Dazzle With Rose Tinted Spectacle

Aug 3 2008 Vivienne Lee And Nick Priestly

Deep Red Blooms And Co-Ordinated Vases Combine In A Dramatic Display For Trendy Interiors Flowers

Creating beautiful flowers for your home doesn't always mean breaking the bank.

Simple, stylish arrangements can add a touch of class with just a few stems of quality flowers. A definite case of less is more.

This week we combine the classic rose with the more unusual celosia cristata. We have chosen varieties in deep red, which allows you to combine them cleverly into one luscious arrangement.

Roses are a perennial favourite and ideal if you have a garden and want to create a gorgeous arrangement on a budget.

Remember the garden variety won't last as long in the vase as the commercially-grown roses you buy from your local florist.

Celosia 'cristata' - meaning crinkled celosia - is one of those unusual tropical flowers ideal for a budget arrangement.

They look sumptuous but are not expensive. The soft velvety flowers add real texture and interest to the look of your arrangement.

Though the flower arrangement is kept simple, adding an unusual twist to the arrangement in the form of wallpapered vases ensures the look is thoroughly chic without lots of extra expense.

Asmall amount of wallpaper will do so any leftover bits you have lurking in your home will be ideal.

So go on, raid your attic and have some Blue Peter-style fun with this arrangement.

You will need..

5 stems grand prix roses

4 stems red celosia

2 square vases

wallpaper ends

Cost of flowers: £15-£22

OTHER SYLISH BUDGET IDEAS

For a romantic midsummer

night's look: Float rose heads in a fishbowl vase with trailing ivy wrapped inside. Scatter petals around the the bowl for a temporary but sumptuous look.

For a funky look: Cut single cerise gerbera heads and place in four square tank vases with coils of cerise wire. Arrange vases in a square formation or in a row on a sideboard or table.

For a hippy-chick look: Gather mismatched glass bottles and place single blooms into each one.