The Villages - May 2018 - 5

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"I teach classes in designing with artificial flowers, too," she
said. "But there's nothing like a fresh bouquet."
Keeping your buds looking beautiful can be a challenge,
especially if you are unaware of the many ways you may be
unintentionally shortening their lifespan. For example, placing
your floral arrangement near a bowl of ripening fruit may
seem like a great idea - combining natural elements to create
an organic display. But regarding longevity, this is a mistake.
Filipiak explains that your produce gives off ethylene gas as it
ripens, and this gas will wither your flowers more quickly.
"We used to sell fruit baskets
at our shop, and we always sealed
our fruit to protect the flowers,"
she said.
In addition to flowers, Filipiak
likes to gather leaves from various
plants in her yard and create
vibrant plant arrangements.
"You could use magnolias,
variegated
pittosporum
or
loropetalum," she said. "There's
really no excuse not to have
something live to enjoy in your home."

Filipiak's

Fresh
Flower
Tips

The tighter the blooms, the
fresher the flowers, meaning
closed blooms will last longer
once you take them home.
When purchasing grocery store
flowers, ask about the store's
date coding so you can choose
the freshest flowers by date.
But be sure to do your other
shopping first, picking up your
flowers last, so they spend less
time out of water.
When selecting roses, gently
pinch the bottom of the flower
- firm is good. If they are soft,
find another bouquet.
Cut stems at an angle and place
flowers in water immediately.
Waiting even 30 seconds can
shorten their life.
Keep flowers away from
direct sunlight and vents or air
ducts to protect them
from harsh elements.
When arranging your flowers
in a vase, always use the plant
food provided with storebought flowers, or add a
spoonful of sugar to flowers
from your garden. Both offer
nutrients that will keep
your flowers hearty.

MAGAZINE

5



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - May 2018

Contents
The Villages - May 2018 - Cover1
The Villages - May 2018 - Contents
The Villages - May 2018 - 1
The Villages - May 2018 - 2
The Villages - May 2018 - 3
The Villages - May 2018 - 4
The Villages - May 2018 - 5
The Villages - May 2018 - 6
The Villages - May 2018 - 7
The Villages - May 2018 - 8
The Villages - May 2018 - 9
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