How to Create a Floral Arrangement

Choose flowers. Your choice of flowers sets the tone for the arrangement. Start by deciding which type of flower will take the "starring" role. Get at least three or more of this flower. Always use an odd number because odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye. Some examples are rose, carnation, sunflower, lily, spring bulb, iris or zinnia. Then choose a complementary filler flower, such as baby's breath, Queen Anne's lace, heather, statice, aster or marigold. Finally, choose greens to frame the flowers. Ferns of every variety work well, as do asparagus greens or even fresh herbs such as dill, basil, chervil or curly parsley.

Choose a container. The container you choose will determine the size of your finished arrangement. It doesn't necessarily have to be a vase--any container will work, even those that are not watertight. In that case, insert a disposable plastic food container to hold the water and flowers. It will be hidden by the flowers and greens.

Add a floral oasis or frog. A floral oasis is a Styrofoam-like block that can hold a lot of water. Floral oases are available at florists or craft stores. Cut the oasis to fit into the container. It should come just below the top of the container. When you insert the flower stems into the oasis it will hold them exactly where you place them. A frog is a curved plate-shaped insert, usually made of ceramic, with holes to hold the flower stems. Frogs are reusable and have been around for hundreds of years, making them collectible as well.

Determine the shape of your arrangement. Decide if you want it to be the traditional triangular shape or a more contemporary shape, such as a circle, an S-curve or even an arc.

Use the largest flowers to create the basic skeleton of your arrangement. Start with the flowers you chose for the starring role and insert them into the oasis or frog. Use these flowers as the "framework" of your arrangement. Then fill in with the filler flowers and greens. If you're making a low arrangement, it should be a little wider than the container. For a tall arrangement, the tallest point should be 1 1/2 to 2 times the height of the container.

Once you have used your feature flowers to create the framework, fill in with smaller accent flowers. Again, work with odd numbers that are more pleasant to look at.

Add greens to frame the flowers and conceal the top of the container. Begin by inserting greens near the base of the arrangement, almost horizontally, to hide the oasis or frog and the top of the container. Then create a backdrop behind the flowers. Finally, fill in any gaps with smaller pieces of greens.

Add ribbons, bows or novelty picks. Novelty picks are a great way to further customize your arrangement. For example, use a novelty pick with a baby bottle for a baby shower or choose small artificial fruits for an autumn harvest celebration..