Flowers are a grounding & natural presence indoors, and placing them in a flat or room can make your guest feel more at home, especially if they’re in an unfamiliar city.
You don’t need to break the bank finding fresh flowers in London or elsewhere, and when you’ve chosen your bouquet there are ways you can keep them fresher for longer. Not sure what sort of flowers to choose for decoration? These are usual crowd-pleasers!
Sunflowers - These large and cheery flowers make a big impression in a living area. Yellow is considered to be an ‘energetic’ colour, so perhaps it’s best left out of the bedroom just in case. These are a welcome addition to kitchens, living rooms, and hallways.
Gardenias - These delicate & fragrant blossoms are joyous and have a clean appearance. They’re a perfect choice in a washroom or kitchen.
Roses - The classic flower, often considered a symbol of romance - it’s also representative of comfortable, homey feelings. Red is a nice choice, as is light pinks & yellows in a kitchen or living room.
Carnations - With their multi-layered blooms & soothing scent, these flowers do well in a bedroom environment. As they come in so many colours, it’s easy to find a bunch that will go with your home decor.
Lavender - Not much of a greenthumb? Dried lavender sprigs can make a soothing & grounding decoration in a bedroom as well, but with much less upkeep.
How can you keep your flowers in tip-top shape, or what direction can you leave for your guests if they want to enjoy the blooms in your home for a long time?
Flower care does vary between the types of plants, but in general once you receive the flowers you should cut diagonally across the stem about an inch. Then cut diagonally like this by a small amount every two days. Water should be changed frequently to inhibit bacterial growth - once a day or every two days is a good rule of thumb. You don’t need to spend money on ‘plant food’ for your water, either - a simple mixture of 3:2 sugar & vinegar is all you need to help preserve them!
Some charming ways to display your flowers include arrangements - that is, taking different flowers and grouping them together so that they’re one bouquet. If you have an eye for colour & shape this can be a relaxing & creative project for the home.
You can also play around with how the flowers are actually displayed, by using different and non-traditional vases. Using a watering can as a vase is a clever way to bring a touch of rusticism into a city flat. Wine bottles can also be used as vases to make a striking centrepiece out of a single flower. A shallow, wide vase in a bowl style can be used to float small blossoms on a dining table. Cut away everything but the very top part of the stem, and float in water. If you’re having trouble making the blooms float, affix a small piece of bubble wrap to the underside of the flower. Note that while attractive, this is unlikely to last long as a display.