10 simple flower arranging tips
Bring the beautiful blooms from your garden inside with our top tips on arranging a pretty bouquet with a professionally polished touch.
1. Trim a couple of centimetres off stems using a sharp knife or garden clippers. Scissor usually crack stems and then blooms can’t access water.
2. Start with a good base by using a few branches of leafy greens to work in to. Let the shape of the branches determine the shape of the bouquet.
3. Many florist use foam bases to keep flowers in place and well-hydrated. Soak foam in water for 15 minutes before cutting it to fit in the container and then water foam a couple of days to keep flowers looking fresh.
4. Add large, heavy flowers first then fill spaces with smaller, airier blooms.
5. Don’t crowd a bouquet with all the prettiest flowers. The best bouquets keep it simple and let a few beautiful flowers stand out.
6. Use greenery around the flowers to accentuate their colours and beauty.
7. Play with texture to create striking arrangements. You could add airy, wispy sprigs that cascade over the container to a dense mound of flowers.
8. A good rule of thumb for arrangements is to ensure you bouquet is taller than its container by one and half times. Also, balance width and height.
9. Use a hairband –stronger than elastic bands – to keep flowers in place. Tie band around stems where the waterline falls.
10. Turn the arrangement every so often to ensure it’s even from all sides. Look at it from above and fill any gaps.