Hydrangea is a luxurious flower of aristocrats that looks beautiful in mono bouquets and in combination with other flowers. Hydrangea was brought to Europe at the beginning of the 14th century for members of high society in England and France. But what does hydrangea mean? To whom can this noble flower of aristocrats be given and for what occasion?
Types of bouquets
Round
Florists, based on desires, can create bouquets of hydrangeas that match the style and appearance of the bride.
A mono-bouquet in white or blue will look elegant for the bride. To obtain the composition, stepwise laying with parallel assembly of inflorescences is used. You will get a round bouquet, romantic without unnecessary decorations.
The hemispherical bouquet is easy to assemble thanks to the large flower inflorescences. To create contrasting accents to the wavy petals of hydrangea, buds with smooth petals of anemones, tulips, and roses are added to the bouquet. The bottom is lined with greens.
Ruffled
When collecting a bouquet, experienced florists add twigs, buds, and spikelets that rise above the total mass of the bouquet. Hyacinths and freesias, orchids and gypsophila easily flutter through the bouquet like butterflies.
Cascade
The sophistication, beauty and femininity of the bride will be emphasized by a cascading bouquet. The stems of flowers smoothly descend in the form of a cascade.
The base of the bouquet in the form of a hat is formed from roses and hydrangeas, and the cascade at the bride’s feet is made from phalaenopsis.
Additional decor
Flowers on a porta bouquet are often decorated with lace, satin ribbon to match the color of the wedding dress, or beads. Thanks to the large spherical shape of the flower, it is often used in mono-bouquets - a voluminous branch is enough to create one wedding accessory.
The wide semicircular carved leaves of the flower practically do not require additional decoration with greenery as decoration, however, for monochromatic cascading compositions with white-greenish hydrangea, you can use eucalyptus or salal .
Color spectrum
Sometimes the inflorescence of a plant has two shades, and this will allow you to choose the right one. Options for the shades of inflorescences allow you to show your imagination and create a composition in a suitable style:
- white is a classic color, suitable for all brides;
- green - all tones from pale green to light green are suitable for collecting mono-bouquets;
- orange is a great shade for a summer wedding;
- pink - all shades from delicate to dark fuchsia are suitable for creating complex stylish bouquets;
- bright red for spectacular, bold brides;
- blue - creates a gentle, dreamy image of the bride;
- All shades of blue and purple add a bright accent to a bold look.
Vanilla Fraze
This shrub attracts with dense pyramidal two-colored inflorescences. The top part is white and the bottom part is light pink, making the buds look like an ice cream cone.
Weems Red
The shrub is one of the frost-resistant varieties. Among others, it is the most attractive due to the original coloring of the petals. When they bloom, they change color from white to red and bright burgundy.
Grandiflora
This beautiful variety is a late bloomer and grows mainly in the southern regions. What makes it especially attractive is the change in shades of flowers several times during the flowering season. Initially the buds are white. As they bloom, they acquire a creamy hue, and at the end they become red-greenish. Even with the capriciousness of cultivation, paniculata Grandiflora is especially loved by gardeners.
Diamond Rouge
Impressive with colorful flowering with petals changing from snow-white to pink. The emerald leaves, which acquire orange shades with the onset of autumn, also add decorative value.
Pinky Winky (Pinke Winke)
This is a very beautiful variety, delighting with two-color flowering from mid-summer to autumn. The cone-shaped inflorescences are white at the top and purple at the bottom. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow.
Pink Diamond
This variety has gained particular popularity among gardeners due to the height of the bushes, reaching 2 m. They are suitable for planting in a large garden area. Paniculata Diamond blooms with beautiful cream flowers, which later turn pink and red.
Sunday Frize
The bushes of this variety of paniculate hydrangeas are distinguished by a spreading crown, which is difficult to give a specific shape. But they are still popular among gardeners because of the special beauty of the inflorescences. Paniculata Fries can change color from pale emerald to soft pink.
Silver Dollar
One of the few varieties of hydrangeas that pleases the eye with pale yellow colors. But as they bloom, the buds change color, eventually becoming almost white or silver-pink. The oval-shaped bright green leaves also give the plant a special attractiveness.
Paniculata Phantom
This variety is one of the late-blooming varieties, delighting with its colorful pale lilac blooms from late August to October. A beautiful lush shrub with a spreading crown, Phantom can reach a height of 2 m.
Frize Melba
This relatively young hybrid variety was first introduced to gardeners in 2014. But thanks to its ease of care and lush inflorescences, it quickly became popular. The bushes grow slowly, but can reach 2 meters. Fraze impresses with interesting transformations in the shades of flowers. At first they have a milky tint, which turns into light pink and then into wine red. Sometimes on one inflorescence there are flowers of different colors, which gives the plant a bewitchingly beautiful appearance.
Limelight
The shrubs reach up to 2 m and bloom with large white inflorescences, which at first have a greenish tint. When grown in the shade, they never turn white.
Kyushu
The shrub, up to 2 m high, blooms with beautiful white flowers that have a pleasant aroma. Attracts with long flowering until October.
Magical fire
Many people are attracted to this variety by its colorful range of inflorescences. In most cases, the flowers are fiery red in color, which is what gave the varietal name.
Magical Sweet Summer
This beautiful ornamental variety has reddish shoots and blooms with greenish-white and subsequently pink flowers from July to September.
polar bear
The large flowers received such an interesting name not only for their snow-white color, like the fur of this polar animal, but also for their excellent resistance to frost. This blooming hydrangea delights the eye with its enchanting lush inflorescences.
Airlie Sensation
This unpretentious and cold-resistant extensive shrub resembles a miniature lilac, which has won the special sympathy of gardeners. Its lush flowering is especially long-lasting. The flowers are initially cream, then acquire a pink tint, and then become burgundy.
Mono bouquet of hydrangea
Large hydrangea inflorescences with wavy petals can be arranged as a mono-bouquet. For delicate images, flowers with blue or soft pink shades are suitable. To create bright, flashy images, use red or purple tones. For extraordinary personalities, a combination of different shades in a bouquet is possible.
Hydrangea in the composition
There are lovers of laconic compositions. But most prefer lush, elegant bouquets. Hydrangea goes well with other flowering representatives of the flora.
Hydrangea, roses and freesia will look original and unconventional in the bouquet, giving the composition femininity and tenderness.
The similarity of the colors of statice and hydrangea in the composition goes well and complements each other, which can be decorated with salal or lisianthus.
Complete the romantic, delicate look with a composition of hydrangeas and peonies in soft pink and pastel colors. In addition, you can add astilbe or salal.
Chic bouquets are made from peony roses with pittosporum greenery.
To decorate an exotic bouquet, add calla lilies to hydrangea. The result will be an interesting bouquet with contrasting shapes and shades.
A natural and relaxed bouquet is obtained in the friendship of hydrangea with tanacetum or gypsophila. Such bouquets are suitable for lovers of flowers from the fields.
Freesia in composition
The bride will receive an exquisite bouquet from the combination of hydrangea and freesia. The flower has a wide color palette. The stem has several inflorescences, on which others bloom as some fade. The spike-shaped inflorescence and carved petals give the bouquet a harmonious look with an original shape.
An important point is the combination of the bouquet with the dress and image of the bride.
Adding an orchid
Orchid petals look like the wings of butterflies hovering over a hydrangea inflorescence, leading the bride to the crown. The basis of the bouquet is hydrangea, and it is better to take an orchid in contrasting shades. This composition will add elegance to the bride's image.
Hydrangea in bouquets of roses
Florists began using hydrangea in compositions at the beginning of the 19th century. Nobles and aristocrats quickly accepted and fell in love with the flower due to its variety of colors. It is considered a Buddhist symbol that means truthfulness, modesty, hope, faith. This is what caused the formation of wedding bouquets of hydrangeas and roses.
Symbolism of inflorescences
For those who select meaningful floral gifts, it will be interesting to know that a bouquet of hydrangeas can be interpreted as follows: “Don’t forget me!”
The inflorescences of this plant signify modesty and sincerity. Although according to the Victorian language of flowers, hydrangea is a symbol of coldness and indifference. There is also an opinion that lush buds can be interpreted as vanity.
The name of the bush itself comes from two walnut words: hydor (water) and angos (vessel). That is, literally, a vessel with water. Considering how much the plant loves moisture, it becomes obvious why hydrangea has such a name.
In Eastern countries, the bushes are called fashionable because of their ability to change the colors of the buds. By the way, if you look closely, you can see that the flowers are not real. The inflorescences are overgrown sepals.
There is also a legend in the East that at the moment of Buddha’s birth, amazing petals fell from heaven to earth. These were hydrangea blossoms - they are still considered divine blessings.
There is a belief that air clusters are capable of driving away evil spirits. In Japan, hydrangea is considered sacred. People believe that bouquets made from it create a positive atmosphere in the house.
Floristic secrets
All florists know that hydrangea loves water, so bouquets are formed on a porta bouquet or false stem. This is a good solution for on-site registrations in hot summers with long photo sessions.
It is easy to add water to the design, which will maintain freshness for a long time. Because of the water, it has additional weight, but it looks elegant and elegant.
The inflorescences are trimmed before installation in the oasis, attached to it with wire. To give the bouquet a natural look, imitation plant stems are decorated.
Due to regular access to moisture, the bouquet lasts longer.
To preserve the bouquet for a long time, you need to do the following:
- cut the leaves and cut the stem leg for better water saturation;
- place the plant stem in hot water under the inflorescences;
- add a special product to the water to extend the life of flowers;
- cut off fully bloomed inflorescences;
- When forming a composition, place the inflorescences closer to each other to reduce water evaporation.
large-leaved
The second name for this variety is garden, since it is most common in gardens. The color of its leaves strongly depends on the pH of the soil. Particularly popular are the varieties “Endless Summer” and “Renata Stanger”, which bloom with blue and blue flowers in acidic soil. The French poet Montesquiou was so fascinated by blue hydrangeas that he called them “kings of magical worlds” in his poems.
Nikko Blue
A winter-hardy variety that can be grown both in the garden and in a pot. Large spherical inflorescences are attractive due to the wide range of colors: from snow-white to azure shades. At a neutral pH, the lightest petals appear.
Miss Saori
The most cold-resistant variety, but unlike most others, it does not respond to changes in soil acidity. Matte white flowers with a pink border are already the most attractive and delight the eye with beautiful blooms all summer long.
Endless summer
The variety attracts gardeners with its increased resistance to cold and repeated flowering. Every 6 weeks the bushes completely shed their previous flowers and produce new buds. Their color can be pink or blue. It blooms all summer, until the end of September.
Romance Pink
Large pink flowers look especially attractive. The variety is frost-resistant, but its only drawback is the short-term opportunity to admire the blooming beauty. The petals fade quickly.
Tugese
Compact bushes delight with incredibly colorful flowering. Double flowers of different colors (for example, pink and yellow) can coexist perfectly on one bush. The riot of colors makes it look like real fireworks.
Bouquets of dried hydrangea flowers
Hydrangea can be dried in inflorescences or flowers. The inflorescences are used to make bouquets with natural shades or painted ones. Appliques are made from dried flowers.
Drying
All leaves are removed from the cut stems of the plant so that they remain bare. There are several options for drying inflorescences:
- In glycerin solution. Prepare a solution of glycerin and water in a ratio of 1:2. Pour into a container and place the prepared stems in it. After the water evaporates, glycerin remains in the container, which the plant absorbs. The stems will become elastic, soft and shiny. Place no more than five branches in one container.
- We place the stems in water, and as it evaporates, they will dry out.
- It is better to dry short stems hanging, for this purpose the stems are wrapped with rope and hung with inflorescences down.
Package
A hydrangea bouquet requires minimal packaging , since it itself is of interest to the public and becomes the main wedding accessory.
The bouquet can be wrapped in craft paper, transparent film, foamiran, silk, floral paper or mesh. Hydrangea looks beautiful against the background of matte packaging, but the main rule is still recommended to be followed.
