Baby showers call for flowers, and not just pink and blue

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Baby showers call for flowers, and not just pink and blue

by Jacqueline

August 12, 2008

A friend of mine told me yesterday that she’s throwing a baby shower for her brother and his wife, who know they’ll be having a boy this fall.

Naturally, I told her that flowers should be part of the plan. That’s because flowers make any gathering more special. Flowers and copious amounts of cake, of course.

Another party secret: Don’t hold it in a huge room. Why? No one mingles. You’re much better off in a smaller space because people who may not know each other get a better chance to meet, start talking and … well, you know the drill.

So, back to flowers. What to choose and how to display them depends on the theme or mood of the party. For example, if it will be an ultra-casual get-together in your back yard or patio, try filling baskets or little flower pots with blooms. Rather than perfectly matching containers, mix it up by choosing baskets and pots in a variety of sizes.

Hydrangeas in a vase

By sticking to one color, you can make an impact with fewer flowers. Shown above is white hydrangea.

On the other hand, for a more elegant affair, a variety of clear glass vases will do nicely. Again, matchy-matchy is out, so don’t worry if your vases are different shapes and sizes – actually that will look cutting edge and creative.

Shells, stones, lemons or limes at the bottom of the vases are a fresh way to anchor the arrangement.

Instead of pink flowers for a girl and blue blooms for a boy, how about all-purple, all-green, all-yellow or all-white flowers? It’s a great end-of-summer look. And if your budget is limited, by sticking to one color, you can make an impact with fewer flowers.

Personally, I’ll take any excuse to dot some white hydrangea around my place; just a few branches in a vase instantly take you from drab to dazzling.

As for the type of flower to choose, daisies are easy and fun. Spray roses are popular because they’re pretty and petite. Orchids are an excellent choice to lend instant sophistication.

Baby’s breath also springs to mind for a shower. If you want to go that route, don’t use it as a filler flower. You’re better off making it the star and using plenty of it, on its own.

Finally, if the shower will be at your home, don’t forget flowers for the kitchen. Just a few bunches of daisies will make all the difference.

You know people will congregate there and besides, as the hostess, you’ll spend a chunk of time preparing the food, so why not treat yourself to a little floral company? Read more on that front at: aboutflowers.com.

Flower Fact of the Day: The fragrance of Summersweet or Clethra alnifolia can permeate an entire garden. Its lustrous, dark green leaves turn golden yellow in the fall. As author Maggie Oster puts it: How could you not fall in love with a plant called summersweet? Read her entire list of Bloomin’ Summer Favorites at garden.org/regional/report/arch/inmygarden/2855.

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