Before I worked at a flower shop, I had no idea how floral arrangements were really done. At least the kind not in vases. At Flowers of the Good Earth, we always use fresh flowers for weddings, funerals, school events, etc. We rarely use silks. So how they made fresh flowers, say in a basket, was beyond me.

Turns out, you soak special green florists foam (which I’m sure you could find at Hobby Lobby or the like) in water, then stick your flowers in that. Who knew?! Your flowers can be in a pretty basket and still soak up all the water they need. Of course they don’t last forever, but they last longer than they would if they were not in water.

For this floral arrangement, I am making alter flowers for various churches in Lancaster. But the concept is useful for any arrangement you want to do!

You will need:

Some type of green filler (I used leatherleaf)

Green florists foam

Scissors

Any flowers you want! (I used white carnations with 2 accent flowers)

Directions:

1. Start with your foam. If you need to cut it to fit a container (like I did), I would suggest cutting it while it’s dry that way it won’t make a big mess. Next, soak your foam in water. About 5 minutes, or until bubbles stop coming up.

2. Once you have your foam ready, start with your greenery. I usually start with a large piece to establish height at the back. Then, you’re basically just layering down from there. You want it to look natural and flow. Sort of how ferns come out in waves, it should look like that.

3. Now you’re ready to work with the flowers you’ve chosen. The placement of flowers varies depending on what you’re making the arrangement for. In this case, these churches are very particular and they like things neat and symmetrical. In any case, you want to make sure your flowers are spaced far enough apart and you need to establish some height. But play around with it and see what you like!

And that’s it! Pretty simple, right?! It only requires patience and a good eye. It’s creating a work of art out of flowers and letting others enjoy the beauty!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! I have a wreath tutorial planned that will come just in time for the holidays, so be on the lookout for that! Comments? Questions? I would love to hear from you!

Adele