There is such an unwarrented stigma against grocery store flowers, but really, if you don’t have any other choice because of accessibility, your wallet, or because someone gifted you flowers, then grocery store flowers are just fine! Sure, those blue-dyed filler flowers aren’t the best, but the cello-wrapped flowers you find at the grocery store can look just as good as florist flowers with just a little work and so today I’m sharing tips on how to make grocery store flowers look expensive as well as a few other tips and tricks for purchasing and displaying flowers purchased from the grocery store.
So if you’re buying grocery store flowers to display in your home or gift to someone else, my first tip is to skip the pre-done bouquets and instead purchase an assortment of flowers. Try to purchase flowers in the same color family (all pink flowers, all yellow flowers, all white flowers) as a monochrome look will make the flowers look more upscale. And then look around the buckets and see if the grocery store sells extra “greenery.” Greenery usually consists of eucalyptus leaves, long spiky grass, or (I got lucky this last time) some dusty miller!
You might have to hunt for it – one of the grocery stores I used to go to all the time kept their extra greenery in the floral cold case. When you get home, assemble your supplies. You need scissors and a vase. An optional item would be a flower frog or tape. The silver round thing in the image below is a flower frog and tape that has been gridded across the top of the vase does the same thing – keeps the flowers where you want them. I happen to not use them (maybe I should), but some people swear by them.
Next, prepare your flowers. Give all your flowers a fresh trim. Try to cut the bottoms at a 45 degree angle so the bottom of the stem doesn’t sit flat against the base of the vase, not getting any water. A rule of thumb is to cut the flowers so they are one and a half times taller than your selected vase. Also remember, you can always cut more off, but you can’t add any back on, so be conservative and know you can always keep cutting more off until you reach your desired height.
Next, assemble your flowers. I apologize that I didn’t shoot the step-by-step assembling of the floral bouquet, but we’re just going to talk it through. I’m not a florist, I just eyeball it!
I start with the tall greenery and stick it in the back and anything that curves or leans I put off to one side (usually the side with the handle). Then, I start adding in my taller flowers. So, here, I started with my tulips and arranged those in small groups, then added in the ranunculas, and then finished it with a few daisies here and there. Looking at the image below, I should have added a few more shorter pink flowers right in front.
These flowers look so much better than the $19.99 pre-done bouquet and they’re not THAT much more expensive at $29.95. I realize nearly thirty dollars of flowers doesn’t fit everyone’s budget, it’s definitely a splurge, so I’ve got a few tips on other grocery store flowers that can look expensive, but are inexpensive in price.
Right now, it’s daffodill season! Be sure to look for these $1.99 bunches of daffodils in the floral section! They’re usually NOT in water and NOT in bloom!
Grab a couple bunches and for less than $5 you’ll have a beautiful display of yellow daffodills! They generally start to open up that day once you put them in water.
Or, grab a few stalks of gladiolas. Sure, they kinda remind me of the 1980s and the movie Drop Dead Fred, but they’re also usually $2.99 a bunch and can be really sculptural. They’re a great, inexpensive flower to add to a table for a party since because they’re so tall, you can put things in front of them, but they still add that fresh floral look. Just remember, they require a taller vase!
And, if you have any leftover flowers from your bouquet, or any broken stems in the process, trim them down to create a mini bouquet for next to your bed.
What are your favorite flowers? Do you have a favorite vase? Let me know in a comment!