Long weekend in white
With hydrangea, baby's breath, and chamomile
Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of summer… and, traditionally, the first opportunity to wear white after a long winter. Although I do not personally agree with this tradition (what can I say, I love a winter white moment!), crisp white linen and soft white tablecloths still come to mind when thinking of warmer weather.
So why not white flowers, too? Two types of hydrangeas, baby’s breath, and chamomile come together for a transition to summer in this whimsical arrangement. Perfect for your patio, even better when placed between iced drinks.
New to arranging? Have questions? Start here.
This Week’s Blooms:
- Shamrock Hydrangea (green) – $7.99
- Hydrangea (white) – $5.99
- Chamomile – $4.99
- Baby’s breath – $3.99
- Grand total: $22.96. This week’s blooms are from Trader Joe’s.
But my store is out of…. ! Not to worry. Here are alternatives:
- Shamrock Hydrangea (green) —> any other hydrangea variety, English rose
- Hydrangea (white) —> any other hydrangea variety, English rose, white lilac
- Chamomile —> daisies, white phlox
- Baby’s breath —> Queen Anne’s lace, waxflower
Scented?
Mildly. All have a fresh, somewhat sweet scent that is similar to grass. You can only smell this arrangement up close.
Pet Friendly?
No. This arrangement contains varieties toxic to cats and/or dogs. Always check the ASPCA’s toxic plants guide.
Let’s get started:
Step One: Green Shamrock Hydrangea
First, remove all leaves from your hydrangea stems except for those present 1-2″ below each bloom. You should be left with 1-3 leaves per stem. Then, trim your hydrangea stems so that the vase rim rests just under the leaves. If you’d like, flip the leaves down (as shown) so they’ll peek out from underneath your arrangement.
Step Two: Baby’s Breath
Next, place one large, tall sprig of baby’s breath in the center of your arrangement. It will look silly! Don’t worry, we will shape this at the end. Then, trim the remaining baby’s breath stems shorter and place randomly.
Step Three: White Hydrangea
Repeat step one. Place your white hydrangeas in any open pockets you see. I found that alternating between green and white looked nice.
Step Four: Chamomile
Finally, select 1-3 small clusters of chamomile and place them randomly as accents. Chamomile bunches are quite large; adding the entire bunch to your arrangement may overwhelm it. Lastly, trim any overly tall blooms from your baby’s breath and chamomile.
The final result. Until next week!
