How to Arrange Flowers in a Vase
I love to arrange flowers and today I am sharing a foolproof and easy way to arrange flowers in a vase.
Setting up a vase of flowers is like putting together a puzzle. You have to find the right balance of colors, shapes, and sizes to make it look good. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
I love to arrange flowers and today I am sharing how I arranged these Trader Joe’s gorgeous peony flowers in a vase.
Where to Buy Grocery Store Flowers
I love to have fresh flowers in my home and have come to love flower design. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, then you are probably aware of what an amazing selection of flowers they have.
Trader Joe’s is my go-to for flowers if I am not going downtown to the flower mart. Depending on where you are located, the flower selection will vary. I am lucky enough to have four Trader Joe’s within close proximity. Each has a different personality with varying sizes of flower departments and flower selections. I can usually find roses year-round and tulips most months. I love their orchids and they also have already made bouquets that I sometimes purchase, then take apart and then redesign by adding more flowers.
Trader Joe’s is where I got all of the beautiful flowers for this post. For those of us on the West Coast that cannot grow peonies (they need a freeze), peony season is a really big deal. When peonies come in season, the flower mart is flooded with them and they are snapped up really quickly. Luckily, Trader Joe’s also gets peonies during peony season, and they are just $8.99 for 5 stems!
On my last trip to Trader Joe’s, I found peony tulips. I had never seen these before but am really excited about how they looked in these flower designs. They look almost like a parrot tulip with its ruffly edges.
Peonies are in season from late spring through early summer (depending on your location). They are known in the language of flowers as symbolizing a happy life/happy marriage. They come in many shades and colors including white, light pink, dark pink, red, and shades including blush, coral, lavender, and deep purple.
Peonies are my favorite flower for many reasons. First, I love how large they are. They look like huge cabbage roses with hundreds of petals. I also love how fluffy the petals are. When they open, they have a beautiful center with yellow stamens. Peonies provide a pretty accenting to other flowers and add a dramatic flair to centerpieces based on their size and depth of color. And the smell is so fragrant.
When the blooms first begin to emerge, they look like hard flower balls. I learned recently that if you put the stems in a bucket of water and put them out in the sun, they will open sooner.
I also read on @TraderJoes_Flowers that if you massage the petals, they will open faster. Hmmm, I am not sure I am up for flower petal massage, but if it helps open these gorgeous flowers, I will give it a try!
Interestingly, the blooms will fade over time. As you can see from the photo above, these peonies started out dark pink when I bought them. Within a few days, as I captured In the photo below, they had changed to a coral color. Isn’t that magnificent? It is like getting two arrangements out of one flower!
Peony Centerpiece Flowers in a Vase
Trader Joe’s is my favorite spot to buy grocery store flowers. When I am in Waco, Texas, HEB Plus has a great selection of flowers. I got all of the flowers for our Waco Dinner with Friends at HEB Plus! Whole Foods also has a beautiful flower selection and our local grocery stores are good in a pinch, but the selection and pricing are not as good as Trader Joe’s.
Step by Step Arranging Flowers in a Vase
I always start arrangements by taking inventory of how many flowers I have to work with, how many arrangements I want to make, and the size of the vase/vessel. This is a really important step so that you make sure you have enough flowers to create the look that you want to create.
I divide the blooms up into the various vessels so that there are an even amount to start from.
Once the blooms have been counted and divided, I begin making the arrangement in my hand. This gives me the ability to keep the arrangement tightly bound while I build it. It is important to be able to look at the arrangement from multiple sides to ensure balance and size.
Once you have an arrangement you like, trim the stems evenly and gently place in the vessel/vase.
Adding greens to an arrangement is the last step. Greens help to fill out an arrangement, add texture, and can also help support delicate blooms.
I like tight arrangements, so once I had added the greenery, I trim the stems and wrap them a couple of times in twine and tie a bow to help keep the arrangement centered in the vase. If you are using a glass vase, use green twine so that it doesn’t show amongst the stems and leaves. The blooms will naturally droop a bit as the flowers open and get heavier. The twine helps to keep the arrangement together.
I usually have extra greens leftover which is great for adding at the very end to cover up any bare spots.
If you are enjoying my blog, you can sign up to receive my blog updates here. .
Here are the three flower arrangements I made for our dinner party. Aren’t they wonderful?
And here is the exact same flower arrangement a week later and the peonies are a completely new color!
They are just spectacular.
I just love how flowers make such a statement on a table. Not only do they smell amazing, but they also set the tone for thoughtfulness and care. A beautifully set table should help your guests feel special and cared for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trader Joe’s has the best selection and prices. Other stores have inexpensive premade bouquets.
Fresh, clean water helps keep flowers alive. Rinse the vase with warm water and refill with cool water daily. If the flowers came with a packet of “plant food” add it to the water slowly over the course of a week.
Links to Similar Items Shown in This Post
Similar Posts
Pin the image below to your decor or floral boards on Pinterest (just click the Pin button in the top left corner). You can also follow along with me on Pinterest!
For more real-time updates, follow me on Instagram @My100YearOldHome
Loved all your great info on flowers! I love how peonies change colors! Stunning!
I am so happy to hear that! And me too, they are unbelievably beautiful!
SO beautiful Leslie – your flower arrangements are always lovely, and now we know how you do it! Thanks so much for the tutorial and the gorgeous inspiration! GO Trader Joe’s!!
Yay! I hope you go try it! And yes GO Trader Joe’s!
The flowers are gorgeous, but your Cranberry glass has me drooling! Changing the water on the arrangements, keeping it fresh makes them last longer too. Beautiful inspiration in this post!
I am glad you like them! Thank you!
Love your beautiful peony arrangements! Trader Joe’s is amazing! We actually have one in Oklahoma City! Thank you for sharing everything you create!
Thank you for your kind words!