Tue 31 May 2022

Summer flower arrangement – how to make one yourself

Whether you have never designed a floral display before or you have plenty of experience, there is no better time than the summer season to create your own summer flower arrangement. Not only are flowers abundantly available, but the fact that the days are warmer and longer lead to even more inspiration. There is an emotional shift that we all experience during this time of year and, thanks to this added sense of positivity, you can come up with some of the most amazing designs.

What you need:

– A selection of summer flowers

– Foliage of your choice to suit your blooms

– Suitable vase or container

– A sharp pair of scissors

– Flower food

– A bucket of warm water

Instructions:

  • Before you begin, you will need to choose the right blooms for your summer flower arrangement. The colours you select need to be bright and bold. Pastels are for spring while brighter shades are excellent for summer.

  • Remember, there are three main types of flowers in a bouquet – focal, mass and filler flowers. So, start by choosing your focal flowers. There should be an uneven number of these blooms (three, five, seven, etc) and they should be the largest and brightest of the bunch. Many people choose flowers like lilies to take on this role.

  • Once you have selected your flowers, you can choose some suitable foliage. Again, you should choose two or three types of foliage and you will only need a few stems of each since their role is only to fill in the gaps.

  • Next, you will need to choose a vase to hold all of your blooms. When in doubt, remember that a clear glass vase will always look good no matter the theme or colour scheme of the bouquet.

  • Now, you need to prepare your vase by ensuring that it is properly washed and thoroughly rinsed.

  • Add some fresh water and flower food to the vase. Make sure that it is completely dissolved before you add any blooms.

  • Take each flower stem and remove leaves that will end up inside the vase. Then, cut the stems at an angle so that they have a larger area for absorbing nutrients and water.

  • Start by placing some foliage and filler flowers around the rim of the vase. This will help support the rest of the stems. You should allow the stems of your first additions to cross over one another so that more stems can be slid in between.

  • Now, add your focal flowers to the middle of the arrangement and don’t worry too much if they move around a little. It will all come together in the end.

  • Add mass flowers all the way around your bouquet but leave some spaces in between.

  • Fill these spaces with your filler flowers and foliage.

  • Make sure that you rotate your vase as you work so that you create a balanced floral display.

Once your summer flower arrangement is all done, it’s time to find the perfect place to put it on display. Remember to avoid areas that receive direct sunlight as well as those that are in direct contact with the air coming from your air conditioner. Check on the water level and quality every day. If the water becomes cloudy, empty the vase right away, clean it and add fresh water. You might need to trim the stems too. Regular care ensures that your flowers last that much longer.