Tips for Creating Pretty Floral Arrangements
Decorating your home with fresh flowers is perfect for adding instant style and a pleasant refresh that brings beauty, fragrance, and other benefits flowers provide to your life. Plus, it’s easy! All it takes is some gorgeous fresh-cut stems from your florist and a variety of containers. The following tips will get you started in creating your prettiest arrangements ever.
- Select in-season blooms to save money and celebrate that particular time of year. Some varieties, such as orchids and roses, are available all year round.
- Decide on your theme: either a mix of complementary colors and types, shades of one color and different types, or all the same type in a variety of colors or the same color. Select some greenery for color and texture.
- Before placing a single stem into a vase, cut at least 1/2 an inch off of the bottom at a 45-degree angle. This increases the surface area so the floral can get plenty of water. Re-cutting the stems every 2-3 days will prevent bacteria from growing and make the flowers last longer.
- Choose interesting containers for your flowers such as a teapot, pitcher, mason jar, wine glass, teacup, etc. Smaller vases allow you to display 2 or 3 striking blooms while shallow containers give you a way to display florals with very short stems. (To keep the stems from separating, bind them together with an elastic hairband).
- If you want to open closed buds quickly, place them in warm water for about a minute and then in color water. Leave for 15-20 minutes and the flowers will open to their maximum size.
- The best way to preserve your flowers to look fresh for the longest amount of time is to use a commercial flower preservative that florists typically provide. You can also keep your bouquets in the fridge overnight if you have the room.
- To keep flowers in place, particularly in shallow vases, make a grid using clear floral tape (or thin strips of transparent Scotch tape). Insert fullest flowers first at an angle to cover the rim/sides of the bowl. Next, fill in the remaining holes with medium-sized flowers, and use the smallest flowers as accent florals to complete the design.
- Place a vase within a vase to hide the stems with pieces of fruit or broad leaves.
- To create a fuller arrangement, use filler flowers. Place them in gaps to create a more lush and full look.
- Create an interesting floral tablescape by placing single blooms in vintage glass bottles.
- When designing your arrangement, keep in mind balance, which does not necessarily mean everything has to be perfectly symmetrical. Play with different heights, lengths, and volume to create a visually balanced piece.