlier this week so I headed out to the garden to do some maintenance. In the process, I ended up with a handful of flowers that were broken off from their stems. It could be a deeper cut than I intended to make when clearing an area, or my brushing against a stem and breaking it in the process. Whatever the accident, I brought those flowers inside to enjoy in a flower vase close to my working space.

This small flower bouquet in the photo started out with two small red zinnias that were knocked over in a rain storm. I added a few springs of purple monkey grass flowers to fill out the vase, then I broke a stem of surprise lilies. There’s a dahlia bud in there somewhere, too, I bring whatever flowers inside to add to the bouquet.

These scented roses were cut off of plants I’m getting into the ground. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Another opportunity to make small flower bouquets is when you are planting. Plants need to concentrate their energy getting their roots established. I cut off the flowers of those plants and bring them inside so the flowers don’t sap the plant’s energy.

When the flowers start to fade, I will compost those and look for something new to add.

Having small flower bouquets are a quick way to brighten your day and to enjoy those “oppsie” cut flowers.

Charlotte

Basket Flowers

This tiny silver toned floral basket makes a great way to collect small flowers for a table.

Basket Flowers

A friend recently told me she admires the fresh flowers I have around my house, especially the small bouquets tucked on tables. Come to think about it, I rarely seem to see small flowers in home improvement shows so this is going to be about how to easily incorporate those tiny gems into your home.

Right Size Container

The first step is to find the right size container that fits the space where you want to place flowers. I like having flowers on my den coffee table where I do some of my work. I also like fresh flowers on my kitchen island but I have to mitigate that location with cats that like to stop by and munch on anything that is long, skinny and green so long, skinny and you know what is out for the kitchen.

Actually I don't add long and skinny greens to my den coffee table, either, it just makes things simpler and - well, quieter. I don't have to police the flowers as much, although any greens do seem to invite trouble.

One of my favorite thrift store finds for the den is this little silvertone floral basket that is 6x4x4 inches, not counting the long handle. It has a clear plastic liner inside that holds water, or I could have popped a glass jar the size of the inside of the basket to keep the flowers hydrated if the liner had been missing. The flowers sit nicely low to the ground in this flower arrangement. I could also have cut the flowers with longer stems so they filled the space between the basket and basket handle so this gives me some versatility.

Now that the growing season is starting to slow down, I cut some geraniums from my deck plants as anchors and then started to add whatever else I could find in my garden that was small.

Geraniums from my deck add color to other tiny flowers cut from my garden.

Miniature roses take center stage when they are added to these little bouquets, especially red ones. I have only one in this combination but it sits nicely in the center of the flowers, anchored on either side by the peach geraniums and purple verbena.

This was my first flower bouquet with salmon lobelia and one Black Eyed Susan flower.

This is my second bouquet with the miniature red rose, the first one was leftovers from pruning: salmon Lobelia, pink phlox, self heal and a couple of butterfly bush flowers initially filled the silver flower basket.

Other fresh flowers I added included liriope, forget me nots and the sweet little white flowers that are just opening. Don't get too close to those, though, garlic chives are pretty but they are definitely not sweet-smelling!

Charlotte