6 Easy Steps to Create Gorgeous Flower Arrangements at Home

6 Easy Steps to Create Gorgeous Flower Arrangements at Home

It's easy to throw a handful of flowers together and hope for the best, chances are it'll look OK, after all flowers can speak for themselves. However, creating a STUNNING floral arrangement requires a bit of planning and thoughtfulness. Talented florists can spin the most drab of flowers into a work of art, my mind is blown at the combinations some florists put together. They are truly artists and it is amazing what they do and deserve every penny for it. But you don't have to be a florist to have gorgeous arrangements in your home. Here's the good news YOU CAN DO IT. It doesn't have to be a daunting task as though it may seem, trust me, I know all too well the overwhelming feeling with flowers in trying to create the "perfect" arrangement. That seems a bit contradictory doesn't it? Flowers are supposed to bring a sense of calm and joy not chaos and stress! Well, maybe it's time to chill out a bit and stop taking yourself so seriously or at least your arrangements there is beauty in the perfectly imperfect. Creating your DIY arrangement can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience, don't force it and rob yourself of the journey. My wise neighbour told me that "each flower has a face and story, let it do the talking". So here's a step by step guide to help you relax a little, dial into simplicity and creativity. Enjoy the process of creating your own living art piece that will bring a sense of calm, joy and peace into your home, office or shared as a gift to a loved one.

Step 1: Determine Your Theme & Pick Your Flowers

Are you arranging flowers for an event? If so, is there specific colour palettes you need to consider? Home? Office? Special occasion? Monochromatic schemes can show off the variety of shades within the same colours and lend to warmer feelings, whereas complementary colours pop against each other and bring vibrancy and fun into the mix.
Pre-determining your colour palette before you shop for flowers can help you avoid grabbing randomly and hoping for the best. The best bang for your buck is always, always sticking with what is seasonal and currently in bloom. Local seasonal blooms will last longer as they are picked at peak times and delivered within hours of being cut. Not to mention you're playing a part in reducing the carbon footprint as the travel time from the flower farm to your home is minimal; unlike imported flowers that are often flown in or brought in by freight trucks. *HINT* Prairie Lane Flower Farm can hook you up with beautiful blooms that you won't otherwise find at the grocery store!
Keep your options open by being open minded when you're looking in the flower isle. Look for variations in growth patterns, texture, heights and sizes. Remember beauty is in the irregular just as much as there is in perfect forms. Make a mental checklist to buy 3 types of groupings for your arrangements:
  • Focal Flowers: Larger, eye-catching blooms (e.g., peonies, ranunculus as a smaller focal, dahlia's, sunflowers)
  • Filler Flowers: Smaller blooms that add texture (e.g., sweet William baby’s breath, asters)
  • Greenery: Leaves and stems for a lush look (e.g., eucalyptus, basil, ferns)

Step 2. Prepare Your Flowers

Before you get going and start arranging you need to prep your flowers so they will have the best vase life you can give them. Remove extra leaves that would sit below the waterline in the vase and also any damaged petals from the stems. Trim the ends of each stem about 2cm from the bottom. If you're making a hand-tied bouquet, skip this step until the end
Store fresh cut stems into a temporary vase with clean fresh water and flower food. Oh no, forgot to pick up flower food? No problem, you can watch this Instagram reel on how to make your own! Or you can also lay the flowers out on a table in front of you, I also like this option it just depends on how much room you have or how many arrangements you're making at one time.

Step 3. Choose a Vase

Select a vase that complements your flowers. Consider the shape and size of the vase relative to your blooms. A narrow vase is great for tall flowers (e.g., tulips, which also need a bit more support), while a wide vase works well for a more rounded arrangement. Consider if your vase has texture of its own that would compliment the blooms.
Most important of all, please, please, please make sure that your vase is CLEAN! I don't know where I heard this, but as a general rule of thumb with flowers is "If you wouldn't drink out of it, neither should your flowers". Your flowers are LIVING (well now dead, but dying a slow death after they've been cut from the plant and we want to trick them into thinking they are alive as much as we can, aka, prolonging vase-life), they need clean drinking water in order to maintain their best and freshest "dead" lives. We could get into the cellular structure and uptake of water through transpiration but I won't get into that in this post but for now you just need to remember that "if you wouldn't drink out of it, neither should your flowers". So make sure you wash the dust out of your vase and give your blooms an extra day or two!
Make sure that your flowers have a sturdy foundation, they will likely need support to stay in place as the blooms are top heavy. If you have a wide mouth vase, you can use tape in a grid pattern to help hold your flowers in place without falling all over the place. You could also use a flower frog or chicken wire to help hold things in place, both of which are a great investment as they are reusable and will last you through many arrangements to come!

Step 4. Fill Your Base with Greenery

Now comes the fun part, you get to start arranging! Begin by creating a base and outline for your design. Place larger leaves towards the bottom and layer smaller pieces for texture. When your arranging try to be aware of the horizontal and vertical outlines of your greens; a simple start of this is to shape your greens in a triangle that you'll later fill in with flowers.

Step 5. Add Focal Flowers

Next, introduce your focal flowers. Start with one or two larger ones at the center and keep in mind the design rule of odd numbers! Position your focals at varying heights to create visual interest.

Step 6. Add Filler Flowers

Now, add your filler flowers around the focal blooms. These will help fill any gaps and create a more cohesive look. Use your design rule and group in odd numbers. Balance the colours and shapes throughout the arrangement and fill in gaps with smaller flowers and fill. Don't over stuff your arrangement and make sure to look at your arrangement from all angles and adjust blooms accordingly. **If you've created a hand-tied or spiralling arrangement, now is the time to trim off those ends and fit to your vase!**
Once you’re satisfied with the arrangement, fill the vase with clean, lukewarm water. Don't forget the flower food to nourish the blooms.

That's it, that's all! It may sound daunting but don't let it be! Trust yourself and your ability to learn something new! With these steps you'll be able to have some gorgeous arrangements that highlight seasonal blooms and will be sure to brighten your home and showcase your creativity! ENJOY the process and have FUN experimenting with different combinations.

Tips to Keep Your Arrangement Fresh
- Change the water every couple of days.
- Re-trim the stems slightly to promote water absorption.
- Keep the arrangement in a cool place, away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
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