Flower Arrangements With Fruit & Vegetables

Fruit and Veggies on Stems

• Integrating fruits or vegetables with flowers changes the look of a traditional floral arrangement by adding texture and interest. By inserting floral sticks, which are long stem-like rods you can buy at craft or floral supply stores, into a piece of fruit or a vegetable, you can easily add it to any flower arrangement. Small oranges, baby artichokes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts or squash attached to floral sticks can be tucked in among blossoms of flowers.

  Cluster fruit, like grapes, cherries and berries can be inserted into your arrangement to gracefully drape over the edge of the vase or attached to the floral stick with florists tape or thin wire to burst from the main arrangement.

Alternate Fillers

• Greenery and small flowers are usually used in a flower arrangement to fill in bare areas among the blossoms. Instead of leaves and baby's breath, try inserting long sprigs of various green herbs like parsley, rosemary or mint, or use the leaves of different varieties of lettuce or kale.

The Container

• Using fruit or vegetables as part of the container for a flower arrangement can change an ordinary flower arrangement into an extraordinary display. Fruit or vegetables as part of the container for a floral arrangement can reflect the season, making it timely. Tie spears of asparagus around the container for a spring arrangement. Summertime arrangements can be made with clear containers that have whole or sliced citrus fruit in the water. Hollowed out fruit or vegetables, like apples, oranges, winter squash and pumpkins, that hold a smaller container of water make a festive statement.

Cut and Altered

• Cutting, slicing and altering fruit or vegetables can create stylized, edible flowers that can be assembled into a bouquet or integrated with flowers for a different, unique appearance. Individual purple grapes strung on a floral stick in place of a flower spike, or radish and carrot flowers on floral sticks easily can be inserted within the floral display. Cut pineapple and oranges into five petal flower shapes with strawberries or grapes as the flower center for a truly edible flower bouquet.