Dwarf flowers – what are they
As much as we enjoy bountiful, large, and extravagant bouquets, not all of us have the space at home or at work to display a large vase of flowers. That’s why some people tend to be a little hesitant when they want to send flowers to a recipient who lives in a small apartment. That said, there is still one practical option available: dwarf flowers. So instead of sending full-sized flowers, you can send a smaller variety of the same flowers! Plus, there are even mini potted plants you can submit if you’re looking for something that will provide loads of colour over and over again without taking up too much space.
Special growing conditions
Now, if you’re wondering what exactly dwarf flowers are, they’re replicas of their larger but smaller counterparts. These flowers are only grown through human intervention through methods such as root restriction, grafting, and pruning. Like the larger versions, dwarf varieties can be perennial or annual. When using them in cut flower arrangements, they will need the same care as any other cut flower. This means they need fresh water, their stems need trimming, and they can benefit from adding a floral preserve to their vase water.
Popular choices
Some of the more popular dwarf flowers include cherry blossoms, snapdragons, and mini stars. Dwarf snapdragons grow to a height of just 5 inches and they are available in various colours including white, violet, pink and yellow. Cherry roses bloom from summer to autumn and they can grow up to 12 inches in height and width. Its flowers are bright, cherry red in colour as the name suggests. Mini stars are dwarf versions of gazania daisies. They are native to South Africa and grow up to 8 inches tall. Some of their colours include yellow, orange, red, pink and white.
Mini bouquet
The dwarf flowers can be picked and placed alongside other small flowers and fine foliage to create the perfect little arrangement. Other popular minis include carnations and roses that are perfectly complemented by fillers like baby’s breath. In small arrangements, unlike large bouquets, a touch of the baby’s breath is enough to obtain the desired effect. Adding too much will draw attention away from your main flowers.
Choosing a vase
Mini floral arrangements must be placed in the correct type of container or vase. Large flower arrangements look great in those huge vases or on stands set in the corner of a large room. However, smaller bouquets should be placed in something like a small round bowl (like a fish bowl) or something similar in size. If you’re creating a fall bouquet, you can use a clean pumpkin or brown ceramic vase. Your options are literally endless if you let your creativity flow! The only rule to remember is to keep the size of the flowers and the size of the vase appropriate. The vase shouldn’t be too big or too small and you should never try to force too many stems into one vase, better create two!
If you are looking to grow your own dwarf flowers, you should keep them in pots rather than planting them in your garden. You can lose them among your larger plants, and they may even grow larger than you’d like. There are also some of these blooms flowers that thrive in hanging pots. However, it’s best to ask your florist or nursery assistant about this before doing so. Do some reading and research before jumping in blindly. There is a lot of information about flowers online that will make it much easier to decide which flowers are for you.