A step-by-step guide to arranging fresh flowers like a professional. Fun. Simple.
- Cut early in the morning or last thing in the evening when the flowers are at their most turgid. Never cut in the heat of the day as they will wilt immediately.
- Store in a cool and dark place for at least 12 hours before arranging.
- Cut the stem at an angle to enhance the take up of water.
- Add a teaspoon of sugar and bleach to the water – the sugar provides food and the bleach helps to keep the water clean.
- Remove excess leaves – particularly any lower leaves that would be in the water.
- Vases – I tend to arrange with vases and a mixture of tall, short, wide brims and narrow necks enables full use of all blooms. Even an old tea pot can work well.
- When arranging straight into vases, you can experiment with colours and textures but foliage and height are important. It is good to have a dominant colour or flower eg a dahlia, and complement it with more delicate support acts for instance cosmos, nigella and scabious. I find that a lot comes from availability of flowers. When the dahlias are in full flow from the end of August to November, you rarely have enough other varieties.
TOP TIP:
Dahlias come in so many shapes and petal formations that they can easily be arranged at different heights. If the stems are short or the flower heads are top-heavy, chicken wire or tape can be used to support them in the water.
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