9 Easy Steps to Arrange Flowers Like a Pro

2. Choose a container

The vase you use can make a statement too — and it should match the style of flower. Tall flowers like gladioli, calla lilies and sunflowers belong in tall vases, but you’ll want to use smaller, squat flowers, like ranunculus or a single peony, for low containers. Be creative: Try mason jars or ceramic pitchers for a country-chic look.​

“The container is so important because it dictates what kind of flowers” to use, says Margaret Steed, 89, of Raleigh, North Carolina. “I just put some roses in my breakfast room in varying shades of pink. It’s an oblong rectangular container that fits perfectly on my breakfast table.”​

3. Gather supplies​

Make sure you have everything you need in one place. That may include a vase, garden clippers or scissors, plant food, flowers, greenery, tape and twine.

4. Prepare flowers​

Strip stems of dead leaves, wilted petals, thorns and anything that will fall below the water line of your container. That prevents bacteria from forming in the water and helps flowers last longer.​

Cut the stems at an angle 1 to 2 inches from the bottom; this increases the surface area, so the flowers can absorb more water. Measure the flowers against your container and cut them to size. A rule of thumb: Your bouquet should be about one and a half times as tall as the container.​

5. Add water

​Fill the vase with water so the flowers have plenty of hydration. Add plant food, stirring until it dissolves. DIYers can add two tablespoons of vinegar or a quarter teaspoon of bleach (per quart of water) to prevent bacteria and help the flowers last longer.​

6. Create a grid​

Farooq-Jannah likes to place green, waterproof floral tape across the top of a container in a tic-tac-toe pattern to hold stems in place. Wrap a layer of tape around the top to secure the ends of the grid tape. Use flowers or greenery to cover any visible tape. No floral tape? Use cellophane tape instead.​

You also can buy an inexpensive floral frog, an insert placed at the bottom of a vase that holds stems in place, or make one from chicken wire. To support heavier stems or branches, use tape, twine or floral wire to bind them to bamboo skewers.​

7. Arrange biggest blooms first​

The showiest blooms will be the focal point of your arrangement. Aim for a gradual progression in stem sizes — from taller stems in the back to shorter stems in the front, Crary advises. Turn the vase as you go — or work on a lazy Susan — to make sure the flowers are evenly distributed.

“I like to pick full-looking flowers,” says Farooq-Jannah, like hydrangeas for their fullness or alstroemeria that have multiple buds on a single stem.​

8. Enhance with secondary flowers​

Smaller flowers, such as carnations, sedum or spray roses, complement the primary flowers and help fill out an arrangement. They also can add contrast and diversity to your bouquet in terms of color and shape.​

9. Add finishing touches

​It’s optional, but greenery like eucalyptus or ruscus stems can fill in any holes in your bouquet while adding texture and another color. Get creative with unusual materials, such as branches, berries or purple kale. This is also when you may want to add delicate flowers like baby’s breath.

Once your arrangement is complete, step back to evaluate it from every angle, and then recut or rearrange the stems as needed.

Michele Sokol of Wilmington, North Carolina, likes to include grasses, ivy and fern leaves with fresh flowers. The 78-year-old recently added maple leaves to a small vase of flowers from her yard. “I just like it to look pretty in a vase and not take a lot of time,” she says.

To extend the life of cut flowers, change the water every day and remove any wilted or dry flowers and foliage. Greenery is more durable, so use it to create your next bouquet with fresh flowers.