DIY Flower Arranging

Acquire your flowers first. Visit a garden store to find out what flowers are available. For a simple arrangement, choose only one type of flower. For a more visually interesting arrangement, pick two or three different types. Choose flowers that are in a similar color palette. You may also choose one flower to be the main focus of your arrangement, then choose a few accent flowers. In this case, the accent flowers can be different colors, but they should be much smaller than the main flowers.

Place flowers in a bucket of water until you're ready to use them. Use room-temperature water and add some floral preservatives to keep flowers healthy.

Obtain a container for your arrangement. Use a silver vase or a painted ceramic bowl with tall sides. A clear vase will show the stems and floral foam inside.

Cut at least an inch off the bottom of each stem using a sharp knife. Cut the stems on an angle so more water can get inside. You may need to cut off more than an inch to make the flowers the correct height for the container.

Place floral foam inside the vase. This foam is available in garden and craft stores. Cut a piece to fit inside the bottom of your container. Soak it in water for 15 minutes before placing it inside. Watered foam will keep flowers in place and will also keep them hydrated.

Press the largest flowers into the foam first. Rotate the vase while you work so that the arrangement will be even on all sides.

Fill in the arrangement with smaller flowers. These blooms should fill in the gaps between larger flowers so that the foam is not visible if you're looking down at the arrangement.