Building a Bouquet
January 3, 2021
Flowers are an inexhaustible source of joy in the Erbe household. Having a small vase of cut flowers on the bedside table or on the kitchen counter is almost a guarantee at this point in our lives. This was not always the case. Growing up, cut flowers were a luxury reserved for only the most special of occasions and required a not only a trip to the florist but an unthinkable budget. This meant flowers were rarely around in our home. When they were around I found that they were not only captivating but immediately uplifted our spirits. There was just something about them that made us yearn for them to be around all the time. As I got older, the access to affordable flower options expanded tremendously. With the advent of the Trader Joes floral section and the proliferation of farmers markets now means I am only a few dollars away from having the flowers around that we love. This has also encouraged us as amateur florists to pursue our own flower arranging both for our own selfish purposes and for any occasion that may call for this.
Pick your vase carefully- One of the mistakes I used to make in flower arranging was picking the wrong vase. I couldn’t understand why I had such a hard time getting my flower arrangement to look like it ca e from a florist shop and after years of experimenting I found out the vase was the source. Many of the vases I used were tall and long with a narrow opening. I have found much greater success with shorter, squattier vases with a wide mouth opening. This is what florists generally use for the tight rounded floral arrangement that we prefer. Both squared off and circle work well. I have also taken to using unexpected receptacles for vases. Largemouth jars, pretty pitchers, or even large candle holders that I have cleaned out after the candles have burned completely. I keep various version of these around my house and they come in very handy when I need a quick gift for a friend without needing the vase returned.
2. Pick one color- Flowers can be intimidating. If you don’t know where to start we suggest sticking to one color and purchasing flowers you like in this color family. When you arrive at the floral section of the store look to the flower that sticks out to you first or a flower you really love, and then build off that. If the white hydrangeas look particularly good today, use them as your base and look for additional white flowers to fill. We suggest starting with 3-4 varieties if available.
3. Shape, texture, and height- To add visual interest to your bouquet look for flowers in different textures and sizes. This gives depth to the bouquet and will give the appearance that it is well rounded. Don’t underestimate the power of a small flowering branch, greenery, or grasses. These flowers don’t immediately draw your eye but you will be surprised at how much they add to your arrangement.
4. Buy more than you need- There is nothing worse than getting home and not having enough flowers to build your arrangement. We are not suggesting spending hundreds of dollars on flowers and in fact this is what we are trying to avoid. This is where suggestion #1 is going to come in handy. No bouquet needs to be massive. Flowers are still meaningful and impressive at a modest size. Choose your vase carefully and then purchase more flowers than you think to fill the vase you have. This will keep your arrangement affordable but complete.
5. Don’t be afraid to trim- Cut flowers from the store come with incredibly long stems. Don’t be afraid to cut a majority of this stem off of your flowers. We typically want our flowers to sit just above the edge of the vase meaning ¾ of the stem gets cut. This will give you a more professional look and allow you to fill in the gaps of your arrangement. It goes without saying but is worth mentioning, if you are uncertain leave yourself extra. You can always cut shorter but you can’t add on.
