The floors of Cleopatra's palace were said to have been carpeted with delicate rose petals, but you don't have to be a king or queen to bask in the luxury of flowers. You can enjoy the room-brightening beauty of flowers throughout the year, or send flowers often to someone you love for a lot less than you might think. Simply make flowers a part of your everyday life, and keep on the lookout for bargains. Use these helpful tips to get started.
Treat yourself once a month to a bouquet of blooms from your local florist or supermarket. You'll be surprised how a $7 to $10 bouquet can brighten any room.
While big bouquets are wonderful, a single perfect flower can be exceptional, too. For an elegant statement, display an individual rose, lily, or other gorgeous blossom in a bud vase or floating in a pretty bowl. It makes a tasteful accent when entertaining guests, especially if you're on a tight budget.
Most florists and garden centers carry delightful little blooming plants in 4" pots that are surprisingly inexpensive and can add color and charm to any desktop or vanity. Use your own basket, cachepot, or decorative paper around the pot. Add a touch of ribbon, raffia, or other natural accent for the finishing touch. Then, just keep the soil slightly moist (never wet or soggy) for days or even weeks of enjoyment.
A few different 4" plants can also be combined in a basket for a wonderful long-lasting garden. Use bits of Styrofoam beneath the pots to position them at the right height, with a little Spanish moss on top to help hide the pots and soil. Trim with a decorative bird or seasonal accents. Voila! What if one plant should fade before the others? No problem. It's easy replace any individual pot in seconds without any fuss or muss.
Think roses are expensive? Think again. You can pick up a single rose on your way to see someone for just a few dollars, and many florists offer medium rose dozens at great discount prices. Summer is a particularly good time for rose bargains. While prices vary depending on stem-length, blossom size, quality, and variety, it's not uncommon to find take-with rose bouquets for under $20 per dozen. And, with today's online flower shippers, you can send a dozen long-stem roses almost anywhere by next-day air for as little as $40 to $50, including delivery.
You'll find other fresh flower specials at most flower shops throughout the year, too. Just ask what's in season and an especially good price. Don't be shy. Good florists are proud to show you their freshest flowers and best values. Market bunches are particularly good buys when flowers are in season, such as tulips in late winter through early Spring and farm-fresh Gladioli in warm summer months. Fortunately, cut flowers now come from all over the world. So, there's almost always something special in plentiful supply.
Build your own bouquet. Whether for your own use or to give as a gift, individually selected flowers in a casual bunch or arranged in your own container can make a wonderful impression. Remember all those vases and bowls in your basement? They're reusable. So, put one to use today. Remember to choose flowers in coordinating colors. Include some foliage and "filler" to complete the look. A natural cluster in a clear vase is a good place to start, but don't be afraid to experiment and use your imagination.
Remember, some flowers and foliages dry beautifully. Favorites include Yarrow, Baby's Breath, Solidago, Cattails, and all sorts of wildflowers. All you need is a warm, dry place with good air circulation. Most flowers and herbs dry best when hung upside down in bunches. Use a rubber band to fasten them together a few inches from the stem ends. Remove excess leaves, and avoid direct sunlight to minimize fading. Then, wait two to three weeks. Discard any that don't meet your fancy. Spray the remainder with clear lacquer or hairspray to preserve them even longer.
For home decorating, don't forget silk flowers. They cost a bit more but last for months or even years. And, you can easily match them to your decor. Simply take a few pillows or fabric swatches to your local florist or craft store to pick out just the right shades. You can even change looks seasonally. Just store any unused silk flower arrangement in a plastic bag in your attic or basement, and it will be just as beautiful next year.
Bring the outdoors in. One of the best resources for fresh cut flowers is your own yard or garden. Clip a few blossoms, branches, or blooms weekly to enjoy inside your home. After all, why should all the flowers be outside your windows? You deserve some inside, as well.
In fact, that's what the luxury of flowers is all about -- remembering to bring the outdoors in. It's about a bouquet here, a colorful blooming plant there, and perhaps an individual blossom tucked somewhere else. But above all else, it's about sharing flowers with others. So, treat yourself and someone special to the luxury of flowers this week. It doesn't have to cost a bundle. All it takes is a little care and thoughtfulness.
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Sponsored by 1-800-FLORALS florists. For more money-saving fresh flower ideas visit Discount Flowers Online and Next Day Flowers by Overnight Air.
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Wedding Flowers For Cheap
The current trend is for wedding flowers to be simple yet elegant. White or cream-colored flowers are always the most popular. Of the whites, roses and lilies still are a woman�s bosom favorites as they always have been. It can be as simple as a hand-tied bouquet of roses and as elegant as a burst of calla lilies or tulips. The bouquets are not as elaborate as before, and wedding planners and designers are opting for a more fresh and natural look. The floral motifs can be as daring as touches of reds and oranges or as subtle as whites and pinks in a bouquet.
There is a reason behind every wedding flower, and the bouquet becomes the message itself as a bride marches down the aisle. A bunch of red roses speaks of a passionate love. White roses represent innocence and beauty. Shades of pink and violet flowers whisper reassurances of undying faithfulness and loyalty.
Every lily, like the calla lily, stands tall with purity and innocence, while lilies of the valley sway with such happiness in the air. Daises, on the other hand, are so fresh with youth and innocent appeal.
Bearing the tulip is a declaration of love, and a bouquet declares it many times over. Orchids imply a rare beauty like no other.
A spray of baby�s breath means purity and innocence in love, and a touch of stephanotis promises happiness in marriage. When a wedding bouquet is bundled with ivy, this means love in marriage and wedded bliss. It binds the relationship with fidelity and friendship.
Wedding flowers pay tribute to a woman�s femininity. A woman is often symbolized as a flower and often as a rose. Petals are velvety and likened to a woman�s skin, while the pink and red shades are associated with a woman�s blush. The inviting scent of a flower, especially of the rose, is the innocent, unknowing charm which a woman exerts over a man without even trying. There is just a natural attraction which happens, that chemistry we now refer to when talking about love and relationships.
Like a flower, a woman is full of contradictions. At times, she can be so independent and stubborn, but the truth is she needs a lot of care and attention. She can be too delicate and sensitive in her ways, but she will be strong and patient when it is called for.
A woman is like a flower, open in its allure but mysterious in her ways. Women are extremely unique in that some are simple and elegant while others are daring and flamboyant. But you cannot help but like them, the blossoms that they are.
You never know a flower�s true beauty until it has bloomed. In the same way, you never know a woman�s full potential and capacity to love until she has blossomed into the maturity of a real woman. Adorned with flowers, she is now the bride who will walk down the aisle.
Both John E. Williams & Simon Brady are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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