We were so inspired by the Bloomable blooms during the braai date on The Bachelorette SA, we decided to scrounge up some flower arranging tips for your next braai, dinner party, or candlelit romance. Or even just for yourself in your home office, living room, or bedroom. Having flowers around brightens your mood, improves your memory, and reduces stress.
Once you have your fresh flowers – whether you’ve bought them, ordered online, or plucked them straight from the garden – you can’t just plonk them in a vase and be done with it. Here are a few floral tips to keep your arrangement fresh and long-lasting.
Keep it local and seasonal
Buying flowers locally and in season is much like shopping for food that’s local and seasonal: it’s cheaper, will last longer, and is more eco-friendly. Luckily, South Africa has lots of beautiful flowers like clivias, agapanthus, and proteas 🌸
Be cheap
A beautiful bouquet does not have to be an expensive bouquet; and you don’t want to buy a bunch of big, fancy blooms that all compete for attention in your arrangement. Get inexpensive plants like eucalyptus to act as fillers in your arrangement, giving it body and depth with another shade of green. Or just explore your garden and use lemon leaves, lavender, or succulents. However, flashback to this episode with our resident Wedding Basher Zavion Kotze and know that unless you're going for an '80s theme, perhaps steer clear of the baby's breath 👇
Cut and trim
Before you place your arrangement in the vase make sure you cut the stems and cut them at an angle. This ensures a maximum surface area for water absorption. Remove leaves that will reach below the water level so the stems can soak up more water. It will also prevent bacteria from growing in the vase. As soon as you’ve cut and trimmed a stem, place it in the water. Add the stems one by one so you can manage the look and design of your arrangement and so that each flower gets enough water 🌺
Refresh and replenish
Change the water in your vase daily to keep the flowers fresh. It will also help them last longer and remove any bacteria. If your arrangement is too complex to remove fully, just top it with fresh water every day 🌿
Get a couple of cuties
No one said you have to arrange the flowers yourself, although it can be a calm and soothing activity that gives you the same benefits as just adding an arrangement to a room. But there’s no harm in getting some help, especially when it’s as good to look at as the flowers 😉
Despite all the flower arranging Ruan did, he didn't get the flower he really needed: the coveted rose 🌹 Now we're down to the top four gents and Qiniso has an exciting round of dates lined up for them in the next episode. Make sure you're watching The Bachelorette SA this Thursday, 6 May, at 19:30 on M-Net channel 101.
The Bachelorette SA Season 1 will be screened every Thursday at 19:30 on M-Net Channel 101. DStv Premium viewers can also tune in on Catch Up. Stream the episodes live via their mobile devices on the DStv app. Viewers can follow all the breaking news around the show on the M-Net Website and join the conversation with #TheBacheloretteSA on Twitter (@MNet), Instagram (@thebachelorettesa), and Facebook (@MNet).
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