Flower arranging can be easy.
Arranging flowers is fun and creative, especially if you cut flowers from your own garden. Color, texture and the beauty of nature are all drawn together in flower arrangements for decoration, gift giving and special occasions. Whether you are arranging fresh-cut flowers, dried flowers or artificial flowers, knowing different techniques and flower design can help create a memorable bouquet.
The Right Tools
The right tools make any task or activity easier. Tools for flower arranging include vases, floral scissors or landscaping pruning shears, small sharp knife, floral wire, floral tape, floral foam for fresh flowers and dry foam for dried or artificial flowers. The right size vase or container is important for an attractive arrangement that will last.
Use Layers and Colors
The best way to put a bouquet together is with layers. Make a grid over the top of a vase with floral tape. Put greenery like ferns and leaves on stems in the outer squares around the rim of the vase. Place long-stemmed anchor flowers in the middle two or three squares, then fill in with other flowers and greenery. Use one color in the bouquet, in different shades, or mix pinks, reds and purples or yellows, creams and oranges for pretty effects. Happy colors like yellow and orange or somber colors like blue and purple lend specific feelings to flower arrangements.
Use Supports
Supports help keep your arrangements in place, upright and organized. Use floral foam at the bottom of the vase or container to anchor the stems of fresh flowers and dry foam for dried and artificial flowers. Taping a grid over the mouth of the vase with floral tape is another good support for flowers. Greenery with strong stems can be used to anchor more delicate flowers by attaching the flowers to the stems with floral clips or floral wire.
Use Tape and Ribbon
Floral tape and pretty ribbon are simple ways to keep small flowers together in posies, boutonnieres and corsages. Using attractive leaves with stems as the backdrop, arrange them in a fan-like position with one to three flowers in the middle and tape the stems neatly together into one single thick stem that can be pinned. Alternatively, wrap a length of pretty ribbon around the leaves and flower stems, and tape together with floral tape, leaving two even lengths free for a wrist corsage. Construct posies (miniature bouquets) with a few small flowers and foliage, taping the stems together or tying them with ribbon or twine.
Get Creative
Get creative with dried and artificial flowers by including decorative items like pine cones, seed heads, ornamental grasses and interesting twigs and branches. Arrange flowers in vases, swags, wreaths and other decorative items for beautiful home accents, gifts or accessories. Artificial flowers are easy to attach to everyday items like picture frames, pencil cups and refrigerator magnets for fun crafts.
