One of my greatest pleasures is buying fresh flowers in the market. I believe that floral arrangements bring a positive vibe and general well-being at home. Although, shopping for fresh flowers every week can put a dent on the budget especially in the tropics where the weather is hot and the blooms wilt quickly.
One way to save on floral arrangements is by using assorted foliage, berries, air plants and dried flowers as they have longer vase life than fresh flowers.
From Market to Maison Epperson
Last Saturday, I challenged myself to look for blooms and plants in Saturday Salcedo Market that would last. I’m happy to report that I did quite well, if I may say so myself.
(Photo taken using Instagram)
Here are easy floral arrangements for all of your year-round styling needs:
Prep work:
Cut/trim your foliage to fit the vase. If dirty, wash leaves and flowers in a basin of clean water with a few drops of household bleach (I use Zonrox).
Tip: Put 2-5 drops of bleach in the water in the vase to slow fungi and bacteria growth that causes murky and smelly water. Change the water every two days.
Foliage and Flowers
Foliage and berries combined with floral arrangement is chic. When the leaves are grouped together it creates an effortlessly elegant look.
Golden Hypericum Berries and leaves
Rice flowers
Tip: Remove all leaves from the stems below the water level as it will quickly deteriorate and promote mold.
Cool idea: Add pebbles or stones to the vase for decoration and it’s also a quick fix when you’ve cut the stems too short. Tsk, tsk, Jenni!
Hypericum Berries
Just like my favorite Baby’s Breath flowers, Hypericum Berries are often used as fillers for floral arrangements. I like using them as centerpieces. They are inexpensive and chic when bunched together.
I used my antique pewter pitcher to achieve an organic yet intentional arrangement. I love the contrast of the silver with the raw leaves and berries.
A nod to ‘Downton Abbey’!
The Hypericum Berry has an earthy smell which my husband Tom loves.
Air Plants
My best buys from Saturday Salcedo Market are the air plants! I never knew about them until now and they have become my favorites!
Tillandsia in a tea cup for Aryanna’s room.
No need to put them in water or soil. Just place them in any vessel or hang them. They only need to be sprayed with water every two weeks. Super low maintenance! Panalo!
Air Plants come in many varieties, all of which gather nutrients from air, water, and sunlight, with roots that serve the sole purpose of attaching them to any surface.
They grow year-round indoors
I also got some mature Air Plants on drift wood. They look amazing as centerpiece with taper candles and holders.
The Air Plant is secured to the drift wood with nylon strings. Eventually, the roots will attach themselves to the wood.
You can also arrange them in a jar (uncovered) or bowl like a terrarium. Pramis, hindi sila malalanta agad, agad!
Statice Flowers
Statice flowers are popularly used in dried flower arrangements. They maintain their violet color for a very long time. I bought these flowers last February and they still look gorgeous!
No water needed.
Dried Hydrangeas
My friend gifted me a bouquet of dried hydrangeas last March and they still look great to this day!
I don’t know where to buy dried hydrangeas but there are a lot of sites that teaches you how to. Just Google it.
I placed my dried hydrangeas in a silver champagne bucket to welcome guests in Maison Epperson!
Most of the flowers, berries and foliage I used are easy to find. They are readily available at your local flower market. Try using them to decorate your home and save a bundle!
Shoppingero/shoppingera, how much money are you willing to spend for flowers?
Comments 2
very nice and sophisticated
Thanks for the chlorox tip! I like statice flowers (purple and yellow) because they last for a long time and are low maintenance. 🙂