Whether it’s a more creative centerpiece or something extra special for brunch at your place, sometimes it’s fun to take a break from plain old flowers and shake things up with a DIY flower arrangement.
In today’s blog, we suggest turning to the produce aisle for inspiration. Specifically, citrus. We’re talking lime, lemon, grapefruit—and anything that looks like a relative of the orange. Why citrus? What’s wrong with berries and tomatoes? Honestly, people are doing cool things with all kinds of vegetables (even asparagus and carrots!) and cut flowers—just ask anyone who pokes around on Pinterest on the reg.
The fresh scent of citrus combined with aromatic florals is nothing short of heavenly. It just seems natural to put these two together in a wonderful citrus bouquet.
Fresh Citrus
Well, citrus contains citric acid, a compound present in those plant food packets you get when you buy a flower arrangement. The acid kills off bacteria lingering in the vase, keeping flowers fresh for more extended periods. Just add citrus and keep your flowers alive.
The natural sugars present in the fruit gives your Bouq something to feast on, while the acids keep icky fungi and bacteria from forming in the water–which gunks up the passageway from stem to bloom. Plus, the smell fresh scent and the awesome visuals will liven up any bouquet in an instant.
How to DIY Your Very Own Citrus Flower Arrangement
Okay—this process is pretty straightforward, and you don’t need to follow these directions to a T to get a killer citrus bouquet. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need and an example of how you might go about adding citrus fruit to the mix.
Materials
- Citruses (between three and eight pieces, depending on the size of the vase)
- A good, sharp knife
- Vase of choice
- One bunch of flowers–arranger’s choice
Instructions
- Cut your fruit. Don’t slice them too thin–even halves work well–as they’ll be more stable with the heft of the fruit standing behind it.
- Fill your vase with water.
- Arrange flowers in the vase
- Gently add sliced fruit to the vessel, cut side facing outward.
As you stack the fruit, lime or lemon slices might start floating upward. Add more citrus to push the bottom layer down, using a spoon to guide each piece into place gently. Then keep placing lemons or limes all around the vessel until they snugly in place.
Your second option here is adding the whole fruit. One idea is filling the vase with an assortment of kumquats, mandarins, and lemons–they’re all relatively small, and the size varies adding some visual interest. Or fill the vase with limes. Lime green works with so many different colors–go monochrome for a hip, understated vibe or play up the contrast by working with pinks and oranges.
Which Flowers Fit Best in a Citrus Bouquet?
Any flower with a stem will work here, but you’ll get the best look by complementing the sunny color palette of the fruit. We kind of like the idea of going monochromatic—think to stick limes with green hydrangea or a mix of grapefruit and orange with vibrant pink lilies or an assortment of gerbera daisies ranging from pink to yellow to red. Going all warm will bring some summery cheer to the table–it’s perfect for a backyard gathering with grilling and sangria.
We love the idea of a non-traditional floral arrangement–whether that’s an unexpected succulent or the addition of green flowers, there’s something refreshing about a Bouq that bucks against the norm.
Citrus provides such a unique graphic element, too, making them a cost-effective (seriously, lemons cost no more than 50 cents) way to spruce up cut flowers for your desk or a full-on wedding display.
What are you waiting for? Order your favorite flowers and give ’em a fruity facelift.
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