Your mum will never know the flowers you got her were reduced from Tesco with these tips

In case it hasn't been shouted at you from every shopfront you’ve passed since around January, MOTHER’S DAY IS THIS SUNDAY! And whether you buy into it or not, it’s as good a time as any to learn how to turn some supermarket bought flowers into something your mum, or the closest person to a mum in your life, will nod at generously. To help you along the way is a new creative project from florist Jrasic (Jessie Booth), photographer Elena Heatherwick, and art director Freddy Taylor, who have turned supermarket flowers into beautifully shot floral arrangements for this Mother’s Day. With two days left on the clock, Jessie offered us some tips on how to pull together your own creative arrangements without spending more than a few quid.

Rule one: “Go for a small vase”, says Jessie, “you need a deceptively large amount of flowers to nicely fill a big one”. As demonstrated in the series, even one or two nice looking half pint glasses will do the trick. When it comes to arranging: “Cut stems at different lengths, this will help give your arrangement depth and movement. Go for soft fluffy flowers where possible, they are more forgiving. If you choose a stiff bunch of roses, supplement it with a fluffy filler.” For those looking for some creative direction, Jessie says: “Try and create unusual shapes, leaving room for negative space in places. If you are using a low vase look into getting hold of a ‘Florist Frog’ (easily available online)” to hold things in position.

The idea behind the series emerged last year, when the London flower market was closed over Mother’s Day. Jessie explains: “With nothing up in the garden and bald hedgerows, I trundled off to see if it would be possible to make something nice out of supermarket flowers.” This year, Jessie wanted to try out the challenge again, working with Elena on photography – “I knew that she, of all people, could make supermarket plastic bags look beautiful”. Jessie concludes: “In an otherwise lux industry, there’s something nice about turning £6 flowers into an arrangement that’s fit for a fashion mag.”

For some last-minute pearls of wisdom for those staring blindly at a sea of flowers in Morrisons tomorrow, Jessie says to Google what’s in season (tulips at the moment) and really study the bunches on offer for the freshest selection, but avoid roses. Finally: “Supplement your choice with bits from a nearby bush.”