From The Blog

DIY Spring Florals

At Harney Lane, we love freshly cut flowers. Though we have many occasions for arrangements, we don’t need an excuse to make them. Inspiration is all around the ranch, like these stunning lilacs in bloom. With spring upon us, Harney Lane Events Manager Courtney shares her tips for easy florals to brighten your space and your day!

There is no need to leave your own backyard to create fresh, eye-catching bouquets. We love to play with the abundant beauty on our Home Ranch property, which we share with you on our patio and at our special events. Bringing seasonal color indoors is a way to instantly invigorate your home. Right now, we all need a little beauty in our lives – and fresh florals can do just that!

1. Pull out any vessel you might have. I like to use unexpected items. A ceramic pitcher? An empty wine bottle headed to the recycle bin? Perhaps a mason jar or even a picnic basket will do. Get creative.
2. Go outside! Forage what grows naturally. Nature is so beautiful and has so much to offer when searching to bring beauty inside. You’ll be surprised to find blooms, greens or other additions in the most unexpected places. While filler is easy to gather, sometimes big blooms are harder to come by – or just out of reach in a neighbor’s yard! In that case, grab a bunch of colorful stems during your next essential trip to the grocery store (I love the tulips at Trader Joe’s). Layer these in with your foraged greens to turn up the volume.
3. Gather greenery – lots and lots – more than you think you need. I love to use fresh herbs. Kathy’s yard serves up loads of sturdy mint that makes a beautiful statement in arrangements. It’s bright and green with great structure. Rosemary offers another fun variation of green with phenomenal texture. In our garden at the winery, we have a variety of beautiful ferns that lend texture, form and color. I pull from all sorts of plants, including mock orange, olive and feathery heather.
4. I always start with the greens, then add color. If we have something blooming at a given time, I will use that and lots of it. Like I said, more is always better! With most things, I like to err on the side of excess – an extra handful of chocolate chips in my cookie recipe, my wine glass filled a little closer to the brim, and a heavy dose of flowers and green stems in a vessel. You can always edit, but having more to work with makes a huge difference.

Once I create an arrangement I’m happy with, I turn all sides around to make sure everything looks well balanced and then I move on. The more organic and natural it feels, the better. We aren’t looking for perfection, we’re looking for natural beauty in all of the elements!