everybody’s favorite flowers are the most finicky, most fleeting. hydrangeas fall victim to only the former condition, since at least they’re available more or less year round. they’re best in the fall, by the way. you can find the prettiest colors then.

even still, the demands of the hydrangea are well worth the trouble. its giant pouf of a flower is so easy to design with, complements so many styles, that sometimes i have to force myself not to use them. i wish i’d snapped a few photos of these blooms when they first arrived, but there was just no time. they come packed in boxes, their poor little heads smooshed and thirsty. one by one, unwrap, dunk, chop chop, plop. and the next day, the flowers thank you.

these are for a wedding this weekend, i promise there’ll be pictures of actual arrangements. join me over on facebook to see ‘em as i make, ‘em, or tune in here next week.