As I've mentioned many times, I love bringing in branches from outdoors. I am absolutely crazy over forsythia (image source below- unknown):
I love bringing in the bright yellow blooms and they're super-easy to force indoors. (image below, House Beautiful)
SO, 'tis the season and I saw some for $14 each. We picked up 2 that are about to bloom & popped them in the ground along the fence in our backyard:
I couldn't resist the pansies either & they add a bit of cheer to our sad-looking yard:
Forsythia can also be grown from cuttings, so if you can, get your hands on a 3"-6" branch and put it into moist soil. Keep it most for a few weeks & it should begin to root quickly. When the bushes get larger, they should be pruned soon after they flower. (The guy at the garden center near my house said we should wait until next year to prune ours and he also said to keep the natural graceful shape (vs. "ball"-looking or hedge-shape we see so often) cut them down low vs. cutting at the outer parts of the bush.
So, Project # 10 is to get your hands on a branchy bush or tree and plant one in your yard if you don't have one already.
Some of my favorites are: pussy willow, flowering quince and cherry blossoms, but check out my old post "Branch In" for some more ideas. I'm so excited about the fact that I'll have some beautiful blooms inside my house! (And side benefit = gorgeous yellow bushes ;) ;)
Hope you had a great weekend! The weather was perfection here in Northern Virgina!! :) Come on Spring!!
xoxo,
lauren
As a decorator & a textile designer, this is my place to muse... perfection doesn't interest me; Reality and charm do. Fresh floppy flowers from the garden over long-stemmed roses any day, I love it when things are slightly off and tell a story. 
31 comments:
Your blog ..... it's amazing and soooo inspiring. Nice to find you!
A small footprint from Agneta & Sweden
Ps. I have an ongoing jewelry contest on my blog. Welcome! Ds
Sweet and Simple... I love Sweet & Simple things!
Have a wonderful week! xo
excellent advice. thanks so much...
I love forsythia as well, we just planted some this year also. I cant wait until next year when its more stable and I can clip some branches!
I'm simply dying to put something into the ground. Something, anything. Unfortunately this crazy weather is not cooperating. We have flurries this morning, what? Soon, soon though....can't wait for spring to really kick into full force!
Great project! Planting some cuttings was the best advice I ever got from a local florist! Though I do have to admit that when I looked around my house at 3 vases filled with tall blooming branches I thought maybe I had gone overboard!
I love forsythia and cherrie blossoms. I am not sure I can grow forsythia I will have to check that out, it seems more of an east coast thing and I live in Calif. YOu are a smart lady to provide yourself with blooms for next Spring.Glad to hear you are having such nice weather, beats the snow doesn't it. Enjoy your sunshine,Happy Monday,Kathysue
I miss Forsythia so much since moving to LA. Forythia and Lilac bushes are the two things I miss the most. Funny the little things you miss but it was always a sign of spring when they started to bloom. Can you believe Whole Foods and Trader Joes charges up for $15.00 / $20.00 for a few branches. I cannot even bring myself to pay for it and I buy flowers every week. When I think of how these bushes use to be right outside my house as a kid...Thanks for reminding me how beautiful springtime is on the East Coast. I love these in a big vase - they are so cheery!
I love forsythia! This weekend was my son's Junior Prom...(he was just a baby-time flies)...and we had the group pics here. I ran out and cut branches the day before and put them in warm water-by the next day they had opened! We had 50people crammed in the house and kids were posing with forsythia in the background! So sweet!
~Nancy
So funny! I was just out food shopping and saw the most gorgeous bunch of Forsynthia's but didn't pick any up. Guess where I am heading back to! I must have some!
Glad you are enjoying spring!
~jamilyn
Nothing like forsythia to say SPRING! I hope the snow that we had in Texas yesterday hasn't killed all the spring flowers that had begun to pop out. Temps are back into the 60's and 70's this week. So weird! Don't forget to cut the branches of the Bradford pears...they are beautiful as well.
great suggestions lauren!
another easy branch to stick in moist earth is curly willow. no flowers but great texture and grows so easily.
xo
debra
Wonderful post Lauren...love it! Every spring my mother has brought forsythia branches in and as a little girl I loved it because I knew Sring had Sprung :).
Debra...I have a bunch of curly willow. Does it like sun and can I plant all the branches together or should I space out? Sorry, to bother you, but this is new to me. Thanks!
I never thought to plant and steal. I may have to plat a forsythia in the 2'x2' green area in front of my house:)
Lauren, great idea for neverending branch arrangement. FYI, forsythias can grow to be quite gigantic, so you may want to move yours a few feet away from your fence so it can be at its branchiest!
I JUST cut some forsythia last night and brought them in to force bloom- I cant wait to have some yellow goodness in my house when they pop! There is nothing like some pretty forsythia to remind me that its Spring!
I was contemplating asking my neighbor for some cuttings because I love forsythia! We're trying to move, but at our next house I definitely plan to have a cutting garden!
I have thought of doing this many times, but have never gotten around to it. I love flowering branches as well. You have just inspired me to find a place in the yard and start planting. Thanks. Mona Thompson http://blog.providenceltd.com
I am all with you! As a matter of fact I just wrapped a lovely (too dark) branch in old pages from an antique book (decoupage)! Anything to get a little bit of mother nature into my home.
Happy new week, ox Mon
P.S What a story about the adorable raccoon. (But rather safe than sorry). To think that I almost invited in our own 4-legged visitor the other evening..!
We have a beautiful forsythia bushes outside of our apartment window in Austria. It grows like crazy over here in the great spring and summer weather. Hydrangea bushes too. They stay forever and it's HEAVEN! (a little gift for the horrific winter!)
I saw one of those delightful little forsythia bushes blooming today in my little town, and got the biggest smile on my face. We are getting one soon!
Just cut some from our school next door. I stole a bunch from 40 year old bushes, they won't miss them. Goes well with my yellow daisies in the house. Happy Spring from Southern Maryland.
lucky me i have a forsythia bush right out side my living room window. i have yet to cut them...maybe tomorrow. my quince branches are looking sads.
I really enjoy reading about all your projects and the great advice you give.
I love flowering branches but am having a hard time finding them. I almost like them better than some flowers.
Tomorrow, I'm the hunt. :)
Sarah
Such a great idea. I like to do that, too -- pull from my own yard to fill my vases. But, I need more color! Love the yellow.
Hi Lauren:) Gorgeous idea!! I will hold off until Spring returns here in September. Enjoy your gorgeous new blooms, love the pansies ~ Tina x
You are so smart to plant your own!
I am always asking neighbors for a little snip! But, then again, I share my hydrangeas!!!
Love pussy willow too...they just look good all the time.
Ooooh so fun. I am jealous that you can already plant in your yard. We are just getting rid of the snow here.
So pretty! Love your forsythia bush. I really miss all the forsythias and azalea bushes in NOVA. I wish Spring would reach Minnesota so I could get some color in the yard! Or the flood waters would receded so I could see if any of my bushes even survived...
So pretty! Love your forsythia bush. I really miss all the forsythias and azalea bushes in NOVA. I wish Spring would reach Minnesota so I could get some color in the yard! Or the flood waters would receded so I could see if any of my bushes even survived...
I just adore forsythia but they don't grow here. When I was growing up, I never saw them but assume they would grow out east. Will have to ask my Mom.
Here we have lots of great lilacs but that is about it. I have to start going for night time walks and carrying my secaturs to steal from the neighbors!
xo
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