I’m one of the most pragmatic people around, especially when it comes to flowers, which I consider a luxury. Flowers, as I’m sure you will agree, aren’t a necessity.
They look pretty when placed in a vase, and some even smell good, so they make wonderful and natural scents for the home. Yet, flowers, for all their grace and beauty, are frail. They die, and I can safely say, it can amount to no small sum of money to buy some pretty posies.
Yet, flower vendors thrive. Bouquets and wreaths aside, I often wonder who buys flowers for their home, by way of a decorative piece. Do you? Do I? :D
Well, as I said at the beginning, I’m pragmatic and practical. Flowers are a luxury I can do without and which I generally do without, whether for the home or otherwise.
Yes, I think a surprise bouquet is lovely, but I also know how much they can cost. So, I always say, give me the money instead :P Or treat me to something nice, like a nice meal or a movie, because flowers are too fleeting and ephemeral. They die so quickly, and because I have a black thumb (as opposed to a green thumb), I swear they die even more quickly in my hands!
Yet, I have a soft spot for stargazer lilies. I love having them in the home, filling the air with their sweet, heady scent. I don’t like the scent in a perfume, but I love how just a stalk of lilies can scent my home for up to 2 weeks, if cared for properly. If you manage to get your hands on some fresh roses, their scent too is beautiful, if fleeting as they wilt and die quickly in our heat.
I remember as a student, living in a rental house which I and my housemates moved into in Autumn. We had a harsh winter and when Spring and Summer came around, we suddenly discovered a huge rose bush in the back garden that we’d never noticed before, blooming with lots of gorgeous roses. The flowers were huge, and the fragrance, heady. We plucked the beautiful flowers and placed them in different parts of the house, using jam jars. Not only were they pretty to look at, that was my first experience of home scents! :D
I also can’t deny that flowers soften the home somewhat. To me, flowers are like the soft furnishings of a home, like curtains and cushions. They give a soft, feminine touch to the home, and if you have a lot of dark furniture and wood or metal in your home, it adds colour and gives a pleasing, mellow feeling. It makes a home look and feel lived in and welcome.
Once you get past the hassle of caring for them, that is :P
Anyway, as I said, I’m not usually one to buy flowers. Even less so in these tight economic times. But on the weekend, I was at the pasar malam (night market) and I passed by the flower vendor that is always there. There are always people buying their flowers and something made me stop and take a look. For some unknown reason, I ended up with a bunch of Japanese Roses, that you see in the picture above, which I placed in a vase when I got back, and placed it on my dining table.
And for some reason, it made me feel happy. There was no scent, and the pale pastel colours aren’t quite the type of colours I usually go for, but they were pretty and delicate and gentle, and seeing them as I bustled around my home, pleased me.
I know of some local flower wholesalers where I can buy blooms at more affordable prices, so I decided that I’d do that when I can now. I just have to pick the more affordable flowers, and play around with colours. Yes, it still goes against my practical nature, but what price, pleasure, right? :)
Do you buy flowers for your home? Do you consider flowers too much of a luxury?
I think if you spend more time at home, flowers in the home are something you might appreciate more. Less so, if you don’t. Also, if you have a garden and have a green thumb, your flowers are essentially free! So, do you put flowers in your home? This practical girl never thought she ever would, but don’t be afraid to say no! :)
Paris B
I do, especially in winters. A nicely-arranged bouquet makes me happy. And when something makes your life a little more pleasant, no matter how menial or trivial, is never a waste of money no matter what anyone says. It’s like when we buy luxury scented candles. They’re pricey but they make us happy. So, haters are gonna hate. Do what makes you happy because it’s your life! :)
I get a pretty bouquet and it sits on the buffet. I see it on the way out in the mornings and it greets me when I get home from work.
It’s the small things. Life is short. Choose to be happy :) OR Choose the things that will make you happy :)
Absolutely! I now get the whole flowers in the house thing. I’m actually the first to admit that I’m that person saying that buying flowers is a waste of money, because they DIE! But if it’s just a few RM for a bunch that’ll last me a week or so, I don’t see why not. It’s uplifting and I’m sure in the dreary winters, it’s even more so :)
I’m with Geek – whatever makes you happy! (don’t fall off the chair when you see this comment hahaha)
That said, I still try to find a good deal when buying flowers since they’re so perishable – which means going wholesale and doing your own arrangement! :P
Yes to going wholesale. Most of the premade bouquets contain flowers that are almost dead anyway. In my experience, that is. Few flowers from bouquets survive in a vase for longer than a week. But the loose ones usually do! So that’s the route I’m going. Not a dab hand with arrangement (I’m from the ‘let’s throw them in a vase and see what happens’ flower arrangement school) but heck, it makes me happy, enough la!
Get plants that bloom . Cheaper Long term haha. Or pluck from some garden somewhere . Ok I’m just too cheap to be buying flowers for myself or anyone . I rather treat them to coffee. ?
hahaha Ok to be honest, I wouldn’t buy flowers for others either :P But for myself, if it doesn’t cost more than a cup of coffee, then I don’t mind! They’re very uplifting. I can’t plant my own – I’m a plant murderer! I can’t even get a pandan plant to stay healthy and alive :P
I love fresh flowers in my house especially in the living room and my bedroom. I usually buy them at the market but of course not every week. Just when I have extra cash after buying groceries and am feeling fancy.
“feeling fancy” I like that and you’re right, I do feel fancy traipsing around with a bunch of fresh flowers in my arms LOL! :D I plan to buy from the wholesalers. I used to be pretty impressed by their affordable prices, and naturally, not weekly. Even a few RM each time adds up!
My first experience with flowers in my own domain is also when I was a student. There was a large field near my flat and every spring and summer, daffodils would grow and bloom like weeds. I often nick a bunch back to the flat and put them in old beer bottles to liven the place up. It’s a lovely touch to the otherwise dreary weather and cold room. That was until I stupidly bought lilies. The pollen stained the dresser so badly that I stopped buying flowers for a long time after that.
These days, I don’t buy flowers any more. Not that I don’t want to, but more for the fact that I don’t have a nice spot to put them. When Tim buys me flowers, the only spot pretty enough to display is is unfortunately directly under the ducted heater. My flowers wilt very quickly because of that. I’ve tried moving them to other spots but for some reason, they don’t last long. Nowadays, I’m happier with candles and artificial flowers. :P
I agree with Geek; anything that makes you happy is never a waste of money.
I had that experience with the lily pollen too! Those suckers really stain. But then, I learned that if you pick off the stamen (I think that’s what it’s called) just as they start to “ripen” it not only prevents this problem, but helps the flowers last longer too. So, that’s what I do and have no problems since :) How about sticking them on your dining table, or in the kitchen or maybe even your working room? Doesn’t always have to be displayed, per se, just wherever you spend the most time in, to enjoy their beauty ;) I haven’t been burning candles lately, cos it’s been SO HOT! You know how it is with CNY weather. Man, I die!
To me flowers are a rare treat I give myself, love white lilies and pink roses =) I’ve read somewhere that a crushed aspirin tablet helps to maintain the freshness longer but have yet to try it, maybe next time!
I’ve heard that too about the aspirin! But I’ve never tried it. I remember once, I had some tulips, which are terribly expensive and wilt terribly quickly. I was advised to keep it in ice water. So, I’d diligently fill a vase with ice water twice a day. It was true, it lasted fairly long in our heat :D I wonder if that can be used for other flowers too? I’m not usually a fan of roses because they do tend to die fairly quickly. But I think I’ll get some next round! they always lend a lovely romantic air don’t they? :)