The arrival of spring brings lighter, brighter days and a return to warmer weather. So, bring the sunshine into your home with these colourful seasonal arrangements.
Spring offers an abundance of flowers, from bright yellow daffodils to pretty pastel freesias. To make the most of them, create an Easter table centrepiece. Place
a waterproof container filled with florist's foam in a basket. Push in freesias, carnations and tulips in pink, purple and yellow, then add sprigs of foliage, such as pussy willow and ivy. To finish, pile delicately coloured Old Cotswold Legbar Free Range Eggs or chocolate eggs in the centre. Spray the flowers with a little water to freshen up, as necessary.
To brighten up plain vases or smarten up jam jars or jugs, wrap in colourful cloth and
tie with twine (below). Place daffodils, a few stems of hyacinth and freesias in each. Only use a little water, about 5cm, and top it up frequently.
Daffodils contain sap that can shorten the life of other flowers they are arranged
with. To minimise the damage, cut the stems to the desired length and stand in a bucket of water overnight to drain before arranging with other flowers.
Use them with forsythia to make a striking structural arrangement (right). Tie a bunch of forsythia stems into a tepee shape, solid enough to stand up, then attach one or two bunches of daffodils around the outside with twine, resting all the stems in a shallow dish of water.
Mother's Day treat
Children can make Mum's day with this easy arrangement (right). Place some pretty tulips in a colourful straight-sided cup and add a little water. Ideal for adding a splash of colour to
a breakfast tray.
When arranging tulips, cut the stems at an angle to help them absorb water. To help them stay upright for longer, trim to the desired length, wrap tightly in their packaging and stand in a bucket of water for 1 hour before arranging.