Budget Friendly Florals and Greenery

I really enjoy having fresh flowers in my home.  There is something about flowers that can totally brighten a space and make it feel more inviting.  While I consider fresh flowers in my house to be an indulgence and not a necessity, I am totally addicted to the look of fresh flowers in my house (so I obviously choose to indulge).  As a result of my admitted flower addiction I had to have an honest moment with myself and set a few boundaries.  I have been on a mission to find florals that would have the least amount of impact on my wallet (which meant both in price and longevity).  My findings?  There are actually quite a few flowers and/or greenery that fit the bill!  

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Favorites include:

  1. Hydrangeas-  With a cost of $5.99/3 stems at Trader Joes.  These flowers must be taken home and cut under standing water immediately and then placed in a vase with the base of the stem exposed to a minimal amount of oxygen.  Following this technique you can expect to have these flowers live for about 3 weeks!   They are full in body and gorgeous in appearance.  A classic for sure!
  2. Carnations-  This might just be the most underrated flower.  I used to consider the carnation to be the classic filler flower in an arrangement.  It was the flower that we used to receive in elementary school from our Valentines so I never really gave it much thought beyond that until recently.  I was in my favorite local flower wholesale store and saw the most gorgeous bouquet of deep pink pom-poms and realized quickly that they were in fact, Carnations!  The bouquet of about 12 stems cost $5.99 and ended up lasting 3 weeks in my living room with maybe only 1 or 2 water changes!  Needless to say, I no longer consider them to be just a filler flower.  They are a fabulous budget friendly floral option. 
  3. Myrtle- I had never heard of myrtle before spotting it in my local flower wholesale store.  Myrtle comes in a pretty sizable bunch at a cost of $3.99.  This is a very fragrant variety of greenery with wonderful height.  The best part?  I have had the same bunch of greenery sitting in the windowsill of my bedroom for a month and a half and it is still thriving!  Have I changed the water? Nope!!  Myrtle can last roughly 2-3 months and is a great accent for carnations in a bud vase or simply used by itself in bud vases!  Love love love Myrtle!
  4. Queen Anne's Lace (aka "Baby's Breath") - Again, another former "Filler Flower" that I have now grown to love and adore.  I recently used this flower to create a winter white themed centerpiece.  It was lovely!  At a cost of $4.99 for a sizable bunch, it was the perfect addition to my table decor.  In keeping with the theme of this article, this is another flower with a long lifespan (approx. 3 weeks!).  

These budget friendly flower options are certainly regulars in my weekly floral repertoire (as you can see above in the extensive….excessive flower slide show).  Of course I still indulge on occasion, but keeping these 4 budget friendly floral options in regular rotation has really been the reason why I can maintain this weekly luxury.