This week, this part of the planet will mark the spring equinox, the official start of arguably the most beautiful season of the year. Almost miraculously, the quiet ground will come alive, revealing tender grasses, pointy bulb stalks and timidly green leaves. Is spring the most positive season? With all its promise of growth, renewal and warmth, there is certainly a strong case to be made.
In many parts of the U.S., though, stepping outside during equinox week doesn’t guarantee a breath of fresh air. We are, after all, still at the midpoint between March’s famous “lion” and “lamb,” so the weather is really anyone’s guess.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we can’t embrace the promise of spring! I can’t think of a better way than by displaying a simple, inexpensive bouquet of flowers on the kitchen counter or table. Even if you enjoy fresh flowers in your house year-round, there’s something about a seasonal, simple spring arrangement that freshens and energizes the whole home. Here are three classics to try:
Daffodils
These famous spring bulbs are cheerfully yellow, trumpeting their freshness from atop a pleasingly firm stalk. Supermarkets usually herald the arrival of spring by stocking bunches of these blooms, and they often have specials that enable you to get more for your money. To care for cut daffodils, use a sharp knife to cut the ends of the stems at a 45-degree angle so they absorb more water by not sitting flat on the vase bottom. Place them in relatively shallow water, which you can change daily.
Baby’s Breath
This lacy plant is generally considered a bouquet filler, but its clean, airy look—and low pricetag—makes it a lovely spring display. Baby’s breath is appealing in a mounded shape, so a simple grab-and-trim action with all the stalks at once will do the trick. You can place a rubber band or ribbon around the stems to keep the shape, and place them in a vase, Ball jar, or other vessel for display.
Artful Branches
If you are lucky to have a forsythia plant in your yard, snip some just-about-to-bloom branches from that spring harbinger and arrange them in a vase for a dramatic display. Not only do the sweet yellow flowers invite the springy outdoors inside, forsythia branches are also living proof of the powerfully positive message of the season—that something that was brown and bare just a week ago can now be alive with color, growth and sweetness.
