Turning a Store-Bought Bouquet into a Whimsical Arrangement

Transforming an average-looking bunch of grocery store flowers into something much more impactful is a great way to lend refinement to any room-- whether you're hosting a dinner party or just want to beautify your space. By juxtaposing tame store-bought flowers with wilder blooms and greenery from your garden or your surroundings, you create an unexpected combination that's both inviting and whimsical.

I started with a typical grocery store bouquet. I was really drawn to the colorful Gerbera daisies, but they were begging for a more eye-catching backdrop.

Once I got home, I ran around the garden with some scissors and came back with a few rosebuds, clippings from small trees and shrubs, lily leaves, and some sprigs of of the mint that's growing rampant around back (mojitos, anyone?). 

Next, I selected my vase and placed some stones in the bottom. The stones help hold the stems in place, giving you a bit more control. You can use marbles or sand for the same purpose.

Once you have your stones in place, add the packet of flower preservative that usually comes with store-bought bouquets. This will keep the flowers looking perky for a few extra days. If you don't have a packet, you can find plenty of DIY recipes online. Add water until the vase is about two-thirds full, and now it's time to start arranging the greenery in the vase. No need to be too picky; a haphazard touch often looks just right. The idea is to create something like a lattice for your blooms to rest upon and to add some interesting texture to your arrangement. 

When I'm feeling minimalist, the greenery alone is enough to make an elegant monochromatic statement. 

But today I'm just not in the minimalist frame of mind! Once you are happy with your base of greenery,  begin by adding the largest and most prominent blooms. As I go, I keep rotating the vase so I can make sure it looks balanced from all sides. You can cut the stems (on the diagonal, of course) to create variations in height. Once the large flowers are in place, tuck the smaller blooms in behind the big ones-- you may need to cut the stems a bit so that they fit in well. The smaller blooms have the most impact when grouped in clusters of three to five. Now that all your flowers are in the vase, play around with the composition by pulling your favorite buds to the forefront and fluffing up the greenery where it may have been flattened. 

As a finishing touch, I add some visual interest to my piece by turning a few of the flowers so that they are looking at one another. Pay attention to where your eye wanders as you look at your bouquet, and try to move the flowers so that your eye is led up and around the entire arrangement.

Voila!

If you have some blooms left over, create a tiny arrangement by removing all but about an inch of a flower's stem and floating it in a small bowl with a sprig of leaves. This tiny arrangement would look charming in the bathroom or on a bedside table.

Well, there you go-- I hope this how-to comes in handy the next time your significant other returns home from the grocery with a surprise bouquet! Do you have any special tips or tricks that you use when arranging flowers? I'd love to hear them-- please share!