DIY WAYS TO BRING THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW HOME
There’s nothing quite like a room filled with flowers. The Chelsea Flower Show has long been a display of blooming botanic creativity. I’ve been a couple of times now and it never fails to blow me away. So, with this year’s show starting, I’ve been thinking of ways to replicate the magnificence on a smaller scale, without breaking the bank. Here are a few ideas I found.
FLOATING FLOWERS
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Grab hold of whatever clear glass vessels you own (the fish bowls are perfect but the more shapes and sizes the better) and place them in clusters all around the room. Fill them halfway with water and float the heads of flowers on the surface. I always think it looks nice to keep some greenery at the base of the flower head if possible or float separate bits of foliage in between the flowers.
PRESSED PETALS
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This always reminds me of being a child. In fact, if you want to kill two birds with one stone, it’s a great activity to keep children occupied, whilst helping you prepare for your floral-heavy party! These can be used as party invitations, placement cards, or thank your letters.
BABY BOUQUETS
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There’s something unbelievably cute about these miniature bouquets of flowers. And the great thing is you can make up to five or six bunches, with the number of flowers you’d usually use for one bouquet. Cut brown paper to the correct size and use it to wrap the bunches, tying them up with ribbon or string. The key to this is to make them look as much like a traditional bunch of flowers as you can – somehow it makes it cuter! You can lay these at each table setting or give them to your guests as a takeaway. Who said downsizing was a problem?
FLOWERET PAPER LANTERNS
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Hanging lanterns are charming on their own, but why not make them ever more beautiful! Stuff the top of the lantern with rolled up newspaper, leaving about two inches at the top. Cut the stems of the flowers to about 5 inches and stick them into the newspaper. You can then cut the heads off of more flowers and balance them along the secure ones, or fill the gaps with foliage. Remember that these will probably only last for one party without water.
MAD HATTER’S PETAL PARTY
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A wonderful idea for a tea party is to use your cups and teapots not only to serve hot beverages, but to hold your flowers. It’s quirky, cute and will give your whole table a very vibrant friendly aesthetic. Depending on the size of your crockery collection, you may have to ask guests to bring their own cup!
FLOWER LOLLIES
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These are especially fun when the weather is hot and you’re hosting a garden party. I usually fill them with fruit, but edible flowers is a great idea. Take a look at my recipe but replace the blueberries with flowers, or just add the flowers to the mix.
BLOOMING CEILING
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I’ve been at events, such as my sister’s wedding, where there are flowers hanging all over the ceiling and it is totally magical! Why not recreate this on a smaller scale, by hanging florals from a chandelier or, if you’re outside, a pergola. The key is to go as long and full as possible. I also like using a mixture of different colours, to really brighten up the room or garden.
FLORAL COCKTAILS
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A very simple way of using your extra flowers, is to pull the petals off and float them at the top of a cocktail, or even a soft drink. Alternatively, you can buy edible flowers and really go heavy on adorning those cocktails!
