How do you make your own floral arrangement?

According to Nancy Wharton, who has been in business for twenty-six years and is the founder and owner of Casa Verde Florist in Austin, Texas, in order to make your own floral arrangement, you need to first ask yourself how you are going to utilize it. “Is it going to be an arrangement in the center of the table? Is it going to be a low piece that you can put on a coffee table? If you are going to be eating, then you should have it low. Examples include a glass bowl with flower floating in the water,” she says. Blocking your dinner guests’ view of each other can put a damper on conversation. The key to creating a perfect floral arrangement is to know the purpose of your arrangement and what you want the final result to look like. Next, you need to have handy all of the supplies to create the arrangement that you want. The book “Better Homes & Gardens Flower Arranging”, published in 1957 by Meredith Publishing Company, says that shape, size, and color of containers are of first importance when making your list. If you are creating the arrangement for a celebration such as a wedding, the color aspect should already be decided for you. The book goes on to state that needlepoint and wire holders are the foundation of flower arrangements, “They must be big and heavy enough to establish balance…A sharp knife is a possible substitute for flower shears, but it’s more dangerous (and) less satisfactory for woody stems and branches.” According to the book, two other staples for making your own flower arrangement are florist’s tape and clay. If you are already a great collector of containers and like to “create as you go”, Nancy offers this tip: “You should always cut flowers in water. This is the secret. The reason for this is because flowers start drinking up the water immediately. They won't wilt on you. Put the stems down in the water and cut them while the stems are under the water. This opens them up so that they can start drinking. They can sit there until you are ready to use them. Then, while you decide on a vase or container, the flowers are drinking up the water.” She goes on to advise that you should use green floral foam for low type arrangements. If this is your first time making an arrangement, do not be afraid to ask for someone’s help when purchasing supplies at a florist shop. Experts like Nancy will be glad to show you exactly what you need. If you are at a loss trying to decide the type of arrangement you want, the “Better Homes & Gardens Flower Arranging” book says, “If we were asked to choose the one trait that seems to us the most characteristic of flower arrangers, we’d say it is their ability to recognize beauty in unexpected places.” Nancy offers the simple suggestion of seeking inspiration from what is already around you, “You can use things from your yard…snip things off your trees… hedges are very good to use. Find wild flowers. Just look around your home, and see what is around. By using these items you can create a unique arrangement that is just yours.”