The Best Vases

Tall Vases

• Tall vases are most suited for long stemmed flowers such as roses or sunflowers. Use a tall narrow vase to display arrangements comprised of long stemmed flowers with compact blooms. The height of the vase supports the stems, and prevents the arrangement from falling over. The narrowness of the vase keeps the blooms together, which helps small blooms look like a full arrangement.

  For larger arrangements composed of different types of flowers (especially if the length of the stems vary) use a tall, wide-mouthed vase with a heavy base. The wide mouth allows for many flowers without overcrowding, and the heavy base keeps a large arrangement from toppling over.

Medium Height Vases

• Medium height vases are best for displaying mid-height flowers. A narrow vase of medium height (also called a bud vase) is best for displaying an individual flower stem or two or three small flowers. Bud vases are tall enough and narrow enough to support the stems, yet small enough not to overwhelm such a small arrangement. A wide, medium height vase is better suited to slightly larger arrangements of midsized flowers such as garden roses.

Short Vases

• Short vases give optimal display to short stemmed, full-blossomed flowers such as peonies or hydrangeas. Full blossomed flowers tend to double over if their stems are too long, so it is important to display them in a vase that allows for short stems.

  A short spherical or square vase gives added support to full blossoms which preserves freshness. A wide shallow vase, however, is best for larger arrangements of these flowers to prevent overcrowding. This type of vase is also best for short stemmed flower arrangements that will be used as centerpieces because the lower profile allows diners to see each other over the arrangement.

Alternative Vases

• Occasionally, for decorative purposes, one may wish to use an object such as a pitcher, bowl, tea pot or other household item as a vase. Before repurposing a household item, consider its size and shape to determine suitability.

  The pitcher, for example, is better suited as a vase for sunflowers than garden roses; and the bowl looks better as a wide shallow vase for hydrangeas on a breakfast table rather than for a couple of medium stemmed daisies on a bookshelf.