Arranging Flowers 101

The designers at Le Jardin Fracais design for some of the most high-end weddings, homes and gardens in our beautiful city (and elsewhere – she’s big time!) Originally from Paris she grew up in the family business of floral design and entertaining. To watch her is like being in the presence of a master. To be in her boutique feels like stepping into a Parisian floral shop.

The class started with Marie-Laure, who owns Le Jardin Francais, putting together an arrangement while walking us through tips. At the same time she was creating a bouquet in a vase, another exemplary florist, Marion Sadeoux, assembled the French way of creating a bouquet. This is called a “bouquet rond” (or French hand bouquet) and it’s built in the hand, and tied before putting it inside a vase.

I was fascinated and couldn’t wait to learn their tips to creating beautiful flower arrangements and find out how they got them to live longer.

Here are the five key tips they shared that I’ve tested and have proven to work time and again.

Tip #1Don’t Arrange Blooms Tightly

Be sure the blooms are not clenched together. Pressure on the flower bloom doesn’t allow it room to grow and open, and is shortening the length of time your arrangement survives.

Tip #2Arrange in a Swirl Formation

To be sure you are not putting pressure on the blooms, create your arrangements in your hand before placing them in the vase. The stems should be in a “swirl” formation. All the stems should almost go in a circular pattern which allows the blooms at the top to not be pressed together with pressure on them, and no breakage of the stem below.