A florist's simple trick to the perfect flower arrangement
Making the perfect flower arrangement takes some practice, but creating your own cut flower bouquet will be a little easier thanks to this florist trick.
Audrey Penin, a floral designer and artisan at craft workshop community Wecandoo, has shared a few of her top tips with House Beautiful – and one of them is absolutely game-changing.
For Audrey’s first tip, all you need is a roll of tape. ‘To make the perfect floral arrangements, I recommend using tape to create a grid over your container before arranging,' Audrey reveals. 'Using a tape grid also gives support and structure, stopping your flowers from drooping over the vase and flopping over each other, making it easier to arrange flowers in a sustainable way if you do not have the florist tools.’
And any tape that you have to hand should work well. Whether that's 'anchor tape, sellotape or even washi tape,' Audrey confirms.
This super affordable hack also 'allows water to flow evenly to each stem, ensuring that all the flowers receive adequate hydration', adds Audrey. 'This will also help prolong the life of your bouquet by keeping the flowers hydrated and fresh for longer.’
And when it comes to ensuring that your blooms last as long as possible, there are a few steps that you won’t want to miss out. Keep your flowers in a cool place before you start arranging, ensure any leaves are above the water line and that you’ve cut the stems at a 45-degree angle, so they are given the best opportunity to flourish and take in the most amount of water.
A few items that you should already have in your kitchen cupboards that can help with floral arrangements are baking soda, lemon juice and sugar. According to Audrey, ‘a small tip is to add a bit of baking soda if you don’t have the flower food solutions at hand.’ While lemon juice and sugar is another good alternative to a floral preservative.
Additionally, avoid placing your bouquet in direct sunlight, and this is especially important during the warmer months. In the chillier weather, you should also keep any flowers far away from radiators.
Crucially, remember to change the water every two or three days, otherwise stagnant water can become a breeding ground for bacteria, warns Audrey. And when you change the water, it serves as a good reminder to recut the stems, too.
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