A vertical flower arrangement
Flowers add a beautiful touch to any décor, and they make lovely, thoughtful gifts for most occasions. Purchasing flower arrangements can be expensive, costing upwards of $50 for the most basic of arrangements--and that's not even counting delivery or vase fees. Making your own arrangements is not only less expensive, but it is fairly easy to do.
Short Arrangements
The short flower arrangement is very popular in florist shops and to give as gifts. You will need a vase that is no taller than six inches, with a width just about equal to its height. Square vases and containers are great for short arrangements.
Other materials you will need include transparent tape and a selection of blooms. Roses, daisies, hydrangea, and peonies work well with this style of flower arrangement. Fill your vase one-third of the way with room-temperature water--you can add a packet of flower food if you wish. Take the tape and make a grid across the top of the vase. The open sections of the grid should be no larger than one-half inch. Cut the stem of each bloom on the diagonal, and trim it so that the length is just tall enough for the flowers to rise an inch above the grid. Fill the grid with cut blooms, making sure the arrangement is full and the grid cannot be seen. For a decorative touch, you can tie a ribbon around the vase.
Vertical Arrangements
Vertical flower arrangements are one of the most commons types, and they consist of tall flower stems combined with shorter fillers. Flowers that work well with this type of arrangement include tulips, carnations, and roses. For fillers, try baby's breath or forget-me-nots.
To make a tall flower arrangement, you will need to start with a vase that is at least ten inches in height. The shape of the vase does not matter, but you should pick one that has a neck broad enough to accommodate all the blooms--narrow-necked vases won't work with a vertical arrangement. Fill your chosen vase with water and flower food, then make diagonal cuts on the stems of each tall flower, being careful not to cut off more than one inch. Put each of the tall flowers into the vase--you will notice that there are spots that seem less full or empty if you stand back and look at the arrangement. These empty spots are where the filler flowers need to go. While adding the filler blooms, continue to step back from time to time and ensure that the entire arrangement appears full, balanced, and appealing.
Minimalistic Arrangements
True to their name, minimalistic arrangements focus on making a statement through clean lines and simplicity. Bold and exotic flowers work well for this style of arrangement, including orchids, calla lilies, dahlias, amaryllis, and tuberose. You will only need one to three blooms to make this type of arrangement, and this is advantageous since the type of flowers you will use tend to be more expensive than others. Fillers will not be necessary, although some like to add a bit of greenery to their minimalistic arrangements, such as a couple shoots of bamboo. The vase you use will need to be at least eight inches tall with a narrow neck--choosing a broad-necked vase will throw off the look of the arrangement. Try to get a solid-color coordinating vase, or one made of clear glass. Avoid vases with decorative motifs, as they will detract from the simplicity of the arrangement. After filling the vase with water and flower food, add your blooms.
