Unusual Requests

Sometimes I get an unusual request from a family to design a casket spray for their loved one using a flower that normally isn't used in oasis.  At least I have never seen one made from Red Geraniums! 

The problem arises that the blossoms are short-lived.  Should they be treated as other flowers are prepared for use in arrangements, i.e. cutting underwater, keeping in cool, humid storage in preservative? 

I also faced the dilemma that when the order was placed, the deceased had not yet died, and the fact that by this time, most nurseries are disposing of their annuals. 

I kept these geraniums in pots in the sunshine (and lots of rain this last week!) and babied them with plenty of TLC until I got the call that they were needed.  At that point, I had originally decided to bag the roots of each plant with some soil and insert each cluster with wooden picks.  Unsatisfied with this method, I ended up using a combination of water tubes, and either wooden picks or tying the short-stemmed blossoms to the greens.  All in all, it turned out fine.

I always like to honor the requests of the family mourning a death.  But sometimes I wonder when  I should politely say no and steer them another direction.  This could have turned out to be a disaster, but fortunately, all was fine.