Grow Your Own Gifts

I love having fresh flowers for my kitchen table, but I refuse to pay outrageous prices at the floral shop. My solution: grow what you love!

Flowers make excellent gifts and the meaning is increased if they come from your own garden. For this post, I used an old quart-size canning jar, a simple piece of ribbon, tiny fill-beads (ones that you'd use in a stuffed animal,) and fresh-cut hydrangeas.

Directions:

Take canning jar and wash with warm soap and water. Rinse very well. Add 1-2 cups of the beads to the jar. (Use more if your flowers are very top-heavy and less if your flowers are delicate.)

Choose a ribbon that coordinates with the flowers. Tie around the jar.

Fill jar 1/2 full of water.

When cutting flowers, be sure to cut the stems on an angle. This will help them last longer. You may also add 1/2 can of sprite to the water to help them stay fresh.

Arrange flowers however you like. If flowers are top-heavy, you can use a small amount of floral tape around the stems to hold them in place.

*SHOPPING TIPS: I love giving fresh flowers as gifts to friends and family. When choosing plants to grow, make sure they are perennials. This will ensure a good crop each year and eliminate the need to replant each season. Also, look for plants that grow a lot of blossoms. This will allow you to cut the flowers periodically and still have your garden look nice. The total cost of this project ranges from free to under $1. Be creative when choosing your vases. Old jars, fish bowls, cups and even mugs work great for for flowers. May you find happiness in sharing something beautiful!