Ever wonder how to create a florist-worthy flower arrangement from home? Pick up some flowers at Costco, but then put them in a vase and they look more drab than fab? What’s the secret, right?… Well, it’s waterproof tape. Let me explain.
When I want to display some florals in my home, I don’t generally rely on a florist, because I figured out how to put together an arrangement for a fraction of the price (but yes, I will always gladly accept the gift of a professional flower arrangement delivery, so let’s not get it twisted, ha!).
Gabby MusacchioThis is what you’ll need to achieve a bountiful floral arrangement without having to break your head or spend the big bucks:
- A selection of 3 types of florals (I generally pick a larger flower, a medium flower, and a smaller filler floral, or greenery). You can’t go wrong with flowers from Costco. Best bang for your buck, in my opinion. But if you’re looking for seasonal/specialty flowers, the market is always a safe bet.
- Flower cutters or kitchen shears.
- Waterproof tape (clear preferably)
- A vase with an opening big enough to hold your flowers
The tape secret is as simple as using it to create a grid inside the opening of your vase, so that no matter where you place your stems, the flowers will sit nicely, and relatively straight up, in the section you place them in. This is probably easier to understand with a visual:
First, you will fill your vase with lukewarm water. Then, create a grid using the waterproof tape. Next, you will trim your flowers to a length that sits well in the vase that you’ve selected, and remove all excess leaves (leaves drink a lot of water, and take it away from the flower itself – so if you want your flowers to last longer, remove as many leaves as possible). Also, trim about an inch upward into the stem, this also allows the flower to drink more efficiently.
I always start by placing the bigger flowers first, then the medium sized ones, and then the filler flower to fill in any gaps. I try to place at least one of each flower into every section of the grid, so that they are evenly spread out. For this arrangement, I used peonies, ranunculus in two colours, and a what’s called rice flower rose, as the filler.
A good trick to making sure you are arranging the flowers evenly, is to spin your vase around every so often as you place the flowers, looking to plug them into any spaces. Don’t overthink this, there’s no pattern or strategy to respect when placing the flowers. The grid trick ensures that everything will sit perfectly and your filler floral or greenery will do the job at filling in the gaps.
A pro tip to keeping your arrangement looking fresh and lasting longer is to change the water in your vase every two days, and if you have the patience, trim the stems a little as well.
It’s really as easy as that – you’ll have anyone fooled into thinking you paid the big bucks for an arrangement that you put together in under ten minutes, using minimal materials. And hey, it’s always nice to have something pretty to look at on the kitchen counter – treat yourself!
XX Gabby
About me:
After completing her bachelor’s degree in journalism at Concordia University, Gabby pursued her master’s degree from Harvard University, majoring in print journalism. She has put her experience to practice working in various fields and medias, including magazine and radio. She ultimately pivoted professionally, reserving her writing talent for passion projects.
Gabby turned her afterwork hobby of sharing her cooking and good housekeeping tips into a new professional pursuit and set the groundwork for Home With Gabby, which she established in 2020.
Setting a table, arranging flowers, conceptualizing meals and celebrating the seasons are all things that Gabby thrives on. Her love for food stems from a childhood filled with time spent in the kitchen with her grandmother, learning the classics and immortalizing family favourites. Gathering friends and family in her home gives her a reason to get inspired creatively, and sharing it with others through her website and to her strong audience on Instagram, has become a joy.
#HomeWithGabby
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