There is so much joy in going outside to pick homegrown cut flowers to make beautiful home arrangements. Whether you have a cutting patch, a flower bed, a few pots of flowers or only what's available on a countryside walk - there are so many ways to use flowers to brighten up your home.
How to make professional looking flower arrangements for your home
Pick seasonally
It's helpful to look what you have in season growing in the garden or on your hedgerow walks. This allows you to make the most of varieties while they are at their best.
Consider a colour theme, location and container
I like to think about the colour of flowers in my cutting patch and then choose a container which both suits the flowers and the location in our house or garden that I have in mind.
This teacup was the perfect vessel for some short stemmed roses and dahlias. It also makes a pretty and unusual design feature on our footstool where I like to sit and ponder my To Do List.
Be creative with your flower container!
This tiny milk jug is a perfect sweet pea vase and is a lovely surprise in the bathroom! You could use tin cans, jugs, teacups, watering cans, mugs, water or milk bottles as well as traditional vases.
This pretty water jug makes a simple vase for some summer flowers to sit on the patio.
Consider the greenery
Think about what greenery you have available to use. Maybe it's something from the hedge, leaves from one of your flowerbed plants or a hedgerow invader like ivy.
Other tips:
- Think balance over symmetry - for example if you don't have two of the same flower head, do you have two of a similar size or shape to add balance?
- Remove any leaves that may end up below the water level to prevent the water from going bad.
- Fill your vase only half full and use flower food if you have some. I like to save unused flower food sachets from flowers that I buy or am given.
- Consider height - as a rule of thumb, the height of the tallest flowers will be 1.5 times the height of the container.
- Save the flowers where the stem breaks...and display the flowers in a teacup or even an egg cup!
- Choose a vase or container that fits your home decor or the theme you'd like to see - for example an autumnal coloured jug for a September display.
