How to Arrange a Large Wall Vase

Choose bold flowers for a large wall vase. Make the arrangement with one kind of flower such as gladiolus, tiger lilies, Star Gazers or dahlias; or group two or more flowers together. For example, pair sunflowers with blue hydrangeas for a colorful fall arrangement, or combine orchids with rosebuds and St. Anne's lace for a romantic wall display. Alternatively, make an informal bouquet of garden or florist blooms for a simple wall arrangement that goes with any decor.

Clip off all the leaves, except the top one or two so that no leaves are below the water level in the wall vase. Leaves left below the waterline decay and the bacteria shorten the life of the flower arrangement.

Cut the stems of the largest flowers to twice the height of the wall vase or less. Flowers with graceful, curving stems such as lilies and tulips create attractive displays with exposed stems above the vase. Cut woody stems such as hydrangea and the stems of flowers that grow in spikes such as gladiolus, delphinium and stock shorter so that the bloom displays 2 to 4 inches or more above the vase rim. Cut each stem at a 45-degree angle to help the stem take in water.

Make some stems longer and others shorter to give the wall display a rounded or pointed shape. For example, stand the largest gladiola or lily in the center of the wall vase and cut two more 2 inches shorter than the center flower and add one of them on each side of the center flower. Continue this pattern to create an even pointed shape, angled down from the center like an A-frame roof. Fill out the bouquet with fern, magnolia leaves or eucalyptus, if desired.

Stand back and check the effect of the flower arrangement. Adjust the arrangement if needed so that each side appears balanced. For example, if you're using multiple colors, arrange the flowers so that the different colors show in each area of the arrangement.