Longer Blooms

Of all the trends and aesthetics over the years, I’m consistently drawn to branches as an arrangement. I love their seasonality and their architecture. I mean, take one look at Eyeswoon and we all want branches! 

Sue at Wild Blume in Bozeman, Montana, recently brought over a beautiful branch arrangement that still had buds on it:

Below is how I preserved this gorgeous arrangement (which works for most arrangements, floral or branches). 

Step 1: Cut, and then lightly hammer the ends of those babies (or “lightly crush”). They’re thirsty!

Step 2: Mix a glycerin/water solution of one part glycerin to two parts water

Step 3: Arrange in a vase filled with the glycerin-water mixture. Keep the vase out of direct sunlight for a while

It will take the branches a month or so to soak up the glycerin, but the finished product lasts quite a while.

Separately, these branches that I have in my library are actually sourced from a tree trimmer!  I noticed while driving down a residential street that he was cutting down a tree, so I pulled over and asked for the branches. I did not preserve these. My girlfriend I just put them in the vase dry and, honestly, they couldn’t be more perfect.