Monthly Garden Bouquet: A Bouquet of June

Today my grandson and I walked to the railroad tracks after asking permission from the kind lady across the street if we could cross her lawn. Never stepping on to another person’s lawn without permission was one of those common courtesies I learned as a child, but seems lost in today’s too often oblivious world. I’ve been admiring her gorgeous red rose from afar, so I asked if she minded if I took a few photographs. “Not at all,” she said, “Please take any pictures you like.” So I did. Only I fell in love with this rose that looked like pink champagne to me.  

Then, it was on to the railroad tracks and the stand of daisies that I’ve been longing to put in a bouquet.

 Floral design was a big part of my past life and the urge to create something from freshly picked flowers tugs at me. The little man cut a few daisies while I snapped photos of daisies, the graffiti on the train car, and him.

At home we plunked them in tepid water immediately. While the daisies sipped up water through stems, I went back to the generous floribunda in my front yard to pick a few stems. I had to stand back amazed…the wandering, flopping canes are an explosion of deep pink with flowers crowding each other on fragile stems. I honestly don’t think I’ve seen so many sweet roses on a single cane in my life. I’m not sure if it’s all the rain or me. Last year I cut the rosebush back severely once blooming was over, but something made it outdo itself when it comes to the sheer number of blooms.

S t y l i z e d  B o u q u e t

A stylized bouquet or arrangement is a mass design with a clean, clear-cut geometric shape to it. I wanted a round design on top of a square glass container. No need for precision, but I cut rose stems all the same size and then tilt them into the container interlocking the stems for security. The thorns help to keep the stems in place as they hook each other. Mine has no focal, but many stylized designs are all about the focal point.

I simply poked daisies around the roses to give it a bit of countryside panache.

I love ribbons. Satin, brocade, and French wired are my favorites. I wrapped a piece of wide satin ribbon just once around the container. An elegant little bow with tails completes the look. Love ribbons, too? There’s a fabulous shop in Perrysburg, Ohio, called The Ribbonry. It’s filled with elegant, beautiful ribbons. I’ve not been there in a long while, but perhaps I’ll make a trip there in a couple weeks.

C r e a m e r  B o u q u e t

I had flowers left over and I just can’t toss fresh flowers, so I grabbed a small white ironstone creamer and filled it with daisies and roses.

F l o a t i n g  i n  a  B o w l

WHAT? I have more flowers leftover? I filled a pink Depression glass bubble bowl with water and simply floated the leftover pink roses in it. It will remain in the center of the dining room table decorating the lovely cotton crocheted lace tablecloth my mom made. 

Ideas for containers to float flowers in: small fish bowls, glasses of varying sizes and shapes, stemware, apothecary jars, canning jars, a ladle leaning against a bowl, pumpkins and gourds hollowed out, half a basketball, a bathtub (imagine the surprise of guests to see flowers swimming in your bathtub), colorful buckets for children, galvanized pans, buckets, watering cans, old iron troughs, hollowed out stones, and the list goes on. Anything that holds water can be used, so have fun!

A special thanks with a hug to the inspiring Noelle at Ramblings from a Desert Garden for hosting the Monthly Garden Bouquet. Please stop by  her blog and take a peek at the June bouquets of other creative souls