Let’s be honest: arranging flowers sounds romantic until you’re elbow-deep in stems, your “wild and organic” bouquet looks like a sad grocery store clearance bin, and you're side-eyeing your shears like they might solve bigger problems.
We’ve been there. And we’ve got you.
Here’s how to arrange flowers like the kind of woman who casually tosses a few stems into a vase and somehow ends up with a still life worthy of a Dutch master. (Spoiler: she probably read this first.)
Too Long; Didn’t Read
Short on time? Want flowers that look fabulous without the floral drama? Here’s your cheat sheet:
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Start with the vase. It sets the mood. Lettuce Leaf for lush, Alto for drama.
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Snip and strip like a pro. Use sharp scissors, cut at an angle, strip the leaves, and stash stems in a bucket of cold water to pull from as you go.
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Imperfect = perfect. Nature isn’t symmetrical, and your arrangement shouldn’t be either. Let it be wild(ish).
1. Start with the vase, not the flowers.
The vase sets the tone—short and round for something compact and lush, tall and narrow for drama. For a full, layered look, we love our Lettuce Leaf Vase (or her little sister, the Petite). Want height and elegance? The Alto Vase is your girl. Think of your vase like the shoes you build an outfit around. Start there.
2. Snip, strip, dunk—and set aside.
Always cut your stems at an angle (more surface area = better hydration), strip off any leaves that would sit below the water line (bacteria’s favorite snack), and place flowers in water immediately. Pro tip: keep a bucket or pitcher of cold water nearby and drop your prepped stems in as you go. That way, everything stays hydrated and ready while you build your arrangement with intention. Plus, it feels very floral studio chic.
3. Cold water, clean vase, happy blooms.
Start with fresh, cold water—room temp is fine, but cold is best for perking up stems. Change the water daily, and give the vase a quick rinse. It’s five minutes that buys you days of extra beauty. (Think of it like skincare, but for peonies.)
4. Use greenery to build your base.
If you’re using the Lettuce Leaf Vase, start by adding greenery first—it creates a supportive base that holds your flowers in place and gives the whole arrangement a full, lush shape. For taller vessels like the Alto Vase, lean into varying heights and stick with odd numbers. The magic is in the stagger—it keeps the eye moving and the arrangement feeling natural.
5. Let the tallest stems stretch.
As a rule of thumb, your longest stems should be about twice the height of your vase. It gives the whole thing that casual, swoopy elegance you’re after—like the flowers just happened to fall into place that beautifully (even though we both know better).
6. Take a cue from nature.
Skip perfection. Skip symmetry. A good arrangement feels a little wild—some stems lean, some blooms face out, others look like they’re whispering secrets to each other. Nature doesn’t use rulers, and your flowers shouldn’t either.
7. One weird thing makes it better.
A sprig of herbs, a branch from the yard, something slightly asymmetrical—it gives your arrangement a story. Like, “Oh this? Just some flowering quince I grabbed on my walk.”
Bonus tip: flowers love a good vessel.
A scalloped edge here, a handblown texture there. Our artisan-made vases were made for exactly this moment. No foam, frogs, or floral degrees required.
Now go forth and flower.
(And if all else fails, throw a single bloom in a bud vase and call it a day. We call that restraint.)
