As most of you know, every month we like to enjoy one inexpensive- and sometimes free- bouquet to keep things feeling fresh around here (the idea actually stemmed from a super sweet Christmas present from the hubs a while back). And since July was our anniversary month, we decided to honor that fact with some gladiolus stems that we snagged for a song at the grocery store a few weeks back (just $2.39 for the entire bouquet!).
What do gladiolus stems have to do with our anniversary? Well, three years ago we whipped up garden themed favors for our backyard wedding. We just picked up simple brown mini paper bags at Target and dropped a single gladiolus bulb into each one for our guests’ garden. We even added easy handwritten planting instructions on the back of each bag (they were one of the only bulbs that could be planted that late in the season). Clipped to the front of the bag was a photostrip (tying in with our photostrip save-the-date and the actual photobooth that we rented for the event) and the strip on the favor featured John’s face covered in lipstick kisses while we held signs that read: Plant one… on us! *smooooch*
Believe it or not, many of our friends and family members planted their gladiolus bulbs and actually get to enjoy their own little backyard blooms every summer when they sprout (my mom sends us pictures of hers every year without fail). But since ours never bloom (they shoot up leaves but don’t get enough sun to flower) we opted to pick up this under $3 bouquet to fill the void.
We love the sweet pink color and the tall sculptural stalks. Especially paired with my fun curvy green vase (a birthday gift from John’s sister from Crate & Barrel).
So although we didn’t get a chance to share our July bouquet in July, we figured it was better late than never. And before you know it we’ll be back with our August blooms so we’re sure not to miss those this time. But enough about us. What about you guys? Did you recently snag any greenery on the cheap from your backyard, your local grocery store, or even the farmer’s market? Tell us all about what flowers and other outdoor finds you’re loving this month.
Wanna see our first grocery store bouquet from last January? Itching to check out February, March, April, May, June, July, August, and September too? How about this year’s January, February, March, April, May, and June bouquets? Just follow the links for some pretty sweet cheap-o (and even free) bouquets.
Meredith V says
We have also been rockin the gladiolis lately. They are 3.99 for a huge bunch here. Ours however never make it past a week. We change the water every other day, but they still bite it early! any tips?
YoungHouseLove says
Our tip would be to pick the stems that aren’t really blooming yet (ours lasted a while because it took them almost a week to bloom). We also set them in a sunny place since they’re sun loving flowers. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Barb says
This is off topic… But have you guys ever thought about putting a screen door back up on the front door? (I remember you got rid of the old one at a garage sale) Personally I like screen doors to get a nice breeze inside and keep bugs out. I guess I am just wondering why you don’t have one or if it is on your list of to-do projects.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Barb,
We actually prefer the cleaner and simpler look of the door without the screen (we have a fully screened sunroom in the back, so if we want a breeze- along with a great view of the outdoors- that’s where we hang out). We also appreciate that we don’t have to juggle two doors to let people in and sign for packages, but it’s totally a personal preference thing!
xo,
s
Cait @ Hernando House says
We haven’t had fresh flowers in the house in a LONG time. (Since the last time my sweet hubs bought me a rose while picking up a few last minute groceries.) We’re currently loving an Elephant Bush we picked up at Lowe’s that sits atop the bookshelves in our library, but hopefully the cute square vase on its way from my BFF Amazon will be home to some fresh flowers soon!
Lynn says
Those look great in that vase. Ive been picking the dahlias that I planted this spring, every few days and sprinkling them around the house. Fresh flowers really are such a nice addition to a room.
However, my eye still covets your ‘magazine monogram’ above the flowers. Im searching for ours..who ever thought ‘M’ would be so hard?!
Laura in LA says
Beautiful flowers, and you can’t beat the price! Hey Sherry, have you checked out Pier One lately? Their latest little catalog that just came in the mail has white animal shaped kitchen items. There is a rhino butter dish with your name on it!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! We’ll have to check it out!
xo,
s
Sophie says
So pretty and summery! (:
I could use a bit of summer in London right now. Raging thunderstorm and it’s so dark we’ve got every light on. Wahoo!
Meredith Leigh says
I’ve been rocking the $5 bouquet at the Des Moines Farmer’s market lately. Soooo many pretty flowers to pick from!
Kim @ Don't Kid Yourself says
That is so cute your mom sends a picture of her blooms every year! Very thoughtful :)
YoungHouseLove says
My mom’s the best! In fact we just made her a video from Clara since she misses her Nona (that’s Italian for grandma). Check it out here:
xo,
s
Amanda @ Our Humble A{Bowe}d says
I Love having fresh flowers. I just cut some roses from our yard. We were getting a big storm and I didn’t want them to die without my enjoyment. I think we’ll have to start a flower of the month tradition, too.
Cecilie says
Ok – could Clara be any cuter? She is simply adorable.
As for flowers: I am lucky enough to live in a place (Bonn-area, Germany) where there’s a lot of places in the countryside where you can cut your own flowers directly from the fields. You then pay very little (http://ancema.dk/2010/07/sommerens-f%C3%B8rste-pluk-selv-blomster/ – all the flowers showed here probably set me back $3 total) and get to enjoy really fresh flowers. What’s not to love! So we have cheap flowers around our home during the summer season.
Melissa says
I have been trying to make it to the farmer’s market every Sunday, but even on weeks when I can’t make it there, I have flowers blooming on our balcony. I LOVE it! Flowers really just make my mood so.much.better. On days when I’m feeling really down or frustrated, my boyfriend offers to drive me to Home Depot or somesuch to browse the garden center for half an hour or so til my mood perks up.
hi-d says
What a great idea for wedding favors! I love fresh flowers. My Mom recently cut a humungous hydrangea blossom off of her bush to give to me. The color was so amazing – like a cornflower blue. :)
Kate says
Those are lovely!
I haven’t gotten any flowers in a while, but every day I have to stop myself from pulling over and picking some of the lovely Queen Ann’s Lace, tiger lilys, and some yellow flower that grow wild all along my route to and from work. They just look so pretty! However, I am not sure if it’s legal or allowable, so I force myself to pass them by and just enjoy them in nature.
Kristen says
I recently purchased a huge bouquet at a local farmer’s market for $5! It was beautiful full of lilies and dahlias.
Brittany says
I love the green vase. It’s perfect for glads. My grandma loves them but I always think they look a little awkward in the vases she uses. This one is perfect. I’m totally keeping an eye out for one to give her! And since it’s green, it give the flower color that much more punch.
Kate says
Lynn, I’m actually having the same problem at the moment! “M” seems to be a very unpopular letter to start a (fancy) paragraph with.
Natalie says
I have been buying sunflowers this summer, they last for about 2 weeks and they are fairly cheap! If there are 2 things I love, it is fresh flowers and a good deal!
Natalie says
And on another subject…I know you have a thing for white animal decor, I found a cute white elephant at Homestore last week.
http://ourroseyrambler.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-homestore-find.html
Debra says
Last week at the farmers market I bought two bouquets of sweet peas. They were the most fragrant ones I have ever got. I always put them in vintage vases and they make me soooo happy!!! Unfortunately, they don’t last too long. Next time I will get the gladiolis. Give ms. Clara a big squeeze for me.
Kourtney says
I don’t remember how I even found your blog, but I do love your style! Your rooms are so classy and put-together but still look comfortable, livable and realistic. I’m always inspired when I visit!
Cheri @ I Heart Old Houses says
We’ve been throwing together arrangements with herbs and lavender lately because they’re free, they smell good and we’ve got a ton of them. But I’m envying the color in your gladiolis…I think I’ll pick up a bouquet with a little more punch next time I hit the farmers market.
Design Love says
What a great wedding favor idea!!! I love it!
Cindy
susanne says
I have been clipping a bloom here and there from our new hydrangea bushes, even though I think that is a no-no…..I can’t stand letting beautiful flowers die on the vine!
Natalie G says
Our gladiolis bloomed in early July and I loved cutting them and bringing them inside. I struggled, though, with finding the proper vase to display them. Do you have any suggestions?
A suggestion for the other commenter to keep galdiolis alive longer: I read on a gardening site to place the bottom of a freshly cut stem in boiling water for 30 seconds in order to preserve colors and keep the flowers perky longer. (this works well for cut hydrangeas, too) When they start to fade/wilt, remove the dead flowers, cut the stem again, and repeat with the boiling water. This helped our stems survive longer on display inside. We picked our stems when only one flower is starting to open. They usually open from the bottom of the stem up, so we repeated this a few times as the whole stem opened up over time and they stayed alive inside for a few weeks.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Natalie,
Great tip! Thanks for sharing it! As for gladiolus vase tips, we like tall v-shaped ones to support the long stems and splay them out nicely. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mrs Soup says
I love the interesting vase! That is so unusual….I may need to find one like that. I only have boring square or round clear ones. May need to change that!
Jen says
I’ve been cutting gorgeous blue and purple hydrangeas from my yard for the past few weeks. I agree with Natalie G. about putting the fresh-cut stems into boiling water for 30-60 seconds. It definitely helps keep them in bloom longer!
Alison says
We love Queen Anne’s Lace this summer- I guess to some it is a weed. They are free since they grow all over the side of the road. Every time we take a walk we pick a few.
Lindsey Turner says
What a simple but gorgeous display! Great job guys!
Catherine says
Your display looks awesome–and what a great price!
I actually took your advice a couple weeks ago and got a couple bouquets of carnations when I was hosting a book group meeting. I never would have thought of getting them, but they really looked lovely (and filled 6 small vases). I went out of town for a 11 days after that and most of them still look surprisingly nice, even without changing the water or retrimming the stems. I was shocked!
Thanks for the inspiration, as always!
greenInOC says
I recently took my cardboard to Trader Joe’s to recycle (I don’t have curbside recycling and TJ’s happily crunches your cardboard and recycles it for you).
You have to go to the back of the store to the loading area. As I was leaving sitting in the trash was a huge bouquet of sunflowers.
They were sad and limp (like if you went on a date with them you would be totally disappointed!), but they were so vibrant I thought they deserved a chance. I am a dumpster diver – I have no shame. They were FREE!
When I got home I cut the ends off and put some Orchid food in the water and they loved it – they even straightened up (just goes to show, you should always give men and flowers a 2nd chance!). They totally brightened up my house for a week – I only tossed them because I was going out of town.
YoungHouseLove says
Such a cute story! So glad you rescued them!
xo,
s
Laura (youngDCliving) says
Those flowers are beautiful! I really love that idea as a wedding party gift…it’s really memorable and unique, and it will always bring back great memories without fail.
Do these kinds of flowers last long in vases? They look pretty delicate…
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laura,
Read back through the comments for both our and other reader’s experiences with how long they last (and some tips to make them last longer). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alicia says
For my sister’s graduation party, we bought a few bouquets of flowers from the grocery store for centerpieces. We trimmed them to size and placed them in mason jars. Everyone loved them! I totally got the idea from y’all because I know how much you love your grocery store bouquets. They were very simple but people couldn’t believe we did it ourselves.
Laura (youngDCliving) says
Oops, thanks! By the way, you got a shout-out today on a great blog, http://www.neverhomemaker.com, today. Thought you might wanna check it out!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Laura! Off to check it out!
xo,
s
Amanda @ longroadset says
Have you guys every considered moving your bulb to a sunnier location? At our last home we had some Iris plants and something else I don’t remember what it was though.
The owner has planted them directly under the ledge of the roof (there were no gutters) a couple rain storms later and most of the bulbs were exposed. But some were still pretty hidden.
We dug around their roots with a small spade and put them in a better place in the yard. During the summer though a few we’d missed had bloomed and we just dug around those and also transplanted them. Wasn’t too hard. And if I’m not mistaken some people do this pretty regularly to change up their flowerbeds.
Hope it helps!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amanda,
It’s definitely on our never-ending to do list! If only there were more hours in the day… says the girl who was just outside clipping hedges while wearing her baby in a carrier – the neighbors must think I’ve totally lost it!
xo,
s
Amanda @ longroadset says
Home ownership is like subscribing to a never ending to do list, as I’ve just recently figured out.
As far as your neighbors go, you can always tell them you’re teaching her responsibility. :) You gotta start young!
Karla @ {The Classy Woman} says
Beautiful and I love that as a favor idea!
I wanted to ask about the glass cloche I see on your table there. Where did you get it? I see them being used in all kinds of design schemes but I can’t seem to find one for a reasonable price. Some are too thin for my liking-I’m afraid they’ll break. Yours looks very sturdy.
Thanks!
Karla
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Karla,
We actually snagged that thing at a garage sale for $4! We haven’t seen many others like it, but maybe you can try eBay or a place like HomeGoods/TJ Maxx? Good luck!
xo,
s
Lynn says
I just had to comment back to Kate…I found one ‘M’ but it was an article about mammograms. Didnt know it that was appropriate to hang on my wall. Even though your eye goes to the ‘M’….I was worried people would look at the other words! :) If anyone sees a ‘good M’..let me know! :)
Claire says
Gladiolas are my very favorite flower because of how structural they are. You can get some great flowers at the South of the James Farmers Market for between $8-10 for a beautiful bunch. And if you change out the water daily and add a tsp of sugar in the vase I can usually get a bunch to last 2 even 3 weeks depending on the type since they were so fresh from the farm to begin with.
Linda says
Hi!
I have picked up the cornflowers that grow in my veggie garden, my favorites have such an amazing shade of blue! But they range from lilac to pink to light blue and the look so pretty in a vase with lavander and wheat ‘ears’ (? not sure it’s how you call them – i’m italian and my english is a bit rusty..). Anyway, once i’ve enjoyed the cornflowers and lavander for a few days, before they die, I’ll hang them upside down and let them dry.
Some of the lavander will end up in the doll I’m making though;-)
ciao
Linda
PS I’ve discovered your site only a few days ago but I looooove it so much!
Dina @ 4 Lettre Words says
LOVE that entire display! Gorgeous.
Emily @ The Happy Home says
david and i just snagged a surprising bouquet of lilies from the farmer’s market– it’s only four stems, but each stem has 3-4 blooms on it, making the top of the bouquet lush and absolutely gorgeous! i honestly think it will still be blooming and fresh this sunday, when i’ll head back to buy more ;-)
Kaitlyn says
The first pic gave me total inspiration for the loooong blank wall in my living room/entryway. I’ve been wondering how to decorate it. I love how you have the art over the side table with all the colors and cute knickknacks. Storage ottomans too? Swoon! Add the flowers and that amazing vase and it’s a winner for sure!
Lauren says
Beautiful! For the person that asked about the glass cloche, I believe I saw one last week at TJ Maxx… it wasn’t quite as tall though.
John or Sherry- Have you ever blogged about how you made the monogram artwork above the flowers? If it’s already in a post, please point me in the right direction! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lauren,
Yup, here’s a tutorial for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/10/how-to-make-a-magazine-monogram/
xo,
s
Jennette says
Hydrangea! Beautiful white blossoms!!!
Libby says
Can you put a link for the post you did a while ago on those picture frames with the P in them. They have given me some inspiration.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Libby,
Yup, here’s a tutorial for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/10/how-to-make-a-magazine-monogram/
xo,
s
bethany says
aww I really like the colors in that vase and flowers with the color of the other stuff around it. Congratulations for the mention in ReadyMade too! I read it today. I love that magazine. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Bethany! We just checked it out yesterday and were really excited! We’ll have to scan it and blog about it soon!
xo,
s
Morgan says
I have been enjoying de-constructing the mixed flower bouquets from our farmers’ market. I love re-arranging them in three or four smaller vases and having flower surprise all over the house.
I have a question: Do you have some cool way of storing your vases so that you can see and choose from among them easily?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Morgan,
We store most of our vases by height order in a cabinet in the kitchen, so by placing the taller ones in the back and the smaller/shorter ones in the front we can usually see as many as possible. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I have that vase in clear AND I love it! I also LOVE glads – the color combination looks fantastic :)
RJ says
I love bringing blooms in from our backyard… in early spring I start with tulips, then move to flowering chives and dandelion wishes, right now I have all sorts of yellows, white and pinks to make cheery bouquets with!
My favorite are definitely the early spring forget-me-nots and lily-of-the-valley!
heather j. says
So pretty! You know, glads multiply like crazy under the ground! I just divided some that I planted this spring, and I could not believe how many bulbs were down there! You guys could easily divide up your wedding blooms and place some in a sunny spot so that you could enjoy your OWN flowers on your anniversary week! And you’d still have enough to keep the cool spikes where you currently have them.
The color of yours is gorgeous. Love it!