On Saturday, we decided to have a look around Aldi. We don't have one very close to us so it's not somewhere we usually go but after hearing so many good things about the bargains people get from there, we decided to give it a go. I wasn't very impressed to be honest, I certainly couldn't do a full shop there and the prices weren't as low as I'd been expecting. I got a few things though and these beautiful tulips happened to fall in to the trolley. Aren't they beautiful. They've definitely been cheering me up whilst it's been wild and windy outdoors. I'm so pleased that I was told about the trick of sticking a pin through the stem right below the flower to keep them standing tall, my tulips never flop any more.
I don't have many house plants, in fact, the only things I have are phaleanopsis orchids or moth orchids. This is one which a friend bought me for Christmas two years ago. It was blooming when she bought me it, it flowered again at Christmas 2014 and it was putting on a show again this Christmas and it's still going strong.
It has beautiful pure white blooms.
I think I'll look out for some hyacinths when I go shopping, I've missed having their heady scent filling the house. Which flowers are your favourites to have around the house?
I do buy tulips and spray carnations from Lidl, not to mention odd 30p bunch of anything from Tesco on a Friday evening, to brighten up the windowsills. I have had 2 bunches of Daffs and they both copied yours, very disappointing. I have lots of spring flowering bulbs in the garden but leave them there, I forgot to set hyacinths for indoors and the Amaryllis did not flower at all.
ReplyDeleteI used to get lots of flowers reduced from Tesco but there's been none to be had just lately. It's so disappointing when daffodils don't open out as expected, I hope the next ones I buy are better. I never cut anything from the garden to bring indoors I like to enjoy them there but Eleanor bought me an amaryllis for Christmas which is growing, I'm looking forward to seeing that flower.
DeleteFlowers bring a smile to my face I just love them. We don't have a local Aldi but there are things I buy regularly if I do visit one. Their mature cheese, ham, quiches and vegetable offers are brilliant. I have tried their laundry liquid and it was great too and far cheaper than Ariel I usually use.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that it was only a quick look round Aldi so I shall go back and look for specific things. Mick and Eleanor like mature cheese so I shall see what they do and I did notice the vegetables, in fact, I bought some cavolo nero as I haven't seen that sold in Tesco. I love having flowers in the house, they really cheer me up.
DeleteLillies! Definitely lillies. I love their smell. I love Daffs to look at, so sunny and bright. Tulips and Hyacinths let you know Spring is round the corner and Christmas isn't Christmas without a poinsettia!
ReplyDeleteI love lilies too but they always drop their pollen and I'm forever cleaning it up. I don't think you can beat daffodils for cheeriness, they never fail to bring a smile to my face.
DeleteI love Tulips I have had a few Orchids but I always seem to kill them off, I love any flowers x
ReplyDeleteI usually treat myself to some tulips when they're in season, I like a bold splash of colour which they provide. Contrary to what many people believe, I think orchids are so forgiving. They seem to thrive on neglect and put on a stunning show.
DeleteYou've done well to keep a house plant for 2 years,unless I have something that can take random watering everything I try just dies
ReplyDeleteHave you tried orchids? I water mine weekly but they don't seem to mind being left longer. I leave them for a fortnight when I go on holiday. I don't have other types of houseplants but orchids seem to look after themselves.
DeleteI don't have many houseplants either. They don't do so well in small windowed cottages. Strangely, orchids fare the best.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say that I bet orchids would do okay. Mine live on a north facing windowsill so they don't get any sunlight but they seem happy there.
DeleteThose tulips are gorgeous, such a rich colour.
ReplyDeleteMy sister likes Aldi, she goes there for dried dog food and stocks up on their mackerel for her when she's there, she loves it.
I like daffodils in the house at this time of year, instant sunshine.
Lisa x
As the tulips have opened out, they've become a more orangey colour, they're so pretty. I shall see if Aldi do the dog food we give Archie, though we usually buy it when it's on special offer anyway. I agree about daffodils, they're like a hit of sunshine, especially on dull grey days.
DeleteShame about the daffodils. The tulips look good. I'm not keen on orchids but I like that one.
ReplyDeleteI don't often have flowers at home but like daffodils, roses, sunflowers and tulips when I do. Flighty xx
It is a shame about the daffodils, they're such poor specimens. I love sunflowers in a vase, they're a flower which I haven't had in the house until the last few years but I think they're really lovely.
DeleteI love tulips! I love my Nans vase that they fit in as well.
ReplyDeleteVases can really enhance a display, can't they? I have a couple of favourite vases, one which was my mum's and one which Daniel bought me for a gift.
DeleteYour tulips are so bright and cheerful, love the orchids. Saw some tulips at the store yesterday, they wanted $14.00 for them, ouch.
ReplyDeleteMy hyacinths are blooming and I need to cut some for the house.
How much? These were only £2, a real bargain for a vase of cheerfulness. I think hyacinths have the most beautiful scent and it wafts right through the house.
DeleteThe might look insignificant, but freesias win for me. I cut them down a bit if they're very tall ones, and buy the red ones if possible as they have the strongest scent. I don't buy white ones as they just smell of black pepper, and the yellow ones I bought this week haven't much scent, either. But red ones, whether the deep red or the light rust, will scent your room for a good week.
ReplyDeleteI also love tulips, they're one of the most elegant of flowers and look good whether standing to attention like soldiers or open and looking more like a poppy.
Alstromeria are good if you want a large display, especially if you buy two bunches of different colours but colours which are close so the flowers look shaded in the vase, and you can bulk them out with foliage from the garden - this way they will look spectacular. But keep changing the water, that is the way to keep flowers looking good, and remove any foliage/leaves that are below the water line.
I'm not keen on houseplants, though.
Margaret P
I love freesias, they such pretty flowers and as you say, beautifully perfumed. I had them in my wedding bouquet. Alstroemeria last such a long time, value for money and they're pretty too. I'm not keen on houseplants either but I do love my orchids.
DeleteBeautiful blooms indeed! I've had an orchid or two but I'm fairly certain it didn't last anywhere near that long...my mom is much better at keeping them alive.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about that trick to keeping tulips straight. I've not purchased them as a cut flower & those in the garden are so precious that I doubt I could ever use them as cut flowers unless I planted many more of them. How long do they last in the vase?
This is my youngest orchid, I have another two which are about six or seven years old. The trick of sticking a pin through the tulip's stem works really well, I didn't think it would but it does. I'm with you, I prefer to leave my flowers in the garden and enjoy them there rather than cut them for indoors but I do like to buy cut flowers. Those bought from the supermarked seem to last a good time, these tulips were bought on Saturday and they still looking really good today but I've had other types of flowers which have lasted a fortnight or longer.
DeleteAt the moment, a set of hyacinths brightening up my fireplace, three 50p pots of tete a tete on the dining room table and a blooming white orchid keeping quiet in the corner.
ReplyDeleteI bet your house smells wonderful with the hyacinths blooming. I love tete a tetes, I have some in the garden but I like them indoors too.
DeleteTulips are my favorite flower, the brighter, the better. I love red and dark pink best of all. I tried to buy some tulips at the store this week, they were depicted in the weekly circular in the mail, but they didn't have any! I was so disappointed. Hopefully they'll have some when I go back on Saturday to shop.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to tulips being in season each year, there's always such a lovely range of colours to choose from, I'm spoilt for choice. What a shame you couldn't get any this week, I do hope they have some when you visit the store next time.
DeleteThat's certainly a bright and cherry bunch of tulips Jo. Your orchid is fabulous. My mum has the knack with them and keeps them going for years but I've not had much joy ...... yet!
ReplyDeleteThe tulips are gorgeous, they're really cheering me up. I must admit that I don't give my orchids much attention yet they tend to thrive on the neglect.
DeleteYour orchid really is so beautiful isn't it!! I have been buying bunches of daffs and when they end I will move on to tulips, a silly little routine of mine! Hope that you get some for yourself soon. Your tulips are a beautiful shade of red aren't they! xx
ReplyDeleteThe orchid's really lovely, such a pure white. I used to have the same routine as you, sticking with daffodils until there were no more to be had and then moving on to the tulips but I've changed over the last few years, I let them overlap these days. The red of the tulips is really lovely, they seem to have a yellow tinge to them which makes them almost orange.
DeleteI love white orchids, but the beautiful red of your tulips are stunning
ReplyDeleteI probably wouldn't have chosen a white orchid myself, it was a gift from a friend, but I love it now I've got it. One of the wonderful things about tulips is that they come in such a range of colours, I'm always spoilt for choice and spend quite a bit of time deciding which to get.
DeleteI love tulips and daffodils at this time of year too, cheap and cheerful. We don't have a Aldi close to us either but on the occasions I have looked in I have not been impressed with the prices either.
ReplyDeleteThat's the great thing about daffodils and tulips, they're so affordable. I often pop them in the shopping trolley when doing my weekly shop. I'm glad it isn't just me who's not impressed with the prices at Aldi, I think I'll go in again though and have a proper look at the things I'm interested in.
DeleteLove the orchid and I too occasionally buy flowers in Aldi, though I do quite a bit of my shopping there, as they are so much cheaper than our "2" supermarket chains. As we don't have as many as UK, they tend to be able to charge as they please, so Aldi is very welcome. Enjoy the spring bulbs and take care.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased we've got a good selection of supermarkets to choose from, though it would be nice for the independent shops to be able to compete with them, the big stores are pricing the smaller shops out of business. Planning has just been passed for a Lidl to be built nearby so I shall see what that's like.
DeleteThe hyacinths I bought in Lidl a few weeks ago have been a bit of a disappointment. There's barely any green shoots showing ... yet. I'm still hopeful. I shop in Aldi for certain things - 9 rolls of toilet paper for £1.99 can't be beaten in my book - but I do prefer to buy some brands which Aldi's don't tend to have so I have to go elsewhere for those.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame about your hyacinths, I hope they come good in the end, there's time yet. I shall have a look at the loo paper when I pop in to Aldi again, perhaps I was looking at the wrong things this time.
DeleteI love fresh flowers in the house, two weeks ago I bought dafs, they were Irish grown and last week they( Lidl) had the first of the Irish grown tulips which fell into my trolley. During the real winter I buy Lilies as I love the perfume to stop the pollen just cut of the stamen's.
ReplyDeleteI love having fresh flowers in the house too, I usually buy them from supermarkets these days as they tend to last for ages. I do like lilies but the pollen puts me off, I shall have to heed your advice re the stamens.
DeleteYour orchid is beautiful! I love tulips they are my favourite flavour but they rarely make it into the house, nor do any other flowers.
ReplyDeleteI have more flowers in the house these days than I used to, I think they really cheer the place up.
DeleteIt is so nice to have blooms indoors ... and yes that tip about tulips is a good one.
ReplyDeleteHyacinths are always popular by a window and the perfume from them is usually so lovely.
Do hope your week is going well - enjoy your Thursday.
All the best Jan
I couldn't believe how well the tulip tip works, I don't have droopy tulips at all these days. I love the perfume from hyacinths, no need for artificial air freshners when you have those in the house.
DeleteYour tulips are beautiful, Jo. They have just started to appear in our stores, too, so I need to buy some. Thanks for the tip -- I'll certainly try it. P. x
ReplyDeleteI couldn't believe how well the little tulip trick works. I've had these since Saturday and they're still standing to attention.
DeleteI found some bowls of hyacinths for £1.99 at a local garden centre and bought myself two and one for my sister and they are currently performing the house. After I bought them we went to collect a new car and I was presented with a husge bouquet including nine large lilies which have now opened and are competing with the hyacinths,
ReplyDeleteThey've both got such lovely perfume, haven't they. I hope the lilies aren't dropping their pollen everywhere, which is what usually happens when I have them in the house.
DeleteI've snipped off the stamen, Jo :-)
DeleteThat's such a good tip, isn't it I'll have to remember that next time.
DeleteI love simple flowers in th hous, like daffodils and tulips, or roses picked from the garden in the summer. Your tulips are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI think vases of one type of flower rather than a mixed bunch is lovely, understated but they make a bigger impression somehow.
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