One way to guide your arrangement is to decide on a color scheme before shopping for flowers. Then, when you go to buy flowers, you know you’re picking up colors that work well together. Monochromatic schemes, which showcase different shades of the same color, can be striking. For another high-impact floral design, try complementary colors that will clash.
While you can be methodical about your color scheme, there’s really no way to go wrong when pairing flowers. Moss recommends choosing flowers based on what’s currently blooming in your garden or what you can find at the local market. “The key is to be open and see what you’re drawn to,” she says. “Being too specific in a search can prevent you from looking at other beautiful candidates.” Choose your favorites with different plant patterns, shapes and sizes and see how you can make them meet.
After arriving home with your flowers, you may be tempted to start arranging right away. However, there are some important steps to take to prepare flowers and make them last longer. First, remove extra leaves and damaged petals from stems. If there are unwanted buds on the same stem as a full flower, cut them off as well. Once the stems are cleared, make another diagonal cut to the bottom of the stems. Place the cut stems in a vase or bucket of water (this does not have to be your last container) with the cut flower food.
When choosing a vase or other container for your arrangement, consider the type of flowers you are using. Tulips typically require the support of a straight-sided vase, for example, while tall branches or top-heavy flowers may need a weighted vessel, says Moss. In addition to traditional vases, she likes to house floral arrangements in woven baskets for added natural texture. To retain water and keep the flowers in place, line the basket with a plastic container. If necessary, add moss around the container to hide it inside the basket.
The most important flower arranging technique doesn’t actually involve the flowers—it’s about the vessel you put them in. If the flowers don’t have a solid foundation, they won’t stay in place and your arrangement will fall apart. To make sure the flowers stay in place, create a grid of floral tape over the mouth of the vase. Stick the stems through the holes in the grid to hold them in place.
