Creative Flower Arranging Ideas

Style and Flowers

• First, let's consider the theme for your flower arrangement and the style you want to create. For instance, if the flower arrangement is for your home, you will want to use the same colors as your decor and make an arrangement that will go with the overall look of your home. Whatever your home decor--whether country, modern or oriental--design your flower arrangement around that style.

  If you are making flower arrangements for a party or reception, incorporate the theme of the event into the design of the arrangement, creating something unique and appealing. If you are making an arrangement for a wedding reception, use the same colors and flowers as used by the bridal party. For a Hawaiian-themed party, use tropical flowers and elements to create your arrangement.

  Next, consider the type of flower or flowers you wish to use in your arrangement. You may use flowers gathered from your garden, bought from a local florist shop or perhaps silk or artificial flowers purchased from your local craft store. Again, consider the type of arrangement you are striving to create and what flowers would work best in keeping with the theme.

  In our Western culture, it is common to see fuller flower arrangements, using large groups of flowers. In Eastern cultures, though, flower arrangements tend to focus on only one or two flowers, using elements from nature to enhance their beauty, as in the image of the Japanese flower arrangement.

  Also consider the color of your flowers, which can create the mood of the room. For instance, blues and greens evoke tranquility; yellows, reds and oranges are energetic; and pinks and lavenders are romantic.

Containers; Accessories

• The container you use will be the base for the arrangement. As important as the flowers are, it is the container in which they are held that truly adds the creative aspect to your arrangement.

  Choose containers in unusual sizes and shapes and go beyond the usual flower vases, using containers such as old coffee cans, shallow plates with rocks added, Chinese take-out boxes, old glass bottles, old teapots, wine glasses or crystal fruit compote bowls.

  Additional items that may be needed to put your flower arrangement together: floral foam, floral tape, floral "frogs" to hold floating flowers down in the water, Spanish moss, greenery, berries, ribbons, glass marbles, stones and candles.

Putting It Together

• Finally, it is time to put it all together. The flowers need to be cut to fit the vase or whatever vessel you will be using. Measure the flowers to the outside of the container to see where to cut them. Trim off any leaves that will be below water level; otherwise, they will decay and make the water murky. If necessary, use floral foam in the bottom of your container to hold the flowers or use floral tape or wire to give better support to the stems. You can also rubberband a group of flowers together for added support before placing them in a vase or container.

  Flowers can be floated in water in a shallow bowl by cutting the stems close to the base of the flower and adding small floating candles. Make a centerpiece around a special photo or place a single large flower in a tall narrow vase.