SUMMER WEEK 2

BOUQUET INGREDIENTS

lisianthus, cosmos, gomphrena, celosia

One of the joys of having fresh flowers delivered to your home each week is getting to create your own unique arrangements. While I'm no professional florist, I have picked up a few tricks over the years that may help you get started. Here are my beginner's tips for arranging flowers at home:

CHOOSE A VESSEL

Anything can work as a vessel, from canning jars to pitchers to footed bowls. If you're not using other support tools (or mechanics), a good rule of thumb is: the wider the opening of your vessel, the more stems you'll need to make the arrangement look full. The width of the opening matters more than the overall size or height of the vessel. For our subscription bouquets, I generally prefer vessels with a 3 to 4 inch opening. If you're still finding that your stems are flopping outward, you may also find it helpful to trim your stems shorter.

MECHANICS

If you'd like to use a vessel with a wider opening or would just like more control over your stems, flower mechanics like these can help hold your stems in place and give structure to your design.

• Flower frogs: I love using a pin frog (or a kenzan) for ikebana-inspired designs, but ceramic or glass flower frogs work beautifully too.

  
  

  

  Here's an example of an arrangement in a low bowl made with a pin frog.

• Chicken wire: Crumple a small piece into a ball and place it inside your vessel. This acts as a support net for your stems.

  
  

  

  
  

• Tape grid: Make a simple grid over the opening of your vessel using floral tape, or any tape you have on hand. This helps support the stems from the top, keeping them upright and evenly spaced.

  

  
  

These are just a few options, but the goal of all these mechanics is to give you more control over your flower placement. Experiment and see what works for you!

FLOWER PLACEMENT

I don't want to offer too many rules here—this is where you make it your own! When we build our subscription bouquets, we aim for a good balance of foliage, focal flowers, and supporting blooms, so your arrangements will naturally have good variety and flow. So follow your creative spirit!

Arranging flowers is an art, and like any art, it takes practice. Seek inspiration from floral designers whose work speaks to you. Do you prefer symmetrical or asymmetrical arrangements? A traditional, full bouquet or a more minimalist, ikebana-inspired design? What feeling are you hoping to evoke—joy, whimsy, calm? Let your flower placements reflect that.

And if it's your style to just plop your stems in a vase and let them do their thing, that's okay too! I love seeing the arrangements you create with your weekly bouquets, so please keep sharing photos.

Happy arranging!