Putting leftover stems to good use

It’s happened to all of us – we buy flowers or receive a fabulous fresh flower delivery only to watch it perish one stem at a time. While it’s completely normal for flowers to eventually wilt and die, you can’t help but feel disappointed when you look at a half-empty vase that was once overflowing with floral beauty.

In much the same way, there are also times when we receive flowers and the bunch is too large for even our biggest vases. You don’t want to squeeze all of the stems in together but you also don’t want to discard them. So, what can you do?

There’s a simple solution to solve both of these problems – multiple vases! Firstly, if you receive a bouquet that does not fit into a single vase, then it’s time to divide your stems. Take note of how many will comfortably fit in the larger vase and then find a suitable vase for the rest of the flowers and foliage. Split them up equally so that both bouquets consist of the same kinds of flowers and leaves.

As for the other problem of flowers wilting and being removed one by one, you can also use the multi-vase approach. Firstly, you could start by moving your smaller bouquet into a smaller, more appropriate vase. If, however, you have lost too many stems and your bouquet looks really tacky, then you might need to create several bud arrangements.

Bud arrangements make use of small, slender vases and each one will need just one flower stem. You can add some foliage if you like and one tiny additional flower but that’s all that you will need to complete this look. Now, instead of displaying your vases all in the same room, you can place them in different rooms of your home.

So, with these tips in mind, there’s no reason not to enjoy your bouquet from start to the absolute end! In fact, depending on the types of flowers, you can even enjoy them after the petals have dried out! Simply pluck the petals from the flower and make your own potpourri! Remember these points before you toss out any flowers and consider the beauty that dried flowers also have to offer. If the flowers are not suitable for drying or making potpourri, your final option would be to give something back to nature by adding them to your natural compost heap. If you have your own home with a garden, a compost heap will make all the difference for your plants, flowers, and all the friendly birds and other life forms that make themselves at home in your yard.