How to pick, style, and prolong the life of those store-bought beauties.
In my dream life, I’d have a weekly delivery of stunning seasonal floral arrangements arrive at my doorstep — pre-selected based on my taste and pre-arranged in a beautiful vase. If I was even luckier, I’d hand off the “old” vase at the end of the week so I didn’t have to wash it! LOL
Instead, I like the 99 percent, take the opportunity every now and then to treat myself to a pretty arrangement that I make myself from the grocery store floral section. I’ve learned a few tips and tricks to make my flowers look professional and eye-catching — and have even figured out ways to help them last longer than those online flowers ever do!
I teamed up with MacKenzie-Childs to share how to make a beautiful arrangement to brighten up your home or give a gift that’s sure to lift spirits!
PICKING FLOWERS
Check the top AND the bottom of the flowers — avoid those that are already fully open, show signs of browning on petals, and make sure the stems aren’t mushy. Thick, solid-stemmed flowers usually last longer, whereas thin, hollow stems usually expire more quickly. Typically flowers like carnations, calla lilies, oriental lilies, orchids, spray roses, and regular roses last longer than other varieties. I’ve also had great luck with hydrangeas.
Select three to four types of flowers in complimentary colors. You could pick one brightly colored flower and then rest are neutral, or pick a variety of colors in similar but not exact shades. Mix in a few pieces of greenery like ferns, long grasses, or eucalyptus leaves — or grab some pampas grass for a boho look.
For this arrangement, I picked up all of these flowers for under $25.
GET WET
Rinse your stems under lukewarm water to help “wake up” the flowers and trim their stems (I love my MacKenzie-Childs shears to make cutting ends easy!) to help the flowers soak up fresh hydration. While you’re at it, remove any leaves that may fall below the waterline of the vase — bacteria can develop on leaves, causing your whole arrangement to spoil faster.
CLEAN IT UP
Want to know how to get fuller-looking roses? Take them from “basic” to BIG by removing the green pieces under the rose bud. You can even remove some of the outer petals if they look broken. Next, take the rose and roll it quickly between your hands — you can even blow into the rose from above to help loosen it up or warm it up for the next step.
PUMP IT UP
Petal by petal, put your thumb under the rose and gently flip out the petal. Go around in a circle, carefully flipping the petals to expose and create a larger rose. Depending on the individual flower, you may be able to do this for several rows. Don’t worry about hurting the rose — this does not impact their lifespan. You can also put your fingers inside the petals from overhead and help to spread them to encourage expansion.
PRECISE PLACEMENT
While I don’t technically believe there’s a “perfect” way to place flowers, you can gain a lot of control by rolling up a small piece of chicken wire and placing it inside your vase. This vase from MacKenzie-Childs has become my go-to… and can you believe it’s technically a utensil holder?! I love how they create such versatile pieces. MacKenzie-Childs has several multi-use pieces that can double as vases AND other practical uses, like this pitcher or this tea kettle!
You can purchase a small roll of chicken wire here or if you prefer using floral tape to create holes for your stems to go into, that works too! If you use chicken wire, make sure to wash it well when you toss out your arrangement.
LEVEL UP
When placing your flowers, aim for varying heights to create interest and showcase the beautiful buds. I don’t have a formula for the placement, but I do tend to place similar flowers one at a time — moving from type to type until I’ve placed everything (this makes it easier to adjust and rearrange at the end.)
SPRAY TO SLAY
Whenever I finish an arrangement, I consider this the secret sauce for saving arrangements! This floral spray is a florist favorite for weddings and special events — and it truly helps my flowers last longer than anything I’ve ever tried! I also recommend changing water every couple days and monitoring the leaves to make sure none are touching the water, plus add in fresh floral solution to the water if you have it!
Now it’s up to you to enjoy your beautiful arrangement! I suggest placing it in an area that receives sunlight, but not heavy sunlight or heat. Special thanks to MacKenzie-Childs for partnering on this post — be sure to check out the website for a stunning collection of household goods and timeless gifts!
XOXO,
Keli
