05 May Design Tip – April Showers Bring May Flowers

Every room looks great with fresh flowers. If ever there was a time when flowers are in abundance, it is spring. Whether it be at your local market, or even better, in your own yard, flowers in a simple vase can really make any room seem complete. But what if you have no idea how to arrange flowers? Take it from me: if you follow a few tips you can create an arrangement that would make Martha Stewart proud.

The first to keep in mind is that you want to keep it simple. Just a bunch of one type of flower or branch.

If you are using branches from dogwoods, quince or cherry trees, select 3-5 branches. Select a container that is about 1/3 the height that you want the arrangement to be. Use a bag of marble to fill the container. This will hold the branches exactly where you want them to stay and give weight to the container. Just remember to cut about ½” off each branch every 4-5 days and you can have an arrangement that will last for weeks.

If you are using stemmed flowers like roses, irises and mums, it is easy to arrange them by keeping them low and tight in a container. Try one that is round or cubed for easy arranging. Remove all but the top leaves and begin by arranging them in a crisscross manner as you begin to fill up the vase. This will angle the blooms outward and make for easier arranging. Finally, fill in with one or two blooms at the top.