"Frances Boudreaux, a licensed florist, taught a flower arranging class, ""Flowers for your Sweetheart,"" at the Main Library of the Rapides Parish Library Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019. Some of the tips Boudreaux told participants was to try various foliage to see what works best for them. She recommended cutting garden flowers in the morning when flowers are full of moisture and the are is cooler. Flowers such as roses, iris, gladioli can be cut as buds and may open later. Marigolds, delphiniums and dianthus or sweet William, must be cut with they are open. Some of the common foliage that were used in the arrangements that can be found in Central Louisiana are pittosporum, either variegated or solid green; baker's fern or leather leaf; sweet viburnum, sweet olive, rosemary, ginger, evergreen boughs, holly, aspidistra or iron plant, and herbs such as rosemary, lavender, mint, basil and lemon balm. 
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