3 Gorgeous—and Doable—Floral Arrangement Ideas

If you’re looking for a tutorial on flower-shaped pastries (because yes this is a food site), you unfortunately may have clicked on the wrong article. Now that you’re here though, read on for 3 absolutely gorgeous—DOABLE (key word here)—floral “recipes” that will transform your Shavuot table. If there was ever a holiday to go all out with flowers, it’s this one.

I’ve provided a foolproof step-by-step guide (with pictures!) and a sprinkling of some PRO secrets (I was a floral designer in a past life) to elevate your standard arrangement. If you thought you weren’t a flower person, think again; I am about to convert you!

Floral Recipe #1 – Garden Inspired

This arrangement epitomizes Spring. My all time favorite flowers—peonies, ranunculus, and anemones—come together in this bright, airy, garden arrangement. What really elevates this design? The “fillers” i.e. trick, waxflower, and billy ball. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Fillers are what provide texture and interest. Stare at any floral arrangement long enough and you’ll notice that the various textures are what transform a basic arrangement into a showstopper.

Pro tip: Select 2-3 filler flowers, and your arrangement will always look more interesting, natural, and layered.

Materials

Floral clippers/scissors
¼” waterproof clear floral tape or regular clear tape
5”x5” cylinder vase (I chose this metal cylinder which is reminiscent of a gardening watering can)

Floral Ingredients

5 green trick
3 peonies
5 ranunculus
3 billy balls
A few sprigs of waxflower

Step 1:

Create a hashtag grid with tape. (I prefer waterproof tape, but regular clear scotch tape works as well.) This is the simplest way to keep your flowers in place and provide structure without the use of floral foam.

Step 2:

Pro Tip: Cut all flower stems on a 45 degree angle always so there is more surface area for water to be absorbed by the flower.

Remove lower leaves from stems to ensure longevity, otherwise a buildup of bacteria will form causing flowers to wilt sooner.

Place trick in the 4 corners of your grid and the 5th in the center.

Step 3:

Place the 3 peonies, your show flowers, surrounding the trick in the center.

Step 4:

Cluster each ranunculus and anemone next to a peony. Pro Tip: Clustering flowers in odd numbers follows the design rule known as the “Rule of Odds.” Use of uneven numbers is a subtle way to create visual interest in any design.

Step 5:

Time for texture! Fill in empty space with waxflower in the center as well as on the perimeter of vase.

Add in 3 billy balls (aka yellow pom poms) for fun texture and burst of color.

Pro Tip: No need to buy leaves- just use leaves from existing flower stems (I used the leaf from my peony stems) to add a more gardeny, natural look.

Voilá!

Floral Recipe #2 –Earthy & Natural

I love the ease of this “recipe” — simple, few “ingredients” with statement results. I chose lilacs (because Spring!) in combination with hellebores, a gorgeous, delicate flower with varying tones of green and purple, as well as umbrella fern, which acts as the foundation for the base and provides great texture. Short on time but still want to make a statement? This one’s for you.

Materials

floral clippers/scissors
rectangle vase 3½” w X 10” (or any rectangle vase that is tall but narrow)

Floral Ingredients

5 lilacs
5-6 umbrella fern
5-6 hellebores

Step 1:

Cut all stems on an angle. Remove lower leaves.

Place four umbrella ferns in a criss cross formation. This will provide the base structure of your arrangement.

Step 2:

Angle the lilacs into the vase. Don’t overthink this. This is supposed to be asymmetric and natural looking.

Step 3:

Place hellebores into the center of the arrangement cradled between the lilac and fern.

Step 4:

Add 2-3 fern to fill empty space.

Voilá!

Pro tip: Have extra flowers? Just cut them down to varied lengths and place into mini bud vases for a complete tablescape.

Floral Recipe #3- Minimal & Modern

This modern design is super easy to execute. I made sure to use flower stems that drape well, such as calla lilies, and chose bold colors of yellow and orange offset by white. Loops of lily grass finish off this clean look.

Materials:

floral clippers/scissors
sphere vase
clear rubber band
pin

Floral Ingredients:

5 calla lilies
5 tulips
3 hyacinths
5 stems of lily grass
2 leaves

Step 1:

Cut all stems on a 45 degree angle.

Wrap a clear rubber band (no need for floral wire) around 5 calla lilies to hold them in place. Curve the stems and place into vase.

Step 2:

Remove some leaves from your tulips, keeping some leaves on for enhancement. Take one tulip leaf, wrap it around the stems of the tulips, and pin it. Curve tulips next to calla lilies.