If your non-glass vase is too deep for your flowers to rest on the rim, stuff some cellophane (such as the cellophane that the flowers came wrapped in) into the
bottom to provide support and height.
For dining table flower designs, put your elbows on the table and make the height of your centerpiece no higher than the height of your wrist.Now people
can still have conversations while enjoying the flowers.
GETTING STARTED
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Alum is a pickling spice found at the grocery store or online and can be used for persnickety hydrangeas that wilt expectantly. Dip the freshly cut tip of the hydrangea stem in the alum before adding to your
arrangement for a longer-lasting bloom.
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GETTING STARTED
PICKING
flower combinations
When I buy flowers,I am usually in a rush. Helping me narrow down my choices prevents me from overbuying and makes the process go much faster. Here are some
helpful tips I use to create flower bouquets.
ONE COLORYou can never go wrong with a single color of the same flower.True perfection is a massivebouquet of pink peonies. Actually,a massivebouquet of
anything is beautiful.
CONNECTED COLORSFor a bouquet with more variety, I take my cues from Mother Nature. Pick a flower that has two colors in it, for example, a yellow Gerbera daisy with a pink center.For the second flower in the bouquet, look for a bloom that matches the daisy’s pink center, like a pink hydrangea. Ifyou want a third flower in your bouquet, add another pink OR yellow option, like a pink or yellow rose. You know the flowers will work in the bouquet because the colors
naturally connect to each other.
MIXED COLORSIf the flower you like doesn’t have an obvious secondary color, then use the color wheel diagram below to help createyour arrangement. (Hint: take a picture ofthe diagram on your smartphone so that you will have it handy when you shop.) For a beautiful contrastingbouquet, pick colors from the opposite sides of the diagram. For a bouquet with more complementary colors, choose colors thatare nextto each other on the diagram. For an ombre effect, startwith a favorite flower, then look for flowers of the same color in graduatinghues to form your bouquet. I liketo keep brightcolors with other bright colors, pastel colors with other pastels, but feel free to experiment with what suits your own personal taste. Remember, there are no hard and fast rules—it’s all about what speaksto you personally. The page atthe
right has some of my favorite color combinations.
The classic color
wheel.
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25
ADDING NEUTRALS Green and white flowers act as neutrals and can be added to any flower mix. White flowers provide crisp contrast toother colorful flowers while green flowers blend softly between the blooms.Both neutrals can enhanceany arrangement. White flowers are easy to find; green flowers are less so,but
green hydrangeas are my go-to bloom.
ADDING GREENSThough beginners usually overlook adding greens to theirarrangement, flowers pop with more vibrancyand drama when they’re contrasted with green foliage. You could buy greens anywhere, or save some money and snip foliage from the backyard.Some of
my favorite greens are silver eucalyptus leaves (a bonus if
they have berries), lemon leaves, and of course the leaves that are already on the flowers you’re using.For my purposes, I usually consider white and green hydrangeas
as both greens and part of the flower selection.
ADDING TEXTUREOften forgotten, especially by beginners, textural elements add visual interest and dimension to flower arrangements. Textures act like neutrals, but they havea frilly, nubby, or bumpy appearance that contraststo the smoothness of flower petals and leaves that is appealing.Some of my favorite types of texture are Queen Anne’sLace,Hypericum berries, rosemary, eucalyptus berries, and even flower
buds that haven’t bloomed yet.
A few of my favorite color combinations
(remember to add neutrals, greens, and texture to complete the arrangement)
Pink & Red
Soft Coral & Maroon
Purple & Yellow
Purple & Pink
Pink & Yellow
Hot Pink & Bright Orange
Coral & Yellow
PREPARING
your flowers
Once you have your flowers and greens in hand, it’s time to get them ready. Tempting as it may be to startarranging them in your vase,preparing the flowers and greensfirst helpskeep your arrangement beautiful andclean, and last longer. Remember that any lowerleaves on the stems that touchthe water in your vase will
introduce bacteria and give flowers a shorter life span.
First, use scissorsto cut the stems of your flowers and greensto a manageable length. I leave on any plastic wrapping or rubber bands that may come with the flowers as I cutto ensure the stems will be trimmed tothe same length. I can easily remove the plastic or
rubber bandsafterward.
Next, remove all the lower leaves (and snip away any thorns, toavoid prickles)on the stem that are not partof the arrangement.This means all the leaves or foliage that could be submerged in the water once you putthe stems in the vase.You can cutthe leaves
off with scissors or use your hands for soft-stemmed flowers.
Then look atthe flowers and checkthe petals for anyunsightly or damaged ones. Ifthey are safe to remove, gently wiggle offthese petals. For roses, remove the guard petals, whichare the brown,
wilted outer petals of the flower, right above the sepal.
Finally, recut the stems on a diagonal so there is more surface area for them to take in water.Again, this lengthens your flowers’life
span. Now you’re ready to begin designing.
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GETTING STARTED
guardpetals
sepals
EASY TECHNIQUES
EASY TECHNIQUES
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MY FLOWER
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