A Winter Rhapsody of White

The simplicity of  white is one of my favorite floral design themes.  Especially this time of year,  white flowers lend a sophisticated and unpretentious adornment to any room.  White flowers are chic and sophisticated and are always in good taste.   Many plants and fresh flowers are long lasting and can  literally last for several weeks.  White arrangements lighten up your living space and give a fresh perspective on the dark, wintry days we are experiencing..

I recently took advantage of a “Buy one, get one free” bunch of tulips at our local Winn-Dixie store.

A simple arrangement in a crystal vase…

Or arranged in one of my favorite pieces of Mississippi pottery, “Fingerprint” pottery in Pontotoc, Mississippi

I love to use simple glass cylinders to make a statement with floral design.

1.  Get two different sized glass cylinders.  Place the taller one inside the shorter one.  Line magnolia leaves in the space between the cylinders. 

Fill the inner vase with water, and arrange the tulips.  Set on a decorative tray for display on a table or buffet.

Camellias are one of my perennial favorites – they can be enjoyed from late fall to early spring in lower Alabama.  My good friend, Ginger, has heirloom camellias in her lovely garden district home here in Dothan.  I clipped a few white blooms yesterday before the onset of our expected sleet and snow which is forecasted for later today.  Her garden is one of my favorite sources for camellias, and hopefully I’ll have more of her blooms to display over the next few weeks.

The camellias are displayed in a bowl that was an anniversary gift many years ago from my Daddy to my Mother.  My sister remembered accompanying him to purchase it when she was child.

One of my favorite garden centers, Southern Homes and Gardens, in Montgomery ((http://www.southernhomesandgardens.com/ )   had these gorgeous Rieger Begonias in their greenhouse for about $12.00 each!  From a distance, their gorgeous, creamy blooms almost resembled hydrangeas.  Another great investment, these flowering winter begonias, are wonderful house plants that have been blooming over three weeks, and can be maintained inside for a very long time, and can even rebloom.  These man-made hybrid begonias, love bright indirect light, and need to be watered only when the top 1/2-inch of the soil feels dry to the touch.  Unfortunately, they do not love our summers of high heat and humidity.  Fertilize once a month until the blooms have all fallen off.  Cut back the stems to about 3 inches, and allow the begonia to remain almost dry for six weeks.  At this point you may want to repot the plant.  Then begin watering again, and watch for new shoots to appear.

There are countless ways and variations of containers to use with simple potted plants like these.

Hyacinths, another winter and early spring favorite of mine, are easily forced from the bulb state or they can be picked up blooming in your local garden center or grocery store.  Their incredibly refreshing fragrance gives us the promise that spring will come again!

Celebrate “the art of simple”  in creating beauty in your home during all seasons of the year…

“Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day – –

like writing a poem or saying a prayer.”

Anne Morrow Lindbergh