Hens and chicks -- Garden Bouquets are cheep!

"Mom, they broke my window."  The early morning call from the Big Apple was punctuated with a sob.  What should have been a joyous journey home after a summer of hard work and adventure started out with a crash and bang.  Fortunately my youngest had had the foresight to carry all electronics into the dorm room whilst her bags of personal belongings sat parked at the curb overnight.  Having rummaged through the clothing and finding nothing that would bring a fast buck and a quick fix, the vandals moved on.  So did she, driving through the rainy mountains of Pennsylvania with a rattling garbage bag to ward off the raindrops. 

Hens and chicks.  No matter the age, the connection never ceases.  On the same day, Bill and I left my father's condo afoot just as a thunderous storm blew in.  Thirty minutes later came the "casual" call from my dad verifying our safe and dry arrival home. 

One homecoming tradition is a vase of flowers from the yard on the dresser.  No matter the time of year, there's always something in the yard that will make an interesting arrangement.

Gathering is the hardest.  Sometimes it's just too difficult to clip off those lovely blooms.  Still, that's the point isn't it?  So, first taking from the least viewed point of the whole plant, clip away, leaving lots of stem.

Clear the stems of all leaves and lay similar blooms flat on a dry surface.  Even mixed arrangements from the farm market need tweaking.

Chose various blooms.  Like flowers together make a powerful statement, but random colors bespeak their own glory.  Depends upon the mood.

Hold the stems in the hand as if gathering a small bridal bouquet.  Overfill to create volume.  Trim all the stems once the bouquet is complete, plop in the vase, make a few adjustments, and viola, it's a bodacious bouquet.

Anything can be a vase.  The dollar store is full of glass vials.  Empty longnecked bottles from fancy iced teas and waters are fun, and the recipient can recycle when done.

A handful of long grasses wrapped around the fingers, then tucked into the base of a glass vase, before filling with warmish water covers the stems and adds a professional look. 

Hosta leaves make good frames for the base of the arrangement.  In the winter, boxwood or yew branches add greenery. 

The vase on the dresser says "welcome home."

Windows can be fixed, it could have been far worse, and all the chicks are back in the nest--for now.

More Articles of Interest:

Yellow Flowers -- Blooming Sunshine

Winter Interest

Moonlight Garden -- Flowers That Go BLOOM in the Night