Menno Kroon creates sculptures from cut Hydrangeas 

Legendary Dutch floral designer Menno Kroon has designed 12 fascinating arrangements for this 2 part series. His work demonstrates at a glance how cut Hydrangeas are not just a little on the romantic side, but can also be extremely modern and trendy. "This flower simply has allure. You can use it to make the most fabulous floral sculptures!" adds Menno.    

"They are useful in so many different ways. It can be used in cute ‘n cozy to abstract arrangements, for any occasion and from the cradle to the grave. The unusual colors, long stems and fantastic volume are real benefits!" There is no stopping florist Menno Kroon once he gets started talking on his passion for Hydrangeas and especially for cut Hydrangeas. His business card says 'Florist etc.' and this is intended to show that he does a great deal more than just sell flowers. With his shop in south Amsterdam and his studio in Cothen, near Utrecht, he has a team of 12 florists who create bouquets, provide the floral décor for parties, houses, shops, and in fact for whatever their international clientele demand.   

Menno Kroon: "Abstract art with cut Hydrangeas? Absolutely! Seven large, fully colored cut Hydrangeas are arranged in a base of twigs. The flowers will slowly dry, so that the arrangement will last for a long time. Of course, the flowers can also be replaced, making them perfect for an office or reception area."   

Versatile 

Menno considers Hydrangea to be a flower that is still under-utilized, if not relatively unknown, by many florists. "This is a huge shame because it is such a versatile product." One flower on a plate at a dinner party, or dozens of extra long stemmed specimens in a funeral arrangement; Menno can talk about either option. “There are so many new varieties and cultivars on the market that sometimes even the experts seem unaware of the range of possibilities. I love to work with them. I particularly like the flowers that continue to change color, but with these it is essential to cut them at exactly the right stage. The best time is at the peak of flowering, when the flower is mature and really firm. These are the ones you need and are also the ones with the longest vase life which can be up to 3 or 4 weeks. If you leave them to dry they will last even longer." 

Menno Kroon: "The green classic cut Hydrangeas are framed by a collar of Begonia leaves that blends well with the rounded lines. The tied bouquet includes 3 lovely, large cut Hydrangeas (including one fresh one) and the overall effect is crisp and contemporary!"   

Floral Sculptures

Menno calls cut Hydrangeas multi-functional flowers that are perfect for any occasion. "You can turn them into magnificent pieces of floral sculpture; either with a single specimen or in a bigger arrangement. You can also use them in miniature work, as each flower head can be split into many tiny ones." 

Whether he is dealing with large or small scale projects Menno, who has been in the business for 25 years, still draws inspiration from the rich palette of colors offered by cut Hydrangeas. "I love to work with this flower. All the more when I am asked to make something 'spectacular' for an event, a show or a shop. They really help me make a statement!   My name for cut Hydrangeas is “flower with allure." 

Menno Kroon: "The elegance of the cut Hydrangea is emphasized in this arrangement. The long stem is finished with ribbon and some loose ends of ribbon. The flower is purple and wood veneer has been added for the finishing touch. This is a magnificent presentation bouquet, for example after a dance performance on stage. In my mind, I can already see 20 dancers taking a bow with these bouquets or perhaps even a blushing bride?"   

Quality comes at a price
Menno has a few tips for his colleagues: always work with mature specimens and never be too cheap about the price. "A fabulous piece using big Hydrangeas does not come cheap. As a florist, you don’t need to be shy in making this clear to your customers. The magnificent, voluminous flowers add body and allure to any arrangement, no matter how you look at it. So it is perfectly logical to expect pieces like this to come at a price. Just as a good bottle of wine has a price tag, so the same applies to a fabulous piece of floral work." General information

Origins   

Hydrangea originally came from South East Asia but they are also found in some parts of North and South America, in the Andes in particular. There are some 80 varieties in the wild. The plant’s name is derived from the Greek ‘Hydro’ meaning water and 'angeion' meaning cask or jug and refers to the spherical shape of the open flower head.     

Menno Kroon: "This neat composition is both romantic and contemporary. It will make an ideal centerpiece for a dining table or coffee table. It is made using a ‘classic’ (full colored) cut Hydrangea, Asclepia syriaca and Bixia fruits with some Phalaenopsis blooms to add dashes of color. It is simple to make and can be varied as desired."   

Assortment
There are more than enough to choose from! Cut Hydrangeas are available in many different colors. Some flowers come in a single, intense shade whereas other varieties are bi-colored. You can find every shade of red and pink as well as purple, white, green and blue. Some varieties even have mixed colors – green/ red, purple/ green for example – and others have distinctive colored margins, such as pink with a white edge.     

Menno Kroon: "This funeral wreath uses wonderful shading of different colored cut Hydrangeas. The flowers are ideal for this purpose. Here they are used in a circle of Oasis, interspersed with unripe Cotinus blossom/fruits and red dill (Dauchus)."           

Classic and fresh

A unique feature of the flowers is that they continue to color throughout the flowering period, finally turning greenish with hints of other colors influencing their original color. These fully colored Hydrangeas are known as ‘classic’ and are characterized by their long vase life and the fact that they are ideal for drying.       

Good quality classic Hydrangeas are only grown in the Netherlands. By contrast, Hydrangeas that have not moved into one of the later coloring stages are known as ‘fresh’. 

Menno Kroon: "Here we have a cheery mix arranged in a bundle. The base is made from Polygonum stems and the cut Hydrangeas are used as whole flowers, including their stems. It is very ornamental and suitable for many different occasions. The water is held in the stems of the Polygonum and in large vials in-between."   

Stem length 

Stem length is yet another striking feature – some cut Hydrangeas have 11 to 20 inch stems, but the most spectacular examples are those with stems of 30 inches and more.   

Availability

The peak supply period is between June and November. The flowers are not supplied in winter. ‘Fresh’ Hydrangea flowers are available from mid-May to the end of September and the ‘classic’ (fully colored) flowers from May/June through to November.   

Care

Did you know? 

• Cut Hydrangeas are cut at various stages of maturity. The more mature the flower head, the better the vase life. A mature flower head that feels solid to the touch can have a vase life of 3 to 4 weeks.   
• Cut Hydrangeas can be allowed to dry and will go on giving months of enjoyment. Green and red are the most popular colors for drying.   
• Cut Hydrangeas have positive associations and promote feelings such as spring, summer, warmth, happiness and romance.   
• Blue cut Hydrangeas are considered to be fresh, lovely and cool while pink and red ones are associated with passion and happiness. The fully colored specimens give feelings of warmth and romance.   
• Hydrangeas are best known as garden and pot plants. Cut Hydrangeas are perfect for a wide range of uses.   

• Place the flowers in buckets with plenty of water and always use cut flower food. Fresh cut Hydrangeas treated with cut flower food will last over a week longer. This extends their vase life to 2 to 3 weeks.   
• Fresh cut Hydrangeas cannot tolerate being left without water. They can be arranged in Oasis foam as long as they have enough water. 
• The ideal storage temperature is 46.4º F.   
• Cut 1 to 1 ½ inches off the lower portion of the stems to improve water absorption. 

In the home: 

• Cut the stems at an angle and remove the lower leaves.   
• Place the flowers in a clean vase containing plenty of fresh water.   
• Add cut flower food to the water as this can extend the vase life by more than a week.   
• Never place ‘fresh’ cut Hydrangeas in direct sunlight.   
• Fully colored (‘classic’) cut Hydrangeas are ideal for drying – place them in a vase with just a shallow layer of water. Once they have achieved their final color they can be left without water.