When you shop for flowers it’s impossible not to notice just how perfect every stem looks. Flower arranging is an art and, like all forms of art, there are some tips and tricks that make the process that much easier.
- Ready your supplies – Before you begin arranging flowers, you need to make sure that you have all the correct equipment. This includes a sharp cutting tool, a clean vase and flower food. The knife or sheers you use need to be as sharp as possible because you don’t want them to crush any stems. Flower food needs to be added in order to keep your flowers fresher for longer. As for your vase, it’s important that you choose the right vase for your flowers. Longer stems require taller vases and vice versa. Wider vases can accommodate more stems whereas slender vases will hold fewer stems.
- Flower and foliage selection – As previously mentioned, your flower selection goes hand in hand with your vase choice. If you are partial to a particular type of flower, then you will need to select your vase accordingly. If you would like to display an heirloom vase, then you should select flowers to suit the colour, shape and design of the vase. Foliage is optional depending on the type of arrangement. For example, some people love the look of 12 perfect red roses without any foliage at all. Mixed flower arrangements often benefit from two or three types of foliage since it adds even more variety in terms of texture.
- Colour scheme – There are a number of colour schemes from which to choose. Monochromatic designs involve the use of a single colour but you can also use two, three or more colours in a single bouquet. When using two colours, it’s best to have a colour wheel or palette handy. Select two colours that are opposite one another on the colour wheel for the most striking results. Take yellow and dark purple for example. Another popular option is to group three colours that are equally spaced apart on the colour wheel. If your bouquet has a select colour scheme, arrange the blooms where they complement each other, try mixing colours with the green foliage.
- Preparing your stems – Before you begin, it’s important to make sure that you keep your flowers in a bucket or sink full of fresh water. This will prevent them from dehydrating while you prepare the vase and it will give you the time you need to work with each bloom. Prepare the stems by removing any lower leaves. You do not want anything other than the flower and foliage stems in the vase water. As you remove each flower from the bucket and prepare to arrange it in the vase, you need to check the length of the stem in comparison with the height of the vase. Trim the stem accordingly and make sure to trim at an angle. Trimming at an angle ensures that the stem has a larger surface area for absorbing water and nutrients. It also prevents the stem from resting flat on the bottom of the vase since this will obstruct water flow.
Where to Start?
This is a common question that so many people have when it comes to flower arranging. If you are designing a handheld bouquet, then it’s best to start with the focal flowers which are usually located in the middle of the arrangement. Your focal flowers are larger and more prominent than the rest. Depending on the size of the bouquet and the size of your focal flowers, you will need to add one, three or five of them to the centre of the vase. Follow this by adding mass flowers, some filler flowers and perhaps some foliage in between. Once you have completed the first layer around the focal flowers, you can create another. Each layer needs to be carefully arranged so that the bouquet has a rounded appearance. So, your focal flowers will be the tallest with the surrounding blooms and foliage lower with each layer. If you like, you can add a final layer of foliage around the exterior of the bouquet before binding the stems, trimming them and wrapping the bouquet.
If you are creating a vase arrangement, you might find it difficult to hold your focal flowers in place while you arrange the rest of the flowers around them. In this case, you can start by arranging the exterior first and work your way into the centre. Make sure that the rim of the vase is concealed before you move on to the next layer. Once you are near the centre, you can add your focal blooms and then the finishing touches. Remember not to cram or force any stems in place. They should slide right in and be easy to remove without disturbing the rest of the bouquet. If you notice any gaps, you can fill them using filler flowers and foliage as well as accessories like flower picks.
Handy hacks
Apart from these essential tips, there are also some excellent secrets that professional florists love to use
- Nesting: If you want to use a larger vase but it is too big for your flowers, you can use the nesting technique. Place a smaller vase inside a larger one. Add water to the interior vase and place your flowers inside. The exterior or larger vase can then be filled with whatever you like! Slices of lemons or limes are particularly popular as well as other natural fillers. The best part of all is that your filler will not affect your flowers.
- Clear tape grid: If you want to make sure that your flowers are all evenly spaced apart, you will need a vase with a uniform-shaped rim. Use clear tape to create a grid over the top of the vase and fill each block with one of your flower stems. This ensures that your bouquet will look flawless.
- Securing stems: If any of your flower stems seem weak or are prone to bending, you can offer them some reinforcement in the form of floral wire and green floral tape. Alternatively, you can slide a clear plastic sleeve (much like a straw) over the stem to offer the flower more stability.
- Foam: Florist foam is great for keeping flowers in place and hydrated. Of course, it is not the most attractive feature which means that you will need to avoid transparent vases or containers.
- Accessories: Don’t limit yourself to flowers and foliage. Flower arrangements have come a long way over the years and accessories like feathers, flower picks, beads and sticks can all be added. When including accessories, make sure that you keep the theme, colour scheme and season in mind.
With these tips in mind, the final thing to remember is to enjoy experimenting with different colours and textures. Searching for flowers online will also help stimulate your own creative side by providing you with visual examples. Knowing which flowers look great together and which colours pair well are two of the most important things to remember with every flower arrangement you create.