How to Create a Colorful Arrangement with Limes for Cinco de Mayo or a Summer Fiesta

Find the easy steps to create a colorful flower arrangement and table centerpiece for Cinco de Mayo, using limes and something you usually throw away. An easy hack to make flower arranging a breeze and way to recycle too, that will brighten up any summer fiesta!

Happy Wednesday!

Cinco de Mayo is in dos days, and I

created a table and centerpiece in anticipation!

I was finally able set an alfresco table!

Photographing a table outdoors is not without its challenges.

Between 20 mph winds, rain, pollen…*achoo*…catkins and maple ߴcopters

falling from the sky, this was my first opportunity

without interference from Mother Nature.

I was anxious to create a centerpiece for a Cinco de Mayo celebration.

I was inspired when I saw limes were on sale this week (along with avocados).

No Cinco de Mayo celebration is complete without some guacamole or a margarita,

both requiring limes!

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I used a favorite ‘vase within a vase’ method for flower arranging, to create my centerpiece.

A smaller vase is placed inside a larger one, so the wall between the vases can be filled

with decorative material of your choice to conceal the flower stems

and match your theme for your table.

Note: I’ve had my vases for years but Hobby Lobby is a great place to find them.

Here are the easy steps if you’d like to create a ‘lime vase’ your summer fiesta

or Cinco de Mayo celebration, along with a handy tip and hack

 that makes flower arranging a breeze and a way to recycle too:

Use your plastic netting bags that produce comes in, usually citrus and avocados!

The plastic netting bag is strong and flexible, making it a perfect material to support your flower stems.

It also saves the step of taping off a grid pattern on your vase for flower arranging.

Cut your bag slightly larger than the top of your inner vase, and then use tape

to secure the plastic netting along the sides of your vase.

The netting is slippery and flexes, so try to pull it tight as you tape it in place.

I used waterproof floral tape (not stem wrap) to tape my netting to the vase.

The tape won’t be visible, so you can use any kind of tape as long as it holds the netting securely in place.

The number of limes you’ll need will depend on the size of your vase and your limes.

I used almost the whole 2 lb. bag of limes for my 9-inch tall vase.

Limes typically don’t have seeds, but if you find any seeds when slicing them, remove

them before placing them in your vase,

so they don’t float loose once the limes are submerged in water.

Start by adding your limes between the wall of your vase.

Don’t worry about the any juice from the limes on the walls of your vases,

you’re going to add water to the walls when you’re done, which will make the appearance

look neat and tidy and keep your limes stay from drying out.

A bamboo skewer comes in handy to help arrange your slices

between the walls of your vases.

Make sure your lime slices are packed fairly tightly or are slightly shingled

so they won’t shift or float once you add your water.

Once your lime slices are arranged, add water to the walls of your vase.

Fill your inner vase with water and floral preservative

to help prolong the life of your flowers.

If you don’t have any floral preservative, you can make your own with this easy formula.

I used some hosta leaves and garden foliage (abelia) and then added some grocery store flowers:

hydrangeas, sunflowers, mums, leftover Charmelia from my Mother’s Day arrangement,

a cheery orange gerbera daisy and Hypericum berries.

After placing the vase on my table,

I decided the arrangement could use an additional pop of red,

so I added a couple of Fresno chili peppers

for a nod to spicy flavors and turn up the heat for Cinco de Mayo!

I used a bamboo skewer to attach the chilis

and tuck them in the vase among the flowers.

Table Details:

Tablecloth / Fiesta Cameron Stripe, Amazon

Portofino Melamine Dinnerware / Certified International, Amazon

Placemats, Striped Glasses / Target, several years ago

Treble Clef Flatware

Napkins / Kohl’s, many years ago

Napkin Rings / HomeGoods

You can use this same method with lemons to create a

Lemon Vase Flower Arrangement and Alfresco Summer Table.

Find a round-up of recipes with a fiesta of flavor

for your Cinco de Mayo celebration, HERE.

You’ll find recipes for Cinco De Mayo Mini Taco Dips,

Dos Berry Salsa, Corn and Bacon Guacam-Olé

 and Key Lime Margarita Cupcakes, and more!

🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

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