Mother's Day Bouquet

Bouquet of Flowers in Medium Round Vase

For Mother's Day, I decided to make my own flower arrangement. Luckily, my friend who is an industry professional was taking a trip to the Los Angeles Flower District the day prior and allowed me to tag along.

The LA Flower Mart provides wholesale or discounted prices for flowers, plants, and supplies. Sometimes, the costs are less than half of what is marked up at retail shops. The downside is, well, you have to trek to LA and deal with the traffic, parking, and crowds. 

To celebrate Spring, I decided to choose brightly-hued premium flowers that my mother-in-law would not be as familiar with.  

 

This arrangement cost me roughly $21 - $6 for ranunculus bunch, $10 for green hydrangeas, and $5 for the glass vase. Note: Pricing was slightly higher due to holiday.

My friend told me that my bouquet can go for $60+ if purchased at a retail establishment. Not only did I save money, my friend complimented me on my arrangement. Hurray!

Learn more about these flowers...

RANUNCULUS

My Cousin's Wedding Bouquet

Pronounced "ra-nun-cu-luz"

My first encounter with ranunculus was at my cousin's wedding in 2008. She had an elegant and slightly vintage-inspired theme. 

Here are cheerful yellow ranunculus amidst yellow Billy Balls and white roses in her bridal bouquet. 

Since they are premium, they are not widely available.  I suggest finding a modern or vintage-style florist for arrangements. 

Project Wedding: Photo by Marvelous Things Photography

Ranunculus have very-tight bowl-shaped leaves that open up like a Buttercup.

They come in a variety of bright colors, but tend to be smaller, so it requires more stems to get substantial volume. 

They are getting quite popular for weddings.

Surprisingly, FTD, Teleflora, and 1-800-Flowers do not offer fresh ranunculus. 

Here is a hideously old school arrangement from Teleflora. 

A pretty, but not living, silk flower bouquet from FTD.  

HYDRANGEA

I've grown to love hydrangeas over the years. They grow from bushes, so can be very unassuming. But, once cut and placed in floral arrangements, they can be stunning.

Bad news is, when cut, they tend to wilt quickly. 

Hydrangeas come in a variety of colors. I just learned that the colors change due to environment and soil pH. And, the deep blue (not pictured) is the most expensive one. For example: Most colors costs $8-10/bunch at the flower mart, but the dark blue ones can cost up to $25!

Colors from Southern Living
These six hydrangeas are widely available and are some of our favorites. Your soil may affect the hue.

'Ami Pasquier': Crimson flowers in all but very acid soil, where it turns a wine purple color. Lacecap type.

'Ayesha': Distinctive cupped petals are eye-catching. Pale pink to light blue. Very glossy, deep green leaves. Mophead type.

'Endless Summer': Repeat bloomer flowers on old and new growth. May be blue or pink. Mophead type.

'Madame Emile Mouillere': Vigorous and dependable. Widely considered to be the best white. May rebloom. Mophead type.

'Nikko Blue': Dependable and cold hardy, it's a longtime favorite and widely planted. Turns pink in alkaline soil. Mophead type.
'Purple Tiers': Beautiful double-flowered lacecap type. Water lily-shaped blooms are deep purple in acid soil and pink in alkaline soil.

What are your favorite flowers?