Flower Gardens Around The House?

premixed bouquet of flower

Credit: Carson Downing

A classic mixed-flower arrangement doesn't have to be difficult to create. Achieve a professional-looking bouquet when you use your intuition and our easy instructions. Try these flower arrangement ideas to create your own gorgeous bouquets at home.

Full Flower Arrangement

wide bowl with full floral arrangement

Credit: Carson Downing

Create a dense mound of flowers using an unseen framework inside a wide decorative bowl. Line the bowl with biodegradable florists foam. Insert a full rose or carnation roughly in the middle of a foam block so that it sticks a few inches above the bowl edge. Surround that flower with other large blooms. Rotate the bowl as you build the flower arrangement to make sure it's being filled evenly and symmetrically.

Simple Flower Arrangement Ideas

cylinder vases with long-stemmed flowers

Credit: Carson Downing

Fill a tall, cylindrical vase with long-stemmed flowers for a simple, classic flower arrangement. Look for flowers with long stems such as irises, sweet peas, and lilies. Other good candidates are orchids, poppies, and flowering branches. Buy stems with some unopened buds so you can enjoy the flowers longer. Cut stems at an angle to create bunches that extend to about double the height of your vase. To hide stems inside a clear container, line the inside of the vase with tropical ti leaves (or another type of broad foliage) to hide stems.

Mixed DIY Flower Arrangement

premixed bouquet of flower

Credit: Carson Downing

Choose an hourglass vase to create a full flower arrangement with a range of heights. Organize flowers from a premixed bouquet by type. Gather the flowers with the largest heads in your fist, moving stems up and down to create a pleasing group; these form the focal point within the arrangement. Cut stems to length and place in the vase. Add marbles to the bottom of the vase to hold the first flowers in place as you fill out the arrangement. Add flowers with smaller heads: Insert tall, sturdy stems first; then move to short, wispy stems that trail over the vase edges.

How to Arrange a Flower Bouquet

Creating a professional-looking flower arrangement is easier than you think. Start with flowers in a consistent color scheme, and remove excess leaves or dead petals. Then use these easy tricks to create a gorgeous, colorful bouquet.

Peony Bouquet Idea

large white flowers woven basket

Credit: Erik Johnson Photography

Peonies, one of the lushest flowers in the garden, get a fresh spin in this casual arrangement. Large blossoms give you lots of impact and are easy to arrange. For a simple flower arranging trick, create a stripe down the middle with the blossoms. Anchor one side of the arrangement with flowered cabbage, place a large white hydrangea on the opposite side. Line the middle with ruffly pink peonies, including a few buds for interest.

Pink Flower Arrangement

pink flower arrangement white vase with handle

Credit: Kim Cornelison Photography Inc

Make an impressive flower arrangement on your own. Just start with cohesive color scheme (we chose pinks in every shade). Start by arranging the flowers in your hand, placing the larger flowers near the base of the group. Pay attention to height and shape by arranging taller lilac stems near the top and back. Lightly bind the stems with twine and place in a vase. Fill in the gaps with sweet peas or other small blooms. Insert a few leaves of greenery near the bottom to form a casual "rim" for the arrangement.

Centerpiece Floral Arrangement

yellow pink flower arrangement on wooden bench

Credit: Alison Miksch

Low enough to allow easy conversation, an arrangement in a silver bowl makes an ideal table centerpiece. Use moist floral foam in shallow containers to give short stems more stability. Build from the outside in: dangle white strawberries over the bowl's edge, then intersperse large roses around the base of the arrangement. Place a rose or two in the center, then use hypericum, sweet peas, and pansies to fill in the gaps for a full arrangement.

Easy Three-Tiered Arranging

pink red zinnia flower arrangement blue white china vase

Credit: Elvin Mcdonald

Long-stem flowers are great for large, full bouquets. Choose a few shades of the same color to make it easier to arrange; then you only have to balance light and dark rather than different hues. We chose China asters and zinnias in all shades of pink. Strip stems of any leaves that would otherwise be standing in water. Place the tallest flowers in the vase, then cut the stems of half of the remaining flowers so the heads fall an inch or two beneath the tallest flower. Place in vase and evenly arrange. Cut the remaining stems to gather just over the lip of the vase and place in bunches at the bottom. Fill in gaps with wild verbena.

Purple Flower Arrangement

various violet flowers arrangement

Credit: Kim Cornelison Photography Inc

Blue and violet are the flower arrangement harmonizers, able to mingle among clashing colors and generate tranquility. For an artistic twist, purchase (or cut from your garden) small bunches hyacinths, tulips, irises, and hydrangeas in any shade from the indigo family. Cluster the flowers in bunches in the vase, varying the shape, texture, and stem length. Place the brightest flower in the center to create a focal point. Place a few leaves of greenery on one side to offset the bright colors.

Colorful Flower Arrangement

vibrant red purple flower arrangement blue vase

Credit: Kim Cornelison Photography Inc

Dark, vibrant colors in a bouquet add drama. Choose dark flowers in the same hue, such as the ruby-red dahlias and maroon 'Black Prince' snapdragons shown here, so the color impact is more obvious. Arrange the base color in your hand (we used blue lisianthus, larkspur, blue veronica, and aster for a purple/white combo), then insert a few dark-hued blooms in between. Fewer dark flowers gives more contrast. Rim the arrangement with the wide greens of euphorbia, ivy, and hosta.

Create a Grocery Store Bouquet

Pick up a bouquet on your next trip to the grocery store to enjoy fresh-cut flowers at home. With a little sprucing up, you can turn basic blooms into a striking ensemble. Instead of plunking the bouquet in a vase, use these tips to turn store-bought flowers into something truly special.

Far-Reaching Flower Arrangement

warm tone gladiolas flower arrangement

Credit: Richard Felber

Gladiolas play well with others; they add instant height and drama and bright, even color tones. Use a large, sturdy container to hold the hearty glads. We used a clean, brightly colored bucket. Place the glads in the bucket first, spreading them to cover the back of the arrangement. Fill in with round clusters of sedum and Ornithogalum to ground the arrangement.

Large Flower Arrangement

pink lilies flower arrangement

Credit: Kim Cornelison Photography Inc

Lush arrangements are easier if you choose flowers with large blooms, such as lilies, lisianthus, and roses. Start the arrangement by grouping two or three of the largest flowers in your hand. Add the other large flowers in bunches of two or three around the largest, making sure to vary height. When you're satisfied with your arrangement, cut all the stems across the bottom and place in a vase. Place several stems of longer snapdragons near the back of the arrangement, then fill in with tiny sprigs of greenery.

Vegetable Arrangement Ideas

pink flower purple cabbage arrangement

Credit: Kim Cornelison Photography Inc

Ornamental or flowering kale and cabbage are surprising additions to a traditional flower arrangement; look for varieties with a sturdy, straight stalk. Build this arrangement one half at a time by placing two heads of cabbage in a vase, stems cut so one is taller than the other. Arrange the other half using flowers inspired by the lighter tones in the cabbage: lilacs, pink stock, sweet peas, and lisianthus. Balance the arrangement by placing one or two lighter-color flowers on the side with the cabbage heads.

Easy DIY Flower Arrangement

orange rose green floral arrangement

Credit: John Reed Forsman Photography

To successfully mix a large variety of flowers, try the clustering method. Group like flowers together to create focal points in the arrangement. Try a burst of apricot-color roses mingled with dahlias, hydrangeas, hop vines, viburnum berries, and orchids. Cut the stems fairly short so the flowers are low and spread into one another.

Shapely Flower Arrangement

tall pink red flower arrangement white vase

Credit: Alison Miksch

Having a rough shape in mind before you start arranging helps you make decisions about where to put each flower. Achieve a cone-like shape by cutting stems in tiered lengths, with the bigger blossoms getting shorter stems. Place the larger flowers in the vase, building a rim around the lip. Add flowers according to height, ending with long-stemmed fillers in the center.

Classic Rose Arrangement

red hued roses arrangement in blue vase

Credit: Peter Krumhardt

A classic rose arrangement filled with eye-popping pinks and reds gets more punch when arranged close to the lip of a bright pitcher. Start with a handful of red roses and a pitcher in a contrasting color, such as blue or green. Fill in gaps with pale pink, miniature coral-color, and bright pink antique roses.

Hassle-Free Flower Arranging

long stem country style floral bouquet mason jar

Credit: Studio Au

For a country-style, relaxed arrangement, start with a Mason jar, a few long-stemmed flowers, and several bunches of fillers. Group the flowers in your hand, cutting the stems to the desired flower height. We used soft pink tulips, white and pink peonies (you only need one or two to make an impact), pink delphiniums, and purple irises. Place in Mason jar. Fill in the gaps with lots of feverfew and cushion spurge to give the bouquet volume, making sure the flowers spread in all directions.

Beautiful Flower Arrangement

pink peonies white vase outside arrangement

Credit: Alison Miksch

You don't need an endless variety of flowers to create a gorgeous and interesting arrangement. Gather or purchase peonies in a few different colors, a few stalks of larkspur or another long-stemmed flower, and a few sprigs of greenery. Arrange the peonies in a round bunch and place in vase. Insert a few stalks of larkspur evenly throughout the bouquet. Tuck greenery in beneath the peonies.

Simple Flower Arrangement

multicolor floral arrangement outside

Credit: Steven Randazzo

A far-reaching, multicolor arrangement like this looks way more difficult than it is. Start with a dozen roses in any color, laying them in the container so they spread to all sides. Add a few stems of sweet William for differing textures. Fill the back of the arrangement with lush greenery, such as lady's mantle, pushing a few bunches in between the rose heads.

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