The Summer garden produces a plethora of fun flowers to feature in your home. Depending on what your garden or your local farmers market has to offer, there are blossoms readily available at the peak of Spring through the end of Autumn. The late Spring and Summer seasons' offerings are truly amazing. Some favorites of mine include Hydrangea, Peonies, Lilies, and Roses. You may notice that they are all flowers that have very large blossoms. This is actually one of the reasons that these blooming beauties are at the top of my list! Arranging with them is so easy and simple. The following are some of my tricks for arranging with these plus-sized posies.

Choosing Vessels

A great perk of large-sized flowers is that they easily fill up large-scale vases, which are probably the type most people have at home. While that is an easy answer, for something a little different, try dressing a simple vessel with a single bloom, leaving space around the stem and flower. In addition to your favorite large-scale vessels, you can accent things like old bottles, wine glasses, or cylinder glasses with a few larger blooms. Another rule of thumb for great design is to 'use like with like'. What I mean is keep the Peonies with the Peonies, and the Hydrangea with the Hydrangea. Simple arrangements can often turn out to be much more striking than mixed bouquets. When dropping blooms into smaller vessels, try combining these arrangements down the length of a table to create a tablescape or spread the wealth around the house accenting side tables, coffee tables, night stands and bathroom counters. 

Stem Types

You may notice when looking at big-blooming flowers that their stem thicknesses vary quite dramatically depending on the types of flowers. Hydrangea usually have very thick, knobby stems where Peonies or Roses may have long, slender stems. It is important to take these things into consideration when arranging. When stems are thick and sturdy, you can arrange en-mass in containers with wide openings, such as 46 & Spruce’s Antoinette Vase. Keep the stems short and let the flowers rest on the edge of the vase. With thinner stems, try using the flowers in a taller vase such as 46 & Spruce’s Slender Pyramid Vase. This elegant and tall glass vase is great for arranging tall Peonies. A few blossoms and a sprig of greenery and you are all done!

As the season progresses and summer turns to Autumn, remember the success you had with large-blossomed flowers from the previous seasons! You can apply your skills to the bounty of the fall with flowers such as Chrysanthemums and Dahlias. When the garden season ends, be sure to visit your local florist or grocer and look for the bigger beauties that are offered year-round. Remember that in addition to the tips above for these large lovelies, fresh flower care is still just as important: fresh water and fresh stem cuts daily for success and longevity. Happy arranging!

Derek

Owner, Floral Underground