QUIZ: What flower are you?
Find out which bloom best matches your personality, then DIY one of Steven Sabados' arrangements to match
With over 400,00 varieties of flowers out there, there's endless opportunity to pick a favourite. But what if the tables were turned, and the flower picked you? Take the quiz below to find out what flowers suit your personality best. And then, once you've found your floral match, you can make a stunning arrangement to match, with a how-to courtesy of Steven Sabados! As we wait (rather) patiently for spring, these gorgeous arrangements are sure to liven up any living space.
Here are the arrangements to match your quiz results:
Peony
The peony is mainly known for representing ideas and values like, beauty, prosperity, compassion and honour. The generous look of this gorgeous bloom is said to represent good fortune in romance. Peonies are native to China, and are often referred to as the "king of flowers," but cut peonies also come with a royal price tag. Out of season they can range between $10 to $15 per stem. In Canada you can find local blooms in May and June at a far more reasonable price, or the inexpensive but still gorgeous ranunculus flowers make excellent alternatives. Here is how to display them perfectly.
Here's what you'll need:
- Several peonies
- Stems and greenery
- Elastic or twist tie
- Green wide ribbon
- Pearl head pin
- An open mouth vase
Here's how to do it:
1. Bundle the flowers together.
2. Arrange a few sprigs of greenery and stems around the blooms.
3. Secure with a twist tie or elastic.
4. Wrap the bundle with the ribbon. Secure with a pin.
5. Cut off any excess stem, and then lean in an open mouth vase.
Tip: Store this arrangement in the refrigerator or another cool place if you plan on displaying it for yourself or guests the following day. Otherwise, the blooms will open up too quickly and your pricey flowers will start to wilt.
Tulip
While these aren't the fanciest flowers in the garden, tulips have long been considered the most graceful flowers. Most commonly, the tulip is associated with enduring, deep love. A love for a parrot tulip means you have a whimsical side, and are warm and nurturing.
Tulips are the only flower that continue to grow after they are cut, so your arrangement will change slightly over the course of its life. Tulips are the perfect choice for a monochromatic spring focused bouquet. We used variegated white and green parrot tulips along with some white tulips for this and stuck with a monochromatic colour scheme using other varieties of green and white blooms.
Here's what you'll need:
- As many stems as you like (all in one colour)
- Vase
Here's how to do it:
1. Add in one stem at a time to the vase, holding the cluster together gently with your hand.
2. Hold the arrangement loosely if you want a soft flowing arrangement or tightly for a solid mass of flowers. Continue adding until you have achieved your desired density of blooms.
3. Trim the stems so they are all the same length.
Tip: Daffodils and other spring flowers in the Narcissus family have been said to emit a harmful stem clogging sap, so try to avoid those in your arrangement.
Sunflower
Most commonly the sunflower is associated with adoration, loyalty and strength. Because of its abundance of edible seeds it represents nourishing yourself and others. It also means that you are easy going, tolerant and are always keen to brighten the mood in a room.
Sunflowers can look dramatic for a relatively low cost, but their top heaviness can cause them to droop unless properly arranged. Here's how to make this gorgeous flower pop. Feel free to skip the first two steps if you already have a container on hand.
Here's what you'll need:
- Sunflowers
- Drywall mud pan
- Black spray paint
- 4 drawer pulls
- Hot glue or super glue
- Wet floral foam
- Hockey tape or electrical tape
Here's how to do it:
1. Glue drawer pulls to the bottom of each corner of the drywall mud pan. Let dry.
2. Spray paint the whole tray black. Let dry.
3. Sunflowers are very top heavy, so tape off a grid on the top of the vase for support. This is great for times when you're using a clear vase and can't use wet floral foam.
4. Fill the bottom of the vessel with wet floral foam.
5. Cut your sunflower stems so that the blooms poke out of the vase from a height that shows off the flower without too much stem. Place in the box.
6. Continue adding flowers under you have achieved your desired density.
Calla lily
Typically calla lilies are associated with rebirth, faith and purity. Black calla lilies carry an unconventional elegance, mystery and unwavering passion, and they look great all on their own. Here's how to make them a statement in your home.
Here's what you'll need:
- Calla lilies (half a dozen is a good place to start)
- Wide mouth vase
Here's how to do it:
1. Gather 5 or 6 stems together.
2. Hang them over a large bowl half filled with water.
3. For a slightly more formal look, twist the stems inside a fish bowl vase.
4. If you'd like, achieve a waterfall effect of blooms by cutting a few stems to differing lengths.
DIY flower food
To keep your flowers looking their best and lasting longer, try this easy at-home flower food.
Here's what you'll need:
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp bleach
- 2 tsp of lemon or lime juice
- 4 cups of room temperature water
- Bowl
Here's how to do it:
1. Mix sugar, bleach, lemon juice, and water in a bowl.
2. Add to your arrangement container.
3. Switch out the water and flower food when the water starts looking cloudy.