Hello, Friday. I’ve been waiting for you!
I don’t know what it is like where you live but in Eastern Canada we are still waiting for spring. In fact, a couple of days ago we received at least 6 inches of snow! Personally, at this time of year I need a little pick me up and there is nothing like adding some beautiful flowering branches to your home.
Have you ever tried forcing branches before? It’s a simple, easy project you could do this weekend that will cost you nothing and have your home feeling like spring in no time. All you need to do is hunt down a flowering shrub or tree, like a forsythia, magnolia, apple, cherry, or flowering dogwood in your backyard (or neighbour’s backyard!) and cut down a few branches. Once you get them home, smash the ends of the cuttings with a hammer and simply place them in some clean water. For more detailed instructions, click here.
I cut these branches down last weekend and on Thursday my home was filled with bright yellow flowers.
And if that doesn’t convince you, check out the interiors below to see how effective a vase (or boot) full of flowering branches can be.
Image Credits:
1 – Virginia MacDonald 2 – Berno Hjalmrud 3 – Lerkenfeldt Photography 4 – Gemma Comas 5 – Angus Fergusson
17 Comments
Sigh. I need this in my house asap. That and a quick getaway to Mexico.
When I lived in Pennsylvania, we had rich soil and hundreds of peonies and roses and irises and daffodils. Now I live in Florida and our property is sandy, covered in pine needles. We used to make the most lovely vases of flowers and scatter them about our house. But in Florida, we have bushes, not bulbs! The first two years I was a bit glum about it but this year I started clipping branches of holly berries and setting them in mason jars of water. A definite mood elevator. Now the azaleas are in bloom, along with the camellias. Snip snip. Definitely brightens my day. Now I just need some boots!
My daughter and I were just talking about going on a hunt for forsythia this morning! Thanks – as ever – for the inspiration!
Oh, beautiful! It’s amazing how fresh cuts flowers [or branches] dramatically change a room!
Welcome spring, finally! ♡
i like your branches the best. beautiful.
I was just saying this morning that this weekend we have to pick up some dogwood branches for the apartment. It’s a ritual every spring. Flowering branches are simply perfect!
This is just what my house needs right now…but none of my flowering bushes are budding yet…and I’m thinking I need some buds first. We are so shaded that our bushes tend to lag others. Might have to go for a little jaunt and see what I can find. Have a wonderful weekend Emma.
Hi Emma, did you see the enormous vase of Magnolia branches they had in Sweetpea’s window a little while back?
You can kind of make it out through the window in this picture from BlogTO:
http://www.blogto.com/listings/design/upload/2011/03/20110307-sweetpeas01.jpg
I love doing this with spring leaves – you can force hornbeam twigs in a vase and then pop them in a pot when they start to root! Vase and plant – two for the price of one! Have a lovely weekend and I hope that spring reaches you soon.
@ Roncy Vic – I did – they were beautiful!
who would’ve thought a good hammer smashing can lead to fragrant indoor blooming.
on a separate note, doesn’t anyone hang art in their home anymore? what happened to that?
ohhh these blooms are so pretty! thanks for the idea – will be grabbing some branches of my own to ‘force’ – the idea makes me laugh… thanks again,
Meagan
the row house nest
http://www.rowhousenest.com
absolutely gorgeous, emma. the yellow is incredibly eye-catching.
Beautiful post! Smells of spring blossoms!
Thanks! Eleni
I am itching for spring in Toronto, this is a great way to bring some spring indoors! I am thinking of doing a large cedar planter box filled with spring flowers and some urns with boxwoods in my front “yard”. (by yard, I mean the 12×10 cement slab from the sidewalk to my door of my converted storefront.) I was wondering if any west-end homeowners on or near busy streets have had any issue with vandalism or theft of things in their front yards? I am on a major street just north of Bloor, and it can be a bit rough around the edges…
Thank you so much for this post…I’ve been eagerly awaiting the flowering of our dogwood tree and didn’t even think to crop some sprigs this early. I’ll be heading out to the backyard (in my gumboots!) first thing tomorrow morning!
Wow, I love this idea. I live in a small appartment and get serious envy when i see alll the cherry blossom trees in houses nearby. This might just make me feel like I have my own little cherry blossom!
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[...] fitted into it…brilliant! Emma also has a great article for forcing spring branches indoors here…I had one of those, “Duh! Why didn’t I think of that?!” moments after [...]
[...] the marion house book » forcing branches and the filesMar 25, 2011 … the marion house book … 2 – Berno Hjalmrud. 3 – Lerkenfeldt Photography. 4 – Gemma Comas. 5 – Angus Fergusson. Posted by Emma on … [...]
[...] into Blooms Indoors from The Farmer’s Almanac + Forcing Branches from Country Home Magazine + Forcing Branches on The Marion House Blog (wonderful examples of using branches in different spaces) + Forcing [...]