There is nothing nicer than to have flowers filling the house with a happy and optimistic outlook. You cannot resist the temporary colorfulness, freshness and magic of beauty that will pass before we become indifferent to it.
This is not a cheap addiction, but there is no price on genuine happiness … and if you buy fresh flowers in a good shop, they will easily last 7-10 days.
The launching point of Israeli winters and summers is short, and is influenced by dry, hot winds yellow with dust, that determine the growth of daisies, lupines, and the rest of the wonderful spring flowers that fill every exposed piece of land. A moment before the varied and beautiful winter and spring flowers are spent, also from the flower shops, I try to enjoy preparing fresh bouquets.
The eve of Pesach tomorrow is the wonderful opportunity to prepare small bouquets that will decorate the center of the table or can serve as a present to the hostess.
I buy my flowers at my favorite shop belonging to Vered Shamir from Moshav Rishpon – a level above all in availability and quality. Every visit begins with deciding for an hour or two about the array of different possibilities and combinations. As opposed to the professional and successful arrangements of the place, I always prefer to come home with parcels of flowers and arrange them myself, which is a real pleasure for me. And if it also tickles your fancy and you want to clear your head with meditation about flower arrangements, all you have to do is follow some simple rules.
Arranging a bouquet using the diagonal technique
First you have to choose the flowers that will make up the bouquet – beyond personal taste the parameters you need to consider are as follows:
Similar style
Field flowers like buttercups or anemones for the most will not suit elegant flowers such as roses or lilies.
Color
Creating a connection between families of warm colors, such as red, orange, yellow, or cold colors such as pink and purple, promises compatibility. White is beautiful by itself and it is enough to combine it with green fillers.
A meeting between complementary colors creates harmony and interest such as purple with yellow and orange with pink.
Fillers
These are the additions that fill the bouquet and contribute to its form and shape. Elegant flowers prefer fillers of green leaves of different kinds while field flowers go beautifully with fillers that have tiny flowers such as gypsophila and chamomile.
Length of shelf life
It is worthwhile choosing flowers that have a similar shelf life so that we can enjoy the bouquet for as long as possible. Anemones, for example, continue to last and grow taller also in a vase, therefore I prefer to arrange them only with a filler in order not to upset the balance of the bouquet.
Cleaning the stems
This is done by removing the leaves along most of the stem as well as removing the lower branching. The stems of the buds that I removed below I keep aside and also make them into small bouquets that I disperse around the house.
Arrangement
When arranging the bouquet it is important to preserve a uniform diagonal direction when laying the stalks. Arrangement is done by a balanced dispersing of the different elements. You need to add the flowers alternately, by turning the bouquet, so as to preserve its round and uniform shape. From time to time test yourself by looking at the bouquet from above.
When you have finished, cut off the stalks diagonally and at an equal distance. It’s recommended to bind the base of the bouquet with a rubber band to keep its shape and reduce the contact area of the stems with water in order to prevent rotting. The height of the vessel in which you put the bouquet should be two thirds of the height of the bouquet.
After a lot of watering, how do we lengthen the life span of the bouquet? It is recommended to change the water every day and after a number of days to trim the stems anew.
I wish us all a happy, blooming Passover, houses full of warmth in the family and complete enjoyment from the opportunity to slow down and reminisce about the past.
