The Right Vase For The Right Flower
Kelly Bernier 5 14 flowers 3
tray (1)
If you are like me, you have many different vases you have collected over the years. Tall, short, round and square. Clear and colored glass. Vases and containers of all colors, shapes and sizes! But that is ok, because a good variety is important to handle the many different flowers and various arrangements. Here is a brief summary of popular vase shapes and what flowers work best:Cube VasesThis is a very popular vase shape in flower arranging because it is one the the easiest to work with:
cube vase tape
I use this type often because it is so easy – just cut the stems all the same length! I love the results. It is a great little vase to present a bunch of short stems in a modern way such as tulips, peonies and anemones to name just a few. The key is having enough flowers to fill it. If you are having trouble having your stems stand up, use a grid of tape across the top:
peonies in cube
branch vase
Tall VasesUse a tall straight vase to showcase tall dramatic flowers. A straight vase will help hold the flowers upright. A few strong stems to use are lilies, gladioli and delphiniums. Another great use for this type of vase is holding branches:
gladiolus
taller vase
fluted vase
Flared VaseThe flared vase is one of the most common vases available although it seems to be the most difficult vase to work with. If you do not have enough flowers, or if they are too tall, they stems will fall around the edge and leave the middle empty. A trick I have learned is to use smaller flowers or foliage all around the edge until full, then use your larger blooms towards the center:
tall vase
Another way to work with a flared vase is to fill with fruit and then stand stems up in middle:
pitcher
PitchersPitchers suggest a relaxed country look that we all love:
hydrangea7
Hydrangeas and lilacs are two of my favorites to use:
white pitcher
bud peony
Bud VasesBud vases have a narrow neck that is designed to hold and showcase either one special bloom or branch:
flower16
Kelly Bernier 5 14 flowers 1
Kelly Bernier 5 14 flowers 5
group of buds
Or you can use several small flower stems together:Don’t you love seeing a group of different bud vases together?:
buds group
I am making a group of bud vases this week! They really look nice, don’t you think? I am definitely doing it!* A good tip to remember: stems should not be longer than the height and half of the container.* One trick the pros use is to tie the stems together. Start by stripping off all but the few top leaves, and then form the bouquet in your hand,not in the vase,adding flowers one by one in a tightly packed arrangement. Then tie the bunch at the very top, right up under the blooms, with a length of waxed twine, string or raffia. Cut the stems to a uniform length before setting them in the vase.* For modern-looking arrangements, use just one color. Most modern designs rely on massed flowers of a single species and color to make a big impression.Have a great week everyone!