How to arrange flowers to decorate

Natural flowers can add the finishing touch to your home decor

They serve to give color to spaces, as well as fragrance and a touch of distinction. It is advisable to choose flowers from the area and the season .  

For example, this time of year in Europe there are a lot of tulips, daffodils, buttercups, anemones and hyacinths. Also resort orchids.

Avoid tropical plants, such as the bird of paradise (strelitzias), the amber cane, the heliconias or the protea ( if we live in America, the rule is the other way around ).

It is also interesting to be careful not to mix too many varieties – a large bouquet of all one kind of country flowers can be more attractive than a bouquet bought from a florist that claims to include several varieties and colors of flower. 

How to cut the stems for a flower arrangement:

Cut about 2.5cm from the stem (those with woody stems, such as roses, should be cut diagonally to maximize the surface area open to water.

Change the water daily and cut them back each time the water is changed. It will make them last longer.  

Arrange flower bouquets:

With a little dexterity, the idea is to place them in your hand in a spiral , so that each new stem is at a slanted angle to the previous one. It is the way to form a beautiful 'dome'.

If you are not able to do it, just place them on a surface and cut them all to the same length, then gather them together and put them in a vase. They should fit pretty well.

Where to put the flowers:

The value of the container is often underestimated, when in fact it is as important or more than the flowers.

A basic set is needed:

• A cylindrical vase with straight walls, about 80 x 15cm, for long-stemmed plants such as lilies, amaryllis or gladiolus.
• A square pot, which looks great on coffee tables, for spring flowers fairly trimmed so that they just stick out over the edge.
• A round fishbowl , which can be filled with a few flexible stems such as those of tulips, orchids or calla lilies (put the stem in 1 inch of water and swirl the flower heads around the inside of the glass for a greater impact with less).
•  A vase of about 10cm at the neck and wider at the bottom, ideal for any hand bouquet that they give us (do not cut the strap that ties the bouquet until it is placed in the vase).  

Keep the vase water clean:

There is a little trick that consists of using sterilizing tablets . Put a quarter of a tablet in a normal sized vase to keep the water clean and free of bacteria. This helps the plants last longer and does not harm them at all.

The heat makes them bloom earlier and, therefore, wither earlier , so you should put them in a cool place, away from radiators, so they last longer.

Some florists sell a sachet to put in the water and prolong the life of the flowers . If this is not your case, you can add a teaspoon of sugar.  

elegant and cheap

A good idea for a dinner party is to use many small individual vases (each with a single stem inside) and place them huddled together in the center of the table. You can also use glasses, small jugs, candle holders, milk bottles, glass jars, etc. Instead of throwing them away, they can be recycled to be used as cups.  

Photo: www.telegraph.co.uk