Once you understand the elements of a floral arrangement and some basic design principles, you can try your hand at a few projects. Pick a type of arrangement, pace yourself, practice, and have fun.
Table of Contents
Vase Arrangements
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You may have some vases lying around the house to use for a vase arrangement, but you can also arrange flowers in just about any vessel that can hold water (i.e., a vessel that doesn’t have drainage holes). Just take a look around your house: you can use teapots, mugs, pitchers, and bowls as unconventional “vases” for flower arrangements.
1. Fill the vase about 2/3 of the way with clean, cool or room-temperature water. If your flowers came with a packet of floral preservative (or if you have some on hand), pour it in. But don’t worry if you don’t have preservative. Clean water is the most important element for prolonging the life of your cut flowers.
2. Create a base of greenery for your arrangement. Add a few varieties to create a fuller look and to help hold the flowers in place.
3. Take your tall line flowers, cut them to the desired height, and arrange them into the base of greenery.
4. Take your large focal flowers, cut the stems (on an angle) to the desired height, and place them in the vase. Cut the stems conservatively at first. You can always trim later if needed. Vary the heights of these large flowers to lend the arrangement a natural and interesting shape.
5. Fill the spaces throughout your line and focal flowers with the rest of your blooms, one variety at a time. Move from large to small—for example, daisies first, then miniature carnations, then solidago, wax flower, and baby’s breath.
6. Stand back and have a look. Are any of the flowers sticking out too far? If so, gently remove them, trim their stems, and replace them. Continue as needed until you achieve your desired effect.
How to Care for a Vase Arrangement
Flowers need fresh water, so make sure the vase is always 3/4 full. To keep flowers drinking, trim all stems slightly and change the water every few days. It’s fine to keep your vase arrangement at room temperature, but move it out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
If you run out of floral preservative, you can mix up a homemade additive. Fill a vase with about 4 cups of fresh, cool or room-temperature water and stir in 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of bleach.
Container Arrangements
A container arrangement is one that you create using floral foam to hold flowers at different angles when making low centerpieces or arrangements in wide, shallow containers. A basket makes a wonderful container for flowers and requires only a plastic liner and floral foam as a foundation.
1. Soak your floral foam in water until it’s fully saturated. Using your floral knife, cut the foam to fit snugly in your container. It should extend over the top rim of the container by about 1/2″–1″.
2. Use strapping tape to secure the floral foam to the container. Tape across the foam in an X shape.
3. Fill the container 2/3 of the way with cool or room-temperature tap water. You may wish to treat the water first with floral preservative.
4. Cut pieces of greens and insert them into the foam to begin covering it. Start by lining the perimeter of the container, then fill in, moving toward the center. Add a variety of greens to cover your floral foam and tape and to give the arrangement interest and texture.
5. If you have tall linear flowers, add them first to establish the outline of the arrangement’s form. The way in which you place your line flowers will help to define the shape that your arrangement will take on.
6. Add large focal flowers to the arrangement. Insert them as far down as possible so that their stems will be submerged in the water.
7. Continue to cut and insert the stems, one variety at a time, ending with your small filler flowers. Try to face the flowers upward and outward from the center so that each one is visible. Insert stems at varying heights for an organic appearance.
8. Stand back and view your arrangement. If it looks tight and rigid, pull the stems out a bit to loosen it up and stagger flower heights. If it’s lopsided, carefully remove stems that are too long, then recut and replace them.
How to Care for a Container Arrangement
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Hand-Tied Bouquets
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Hand-held floral arrangements are most often used in wedding ceremonies and other formal occasions or presented as gifts. These hand-tied bouquets are arranged in the hand and then bound or secured.
Choose a flower for the center of your bouquet.
As you hold the flower in your hand, begin surrounding it with other flowers and fillers, maintaining a tight hold. Vary the colors and sizes and build the bouquet in a circle spiraling around the center flower.
After you’ve added all your flowers and achieved a tight, round shape, add a collar of greens to surround the flowers and give the bouquet a finished look.
Using floral tape or floral wire, secure the bouquet stems tightly just below the blooms, in the spot where your hand was holding them.
To complete the look, tie the stems with a decorative ribbon. Using floral clippers, trim all the stems at one length for a tidy look. Your bouquet is now ready to be presented or held for a special occasion.
How to Care for a Hand-Tied Bouquet
When you’re not using your hand-tied bouquet, recut its stems and place them in water so that the arrangement will last longer.
Boutonnieres and Corsages
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A special occasion can be made even more memorable with wearable flowers. The two most popular arrangements of this kind are boutonnieres, worn on a man’s lapel, and corsages, worn either as a lady’s wristlet or pinned to her blouse. Wearable flowers are appropriate for:
- Dinner parties: A pinned-on bouquet of gardenias or orchids gives a hostess added elegance.
- Anniversary: An arrangement of red rose buds for each to wear marks the occasion’s importance.
- Proms: A boutonniere and corsage made of roses or carnations can make a couple shine at the prom.
- Children’s recitals or religious ceremonies: Present a carnation corsage or boutonniere as a dainty gift.
Some flowers are better suited for wearable designs. Sturdy buds, such as roses, carnations, and orchids, can withstand both being out of water and the heat of the body. Other flowers tend to wilt quickly or are too fragile to wear.
How to Make a Boutonniere
Follow these steps to create a men’s boutonniere:
1. Cut the stem of the flower to about 1 1/2″ or 2″ long.
2. With the flower in one hand, take a piece of floral wire and insert it through the stem just below the bloom.
3. Take a small piece of greenery and place it behind the flower. Add a tiny piece of filler, such as solidago, baby’s breath, or wax flower, to the front of the flower
4. Use your floral tape to secure the flower tightly to the greens and fillers and to cover the wire completely
5. Use a pen or your finger to roll the ends of the covered wire so that the boutonniere has a finished look
How to Make a Corsage
A corsage is similar to a boutonniere but requires just a few extra steps. In this example, the main addition is a ribbon accent.
1. Choose flowers and cut each stem so that it’s 1–2″ long. Wire each stem just below the bloom to secure the bloom.
2. Add one piece each of greenery and filler.
3. Choose a piece of ribbon for your bow. Make a few loops with the ribbon and secure it with floral wire.
4. Add your ribbon accent to the front of your corsage and wrap the floral wire around all the stems.
5. Tape everything together tightly with floral tape, starting at the top of the stems and working your way down.
6. Curl the end of the wire with a pen or your finger. Use pins to fasten the corsage to a lapel, evening bag, or hat.
How to Care for a Boutonniere or Corsage
To make your boutonniere or corsage last longer, keep it cool and moist. Spray it lightly with fresh water and store it wrapped in tissue paper in a small box. Keep the box in the refrigerator until you’re ready to wear the arrangement.
