With any group of cut flowers or potted plant arrangements, you’ve got to consider what looks good in your home, and this is defined by the three tenets of design: balance, proportion and harmony. Every tenet refers to how the separate plants/flowers interact with each other, as determined by their form (overall shape, whether it canopied, rounded or fountain-like) as well as the colour and texture of their leaves, stems and petals. Every feature of a single arrangement is important to consider and should work harmoniously with the others it is placed with.

Grouping plants and flowers in separate containers together is usually a more interesting compliment to a room. Combining various textures, shapes and sizes can create an appealing display that makes more impact than a single arrangement. When doing this, think about how they look together as one, rather than how each looks separately. This will help improve the outcome, developing overall rhythm and harmony. Since they don’t all have to be the same size, type or shape, you have the freedom to combine what you think looks good and what works with the rest of the room. You may want to group a number of exotics together to create a “tropical paradise” inside your home, or a variety of cut flowers to achieve a dazzling rainbow. Think about the placement of each as well; make it interesting by putting a tall flowering plant behind a shorter foliage plant, rather than beside it. You may also want to highlight the beauty of one showier flowering plant by displaying it amidst plainer greenery.

A key element in a flower bouquet is the vase in which it is displayed. A vase that is too big, too small or simply does not aesthetically compliment the arrangement can make any bouquet unattractive – regardless of how fresh, colourful and fragrant it is.

There are many types of vases available, in a range of sizes, shapes, and materials. It is the responsibility of the florist to match an appropriate one with the bouquet. While clear glass square and flared models remain the classical choices, there’s also ceramic, metal, porcelain and even terracotta and wood.

Vase Shapes

There are 5 distinct shapes when it comes to vases. Each has it merits.

Cube Shaped

Cube vases are quite modern in style, transforming even the most traditional flower arrangement into something chic.

Easy to place in corners because of their convenient shape, the only drawback is that they tend to be short with a wide mouth. Flowers need to be trimmed down with petals removed so that they are well supported by the sides of the vase. Sponge can be used to keep flowers in place. If you don’t have enough flowers to fill the vase, attach a grid of tape or wire to the top of the vase so that the flowers have extra support and don’t flop over.

Flared

If you have one vase in your home, it’s probably one of these. Flared vases are quite common, synonymous with traditional arrangements for any occasion. Most often made from glass (or crystal), ceramic or metal, they

A good technique to follow when placing flowers into a flared vase and preventing  them from flopping over the sides is to fill the vase from the inside in, starting with smaller blooms and green garnish. This will create additional support for the larger blooms, which should be placed in the middle to add height. Make sure taller blooms have plenty of support on all sides to keep them upright.

Bud

Bud vases are tall, with a narrow mouth that is designed to hold only one flower. They are a perfect way to highlight the beauty of a single bloom, in the prime of its existence.

Tall Vase

Tall vases are perfect for long stemmed roses, lilies and other blooms that have straight stems strong enough to resist the force of gravity.

The picture shows a unique way to present a flower arrangement in a tall vase made of glass. Rather than allowing the flowers to extend beyond the height of the vase, push them down artistically. This allows the entire flower, from petals to stem, to be enjoyed.

Pitchers

In the same shape as a container that would normally hold milk or lemonade, pitcher vases tend to be tall with a mouth that flares out (some do not). Complete with a handle, these types of pitchers have long been used for more laid back flower arrangements, evoking images of a countryside setting.