A Little Fall Arrangement for the Kitchen

I recently found this fall arrangement at Kroger which I thought was very pleasing.  Most weeks I buy simple bunches of alstromeria and put them in cheap glass vases around the house.  When possible, I like to stay with the same color of alstromeria, but if I cannot always find bunches of the same color, I compromise and get colors that closely match or complement each other.  But no matter which bunch of alstromeria, or which arrangement you choose, the first thing you want to do when you get home is to get them into water.  If you are going to be buying several bunches, fill a large vase or even a clean, plastic bucket from the garage with fresh, clean water before you leave for the market and place it on the kitchen counter, or in the garage, whatever works for you.

When you arrive home, the first thing you remove from the car is the flowers.  Drop them into the water you prepared before you left.  Right away.  Then you can finish unloading the car.  You can trim the stems later when you are adjusting the height of the arrangement for your vase.  As soon as you cut the stems, place them right back into fresh, clean water.  This allows them to take up the water right away and will keep them fresh longer.  Over the week, I usually trim the stems slightly and do one water change.  After that, they start to wilt and no more water changes will bring them back.  

This may not be the actual brand of flower boost found in your arrangement,
but it will be in a small packet that closely resembles this picture.

One additional step is to be sure to add the little packet of powdered flower food that most arrangements include, usually wrapped around the stems and held in place with a rubber band.  This helps the flowers last a good deal longer than they would without an additive.  If for some reason your arrangement does not include one of these packets, a tablespoon of white sugar into the water will work.  Place the flower boost or sugar into the water in the vase and stir until dissolved.  Trim stems and immediately place them into the boosted water.  I like to get to the floral department when the flowers are fresh, ... and plentiful, which is usually at the beginning and middle of each week.  At least, that is what I have found to be true here.  If you buy alstromeria, try to get bunches where the flowers have not yet fully opened.  These will last a good deal longer than flowers that are already in bloom.

You will see here that the white alstromeria are only slightly opened.  I try to find them at this stage or even still more of a bud.  The little round green and red flowers are Button Pom Poms.  A coral-colored carnation in the foreground.

As I said earlier, I shop for flowers in the florist department at my local supermarket.  The days of trekking to a floral shop have come and gone, and for several reasons.  The arrangements in the floral department at the grocery stores are beautifully done.  They are affordable.  They are convenient.  You can cross this off the list without having to leave the grocery store and then making another stop to pick up flowers.  You can also avoid a lot of haughty attitudes from a florist shop or, alternatively, someone who just doesn't care one way or the other and is mentally "rolling their eyes" because they have to actually help a customer.  I have experienced both.  In the words of a dear friend, "I am removing all the negativity from my life."

The vase in this post holds two bunches of arranged flowers.  One was nice, but two made the look.  Now, for the really outstanding part.  These were $8 each, so $16 for the lovely arrangement in the kitchen that brightens my day.  We could all use to brighten our day these days, and if you can do it for $16, I say, "go for it!"