For the aesthete, there's almost nothing worse than seeing a
nubile young beauty in ill-suited couture. Nothing, except perhaps a
bouquet of flowers in a mismatched vase. The horror indeed!
While most people would just avert their eyes from such instances of
floral injustice, we're going to take the proactive measure of offering
some top tips for choosing the right vase.
Tip 1: Size matters
Thousands
would argue differently, but we're digging our heels in on this one.
Trust us, you don't want your flowers to look as if they've borrowed
their chubby cousin's glad rags; neither should you attempt to rewrite
the tale of Cinderella and her sisters by forcing a chunky stem into a
glass slip of a vase that's clearly designed for more petite flowers.
One slightly tired gerbera pouting from a slinky Coke bottle will look
far more glamorous than a healthy bunch of freesias drowning in a giant
crystal trumpet.
Tip 2: It's what you've got and what you do with it that counts
Whether
you've been given a gift-wrap of a dozen or so stems that you'll be
arranging yourself, a sumptuous hand-tied bouquet ready to plop straight
into a vase, an assortment of tropical flowers or a single rose, you'll
need to consider your flowers carefully if you're hoping to create a
maximum-impact display.
Start by looking at the shape of the
flowers, and don't be shy of leaping to logical conclusions. Tall stems
such as gladioli really do like taller vases, and flowers with bare
stems and an abundance of flower heads do well in trumpet-shaped
containers that offer a supporting collar to lean on at the neck.
Tip 3: Shape up or ship out
Slender,
curvaceous or perfectly plump - you can tell a lot about the character
of your vase from its shape. Make sure you work with the whimsy of each
vessel, or your arrangement may run aground.
The column vase - Twiggy:
This is the no-nonsense tomboy of vases: straight up and down,
literally as well as metaphorically. Like the 60s supermodel, the Twiggy
vase is well admired for its versatility. It can model almost anything,
but is best suited to modern, geometrical shapes and clean verticals.
The long, straight lines of the vase accentuate the height of taller,
more architectural flowers, which look particularly remarkable if the
stems are spiraled around the base.
We recommend using some tall
flowers in bright colours offset with greenery, such as citrus-fresh
roses and antirrhinums and deep-blue delphiniums. Those shades and
silhouettes definitely reveal a stylish swingin' sixties influence,
making it a perfect match for the Twiggy column vase.
If you're
going to be displaying your arrangement in a high-ceilinged room, place
the vase on a mantelpiece or windowsill to emphasise the height of both
the room and the flowers. You can also let the vase of flowers stand
seductively in your entrance hall for a great welcoming effect - a bit
like those pretty girls hanging at the doorway of Studio 54.
The hourglass vase - Marilyn: It's
not just film stars who look great with waspish waists. The Marilyn
vase has a subtle curve in the middle, giving it a most voluptuous
profile. Because it has a fairly narrow neck and isn't as tall as the
Twiggy, this vase is particularly suited to holding fewer stems without
the flowers looking as if they're lolling drunkenly on the sides.
You
can create a floral tribute to Ms Monroe with a dozen peroxide-blonde
roses in a white Marilyn hourglass vase. In that famous billowing dress,
the American icon caused a stir wherever she went - stealing the
limelight at dinner parties, lounging gracefully beside a sofa,
reclining in the bedroom, and always looking fantastic. You'll be
pleased to learn that the same is true of the Marilyn vase.
The globe vase - Ella:
This jazzy not-so-little lady of glass takes on the world by assuming
its shape: a sturdy yet graceful sphere. Like Ms Fitzgerald, the Ella
globe vase boasts soft curves and melodious proportions that go down a
treat anywhere that kicking back and relaxing are a priority.
As any jazz great will tell you, there are better things to do than
preening and pampering; they want to get straight to enjoying the music.
The same goes for the Ella globe vase, making it perfectly suited to
ready-made hand-tied bouquets that can be lowered in without fuss to
provide instant delight.
Coffee tables, dining tables and any
deeply dippy lowdown surfaces work for Ella - this vase is best to smile
on from on over the rainbow, way up high. Our favourite freestyle
combination is the a hand-tie of yellow calla lilies and safari sunset;
the curve of the vase finishes off the sphere of the bouquet, with the
narrow neck holding the flowers perfectly in place. Too marvelous for
words...
But once you've chosen your vase, what next? Choosing
a vessel that accentuates the beauty of your flowers is probably the
hardest part, but that doesn't mean the next step is as easy as throwing
the flowers straight in.
Tip 4: Keep your flower heads above water
First
off, you'll need to add some fresh water (room temperature works best,
but use your discretion if there's a heatwave and your air-con is
broken) and pour in some flower food. The amount of water you use is up
to you. Most flowers need to be in up to their ankles rather than their
necks, but adding more water adds weight and stability to your
arrangement. Too little water can also make your arrangement look
unfinished or neglected.
Tip 5: Make sure your flowers are a cut above
This
is where it can all go horribly wrong if you start acting on a whim.
Pulling off any stray leaves that will be below the waterline is easy
enough; it's when it comes to cutting the stems that trouble can happen.
One snip too high can be the downfall of all your careful planning this
far.
We recommend placing your vase on the edge of a table and
then holding each flower against its side, so that the bottom of the
stem extends below the table edge. Move the flower up or down according
to how much of it you'd like protruding from the top of the vase, and
then make the cut. A good trick is to apply the 1/3 vase to 2/3 flowers
ratio rule for column or hourglass vases, and use a 50:50 ratio with
spherical vases.
This technique not only prevents disaster, but
also saves time - you won't be repeatedly placing each stem in just the
right position in the vase only to pull it out again because it's not
the right length.
Tip 6: Take it and leaf it
If
you're new to flower arranging, start with the greenery. Put the
heavier, leafy stems in first and then add the flowers, one at a time.
Foliage is great for adding texture; try some heart-shaped monsteria,
broad aspidistra or willowy twigs.
You can also curl fatter leaves
inside a clear glass vase, but this could get messy with frequent water
changes (every three or four days is a good habit), and clean stems
neatly placed are quite beautiful au naturel, especially if they have
been hand tied.
If you're stuck for inspiration, remember that you
can't really fail with a symmetrical arrangement. You could even mirror
the flowers you've got by creating a zygomorphic or actinomorphic
pattern. Which is just a fancy way of saying you can make your display
radially or bilaterally symmetrical.
Tip 7: Reach for the mood
Shape
is as important as colour for creating a specific floral ambience.
Lofty tropicals in a Twiggy vase look dramatic and modern while slinky
gerbera stems in Marilyn's curves are the secret to a display that's the
exact opposite of fuddy-duddy. If it's romance you're after, try
armfuls of sumptuous pink lilies and roses in a giant Ella, or kick back
with boho-style blossoms reclining in a smaller glass orb.
Tip 8: The last rule in vaseology
You'll
like this one - unless you're a pedant: once you know the rules, break
them. Play around, have some fun and see what you can come up with.
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