The Hour

Ever wanted to buy someone flowers but had no idea which ones to get? Florist Nick Priestly can help. In the current instalment of his summer flower features for The Hour, Nick stopped by to give viewers some advice on their floral dilemmas in three different price ranges.

First up was a simple but striking arrangement in the lower price bracket. Nick believes that the trick to buying cheaper flowers at a high quality is to go for those in season.

“If you’re maybe looking to spend five to ten pounds and you want to treat a friend, or buy a little gift for yourself, then my advice is to buy seasonally. I’ve brought in some lilac stock; these are right in the peak of their season at the moment and they’ve got a beautiful scent.”

For viewers looking to spend a little more but avoid a second mortgage, Nick suggested thinking outside of the box and going for an unusual arrangement.

“If you’ve got a little bit more money to spend, maybe up to about twenty pounds, I would advise you to go for something different. In this case I’ve used some contorted bamboo, and also three big bold anthurium flowers and I’ve placed a collar of tropical leaves around just to accentuate the flowers.”

Finally, if you’re feeling flush and want to do something really special, Nick recommended a hand-tied bouquet.

“If you’re ready to blow the budget, go for a hand tied bouquet, these are the perfect gift for a friend. They’ll come already packaged and all your friend has to do is unwrap and pop it straight into a vase. I’ve combined some hydrangea, some beautiful lilac cool water roses, and these calla lilies.”

If you can’t afford to go on a blow out, but would still love to give someone a hand-tied bouquet, then all hope is not lost! Check out The Hour’s guide to creating your own, here.

For more information on flowers visit The Hour's special home & garden page or follow Nick on Twitter at @NickPriestly