How to Arrange Flowers

Guide Note

Arrangements of fresh flowers make delightful home accents and thoughtful gifts. However, they can also be expensive when you purchase them from a florist. How to Arrange Flowers shows you how to make your own beautiful bouquets and stationary arrangements.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Step 1: Type of Arrangement
• Step 2: Pick Your Flowers
• Step 3: Assemble Your Supplies
• Step 4: Prepare the Container
• Step 5: Arrange the Flowers
• Step 6: Continue Care
• Conclusion
• References

Flower Arrangement Tips

1. Flower bouquets make great gifts.
2. Tie flowers in a tight, round bunch for a nosegay.
3. Consider the space where you'll place the flowers when choosing an arrangement.
4. Focal flowers provide the center of attention in an arrangement.
5. Line flowers create the shape of an arrangement.
6. Add non-floral elements to an arrangement for interest and texture.
7. The color of the flowers you choose help to create a mood.
8. A container, scissors and clean floral supplies are essential tools.
9. Cut flower stems under water.
10. Water cut flowers regularly to prolong their life.

• by Liz Casler

Introduction

• Flowers can breathe light and air into a room. They convey comfort, sympathy, love, and friendship, depending on the occasion. Floral design has been around since the time of the Ancient Egyptians and is considered a form of art.¹ Buying professional arrangements can be prohibitively expensive, but you can learn to create your own beautiful arrangements at home with only a few supplies. Buying arrangements also cuts you out of the process of creation and design. When you arrange your own flowers at home, you become a flower artist.

Step 1: Decide on a Type of Arrangement

(Creative Commons photo by Katy)

Bouquets

• Flower bouquets make great gifts and can be placed in vases or carried in the hand, as with wedding bouquets. A bouquet can be as simple as a bunch of fresh-picked wildflowers, but wedding bouquets in particular have more specific, traditional forms.

1. A nosegay, or round bouquet, consists of flowers arranged in a tight, round bunch.²
2. A cascade bouquet is a formal arrangement with a circular bunch of flowers that fall down in a cascade in the front. The cascade part of the bouquet can be as long or as short as desired.³
3. A hand-tied bouquet is a less formal arrangement—the stems of the flowers tied together and with their ends showing.³

Stationary or Table Arrangements

• The names of the different silhouettes, or shapes, of stationary flower arrangements are largely self-explanatory. A fan arrangement resembles a fan, while a pyramid arrangement takes the general shape of a pyramid. Think about the space where you intend to display the arrangement as well as its purpose before deciding on a silhouette.

1. A dome arrangement is just what it sounds like—a symmetrical dome of flowers. Other than the bouquet, the dome is the simplest possible arrangement.⁴
2. A pyramid arrangement is tall with a triangular base.⁴
3. Crescent flower arrangements can be created using flowers with curving or flexible stems.⁵ The two tips of the crescent typically point up into the air.
4. Horizontal arrangements are low, symmetrical, often linear arrangements that sit close to the surface on which they're placed.⁴ You use a shallow container, one focal flower and several side branches to create this silhouette.⁵
5. Vertical arrangements, as their name implies, are tall and relatively thin.⁴
6. An L-shaped arrangement is asymetrical, like the letter for which it's named.⁴
7. Fan arrangements are defined by flowers with long, strong stems.⁴
8. Triangle arrangements have tall central flowers and shorter flowers to form the sides.⁵
9. An inverted T arrangement looks very much like a triangle arrangement.⁴
10. Oval arrangements form a sort of floral portrait, with the biggest, brightest flowers in the center.⁵
11. A Hogarth's curve arrangement trains flowers into the shape of an 'S.'⁵

Step 2: Pick Your Flowers

(Creative Commons photo by Noel Zia Lee)

Structure

• Consider the structural qualities of individual flowers. What kind of shapes do you need to create your chosen silhouette? What flowers will provide the focus for your arrangement? Will many larger flowers overcrowd your bouquet, or will the lack of them underwhelm the viewer? Many florists classify the flowers in an arrangement as belonging to three categories:

1. Focal flowers provide the focal points of an arrangement, and are often the largest and brightest in the arrangement. Typical focal flowers include roses, peonies and hydrangeas.⁶
2. Line flowers create the silhouette, providing a sort of visual scaffolding for the arrangement. Typical line flowers include delphiniums, gladiolas and snapdragons.⁶
3. Fillers help fill out the silhouette of an arrangement. Baby's breath, dianthus, and wax flowers often serve as fillers.⁶
4. Floral arrangements can also contain non-flower elements. For instance, vines, berries, fruit, ferns and other greens provide interest and texture.

Color

• Create a mood with color.⁷ Some colors tend to contribute a somber tone, while others are cheering. Remain conscious of how the different colors of your flowers work together to create harmony or disharmony. Decide on a color palette and choose flowers in accordance with it. Color theory and the color wheel offer some suggestions on creating pleasing color combinations:⁸

1. Warm colors, such as reds, oranges and yellows, have a different affect than cool colors, such as blues, greens and purples.⁷
2. A monochromatic arrangement uses variations of a single color.⁸
3. An arrangement based on analogous colors combines colors that lie immediately next to each other on the color wheel.⁸
4. An arrangement of flowers with complementary colors makes use of colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel.⁸

Meaning

• Understand the language of flowers. Over the course of history, certain flowers have accrued traditional meanings specific to certain cultures. For example, red roses can indicate romantic love while white roses stand for purity.⁹ Ophelia associates pansies, or heartsease, with thoughtfulness in Shakespeare's Hamlet.¹⁰ While it's unlikely that the recipient or viewer of your flowers will understand all of the subtle nuances with which the Victorians imbued their flowers, you should still keep in mind that certain flowers may be more appropriate for specific occasions than others.¹¹ See the this site for more on the language of flowers.¹²

Step 3: Assemble Your Supplies

(Creative Commons photo by Koishikawagirl)

• If you're making a simple vase arrangement or informal bouquet, you won't need much more than your flowers, container and a sharp knife or scissors. However, more complicated or formal arrangements necessitate some other tools. You can find floral supplies at craft stores or online retailers, such as Afloral.com, Joann and Crafta.^{13 14 15}

Hand-held Bouquet

1. Scissors can cut stems, paper and some wires.¹⁶
2. Stem tape and wires hold flower stems together and can make them longer and less flimsy.¹⁷ Save On Crafts has more information on using floral tapes and wires.¹⁸
3. Bouquet holders and collars are useful for some wedding bouquets.¹⁹
4. Pins hold ribbons and bows in place.

Vase Arrangement

• In addition to some of the tools listed for hand-held bouquets, some of these items may be of use:

1. Waterproof floral tape can can form a grid through which to stick flower stems.²⁰
2. Cut flower preservatives extend the life of an arrangement when mixed with the water supply. You can buy professional mixes, or About.com provides recipes for homemade preservatives.²¹

Other Stationary Arrangement

• Use the same tools listed above, plus:

1. Floral foam comes in many shapes and provides a base for an arrangement.²² Some types of foam soak up water to feed the flowers, prolonging the life of the arrangement.
2. A knife is a useful tool, in addition to scissors. You can use it to cut floral foam.¹⁷
3. Waterproof floral tape holds foam in place, or you can use hot glue.¹⁷
4. Anchor pins and prongs also secure foam in place.¹⁷
5. Waterproof clay holds dry elements in place.¹⁷
6. Candle cups allow you to illuminate your arrangement, providing a safe base to help set candles in foam.¹⁷

Step 4: Prepare the Container

• A proper container is an integral element of a beautiful flower arrangement.

1. Choose a container appropriate to the bouquet or arrangement you've chosen to create.²³ The smaller the arrangement, the smaller the container should be.
2. Clean the container thoroughly before use to prevent infection of the flowers by bacteria.²⁴
3. If using a container that's not waterproof, you must place a waterproof container inside it.²⁵
4. Secure any floral foam you intend to use in the container with hot glue or waterproof floral tape.

Step 5: Arrange the Flowers

(Creative Commons photo by Mandy Passon)

• Once you've chosen a form for your arrangement and the particular flowers you will use, you've done much of the work. The shape you've chosen will decide the placement of the focal and line flowers.

1. If you plan to place your arrangement in a vase, organize the flowers in your hands first.²³
2. Support the blooms of heavier flowers with floral wire and tape so that they won't droop.¹⁸
3. Your arrangement must have a sense of balance. You don't want it to feel lopsided in any way. Don't put all the large, vibrant flowers to one side, or that side will seem heavier.²⁶
4. Cut the flower stems to the appropriate length for your container.²³ Cut the stems under water to prevent air from closing the stems.
   • Some types of flower may require special treatment, such as cauterization or mashing of the stems, before they're placed in a container with other flowers.²⁴
5. Cut off broken and dead material, as well as any leaves that fall below where the water line will be.²⁴
6. Insert the stems of your stationary arrangement into the floral foam you've secured in its container.
7. Insert your line flowers first to outline the overall shape of your design.⁶
8. Add focal flowers after the line flowers. Place them at the center, or focal point of the arrangement.⁶
9. Once the major elements of your design are in place, use filler flowers to flesh out the spaces between the focal and line flowers.⁶

Step 6: Continue to Care for Your Arrangement

1. Cut flowers need water to thrive. If your arrangement is in a vase or contains wet floral foam, give the flowers fresh water every day.
2. Give blossoms warm water if you want them to open immediately, and cool water to help them live longer. Don't use water at extreme temperatures, either hot or cold.²⁷

Conclusion

• The right floral arrangement can bring warmth, freshness, and beauty into a home. Flowers can be used to express love, sympathy, spirit, and much more. While you may still prefer to work with a florist to supply arrangements for special occasions, learning how to create your own works of floral art can give you a sense of pride and accomplishment, as well as save you money on less formal occasions.

References for How to Arrange Flowers

1. ↑ The Flower Expert: History of Floral Design
2. ↑ WeddingVeil.com: Types of Bridal Bouquets (January 25, 2008)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Truly Wedding Blog: The Many Types of Wedding Bouquet (December 9, 2007)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6} Flower Arrangement Advisor: The Ten Basic Arrangement Forms
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4} Dgreetings: Types of Flower Arrangement
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} SaveOnCrafts: Using Focal, Filler & Line in Floral Design
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Quamut: Principles of Floral Design: Color
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} Color Wheel Pro: Color Theory Basics
9. ↑ The Language of Flowers - Roses
10. ↑ NJ.com: Name Calling (March 26, 2008)
11. ↑ Victorian Bazaar: Language of Flowers
12. ↑ The Language of Flowers
13. ↑ Official Site: Afloral.com
14. ↑ Official Site: Joann
15. ↑ Official Site: Crafta
16. ↑ Flower Arrangement Advisor: Florist Tools and Supplies for Your Flower Arrangement Work
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5} SaveOnCrafts: Floral Designing Tools
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} SaveOnCrafts: Flower Arranging with Fresh Flowers -- Wiring & Taping Stems
19. ↑ SaveOnCrafts: Bouquet Holders & Collars
20. ↑ SaveOnCrafts: Waterproof Floral Tape
21. ↑ About.com: Cut Flower Preservative Recipes  
22. ↑ SaveOnCrafts: Floral Foams
23. ↑ ^{23.0 23.1 23.2} Better Homes and Gardens: Flower Bouquet Basics
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1 24.2} SaveOnCrafts: Flower Arranging -- Pre-Arranging Fresh Flowers
25. ↑ SaveOnCrafts: Preparing Containers for Your Arrangements
26. ↑ SaveOnCrafts: Western Elements in Floral Design
27. ↑ SaveOnCrafts: Floral Design 101