Five Steps to Making a Floral Arrangement

Selecting Flowers

• Choose flowers you like from a florist, a supermarket or from your own garden, in colors in which you want to work. Form an idea in your mind of the shape you would like the arrangement to take. You will need three types of flowers. For creating the design's line or outline, choose long-stalked flowers such as gladiolus, lilies, delphiniums or snapdragons. Also select larger round flowers to fill in the design; for example, you can use roses, peonies, rhododendrons, large clusters of smaller flowers and even berries. Choose filler materials to close spaces in the arrangement, such as foliage, baby's breath and Queen Anne's lace.

Choosing a Container

• Basic, inexpensive vases work well. But you can think creatively and choose anything that holds water. Keep in mind: the container should be cleaned and of adequate size to handle the arrangement. Its opening should be large enough so that stems are not packed in tightly.

Conditioning

• To extend the life of your arrangement, remove any leaves or flowers from stems that would be underwater in the arrangement and condition the flowers. Conditioning reduces air bubbles in stems and increases a cut flower's water uptake. To condition, using a clean knife or scissors, recut stems diagonally, approximately 1 inch from the stem's bottom, under lukewarm running water. The diagonal cut prevents flowers from resting on the container's bottom, diminishing water uptake. Place the flowers in water in a bucket, and store them in a cool location -- about 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit -- for several hours.

Learning the Basics

• Put the floral foam or frog at the bottom of the container and fill it with water. The arrangement, from top to bottom, should be 1 1/2 times the size of the container for correct visual balance. Use the taller line material, such as delphiniums, to create an outline of the arrangement's finished shape, such as triangular, sticking stem ends into the foam or frog. Basic design guidelines include placing the biggest flowers and darkest flowers near the arrangement's bottom. Flowers should get smaller -- and the color lighter, if flower color varies -- from the bottom of the arrangement to the top, for a balanced-looking arrangement.

Completing the Design

• Now that you have your outline finished and know some design guidelines, complete the arrangement. Fill in the design generously with the large rounder flowers, such as roses and peonies. Cut flower stems to the correct heights for the design; stems should be shorter as you go down the arrangement. Create a focal point in the front center of the arrangement. Think creatively, instead of using one big flower, place five flowers of slightly varying sizes or colors there. Then, fill in any other remaining space with filler material, including foliage, and small flowers, such as baby's breath.