If you’re tired of the typical flower-in-vase construction of most flower arrangements and want something different, consider these creative ideas.
Having an arrangement of flowers in your home immediately brightens up the room. But sometimes, just plopping them in a bowl or vase isn’t interesting enough.
Here are a few tips on how to create a unique flower arrangement using items you probably already have in your home.
1. Don’t eat your vegetables
Everyone loves asparagus, right? And why not. Those uniformly straight stalks are the perfect fence around every meal. So why not use them in your flower arrangements?
Take approximately one pound of asparagus and cut the stalks so they are all the same height. Put two large elastic bands around a vase, can, or cup with straight lines. Insert the asparagus between the elastic and the vase and arrange until the vegetable is uniformly covering the vase. Tie ribbon, raffia, or other natural fibres around the elastic to hide it. Fill the vase with your favourite flowers and voila! The vegetable vase of your dreams. (Just remember, the asparagus is probably not going to last as long as your flowers.)
2. Get fruity
If you enjoyed using vegetables to perk up your flower arrangements, there’s no reason why you can’t do the same with fruit.
Fill a large, clear vase 3/4 of the way with lemons, limes and oranges. Add water up to the top of the fruit and then add your favourite fresh-cut flowers. The fruit will act as anchors for the flowers, so you can make this a clean arrangement with simple stemmed tulips, or something more full with a colourful variety bouquet.
3. Ice cream, you scream, we all scream for flowers
If you’re looking for a unique and temporary flower arrangement for a dinner party, why not bust out those ice cream cones sitting in the cupboard?
If you’re using waffle-style cones, try adding a single full-bloom rose and a colourful paper holder for the bottom tip. Put a flower-filled cone in each guest’s empty water glass for an eye-popping table arrangement.
If you are using the old-school wafer-style cones with the flat bottom, full, bushy flowers like carnations will mimic the look of actual ice cream. To ensure the cone stands flat on the table, add a few stones or marbles to weight it down before inserting the flower. Remember, these arrangements are temporary, beautiful, and not to be eaten.