For the Love of Hydrangea

Unless you are Madonna, here's a sweet twist on Valentine flowers. Instead of that expensive bunch of long-stem red roses that will soon fade away, why not opt for a lovely potted hydrangea?

I picked this beauty up at my local Kroger for around $25 last weekend. Yes, it is probably a little overpriced. Where else can you find blooming hydrangeas this time of year? And that is still a fraction of the cost of most Valentine flower arrangements.

To bring a little more elegance to the plant, I lifted it, paper and all out of the basket and dropped it into a silver wine bucket. I decided to leave the festive paper, bow and pick until Valentine's Day. After that I will remove them and tuck in bright green reindeer moss and maybe another small, trailing plant or two to get me through to spring.

I made sure to pick a plant with lots of buds so I will be able to enjoy fresh flowers for many weeks to come. I will snip the flowers as they fade. When spring comes I will plant it in the ground and wait patiently for the next round of blooms. 

I'm excited about my Valentine gift (even if it was a gift to myself). I look forward to fresh blooms year after year!

Do you have any tips or tricks to switch things up for Valentine's Day?

~Southern Fried Gal