How to Design Your Own Garden-Style Arrangement
- Apr 6, 2020
- 3 min read
Ever wonder what it takes to make a flower arrangement look like it just came from an English garden, all loose and a little wild in the best way? Our floral designer, Racquel, walks through exactly how she does it in the video below, using nothing more than a simple 4x4 vase and a handful of seasonal blooms. Scroll down to see the full breakdown if you want to try it yourself at home!
What You'll Need
A 4x4 vase (or any vase with a fairly wide mouth)
Greenery - we used Italian ruscus
Spray Stock - we’re using soft yellow stock flowers
Roses - we used Free Spirit roses, but any rose you love will work
Tulips - we’re using a pinkish purple shade
Wax flower - as a filler flower
A couple of seasonal blooms - in this case, daffodils and pussy willow
A note on seasonal blooms: this video uses daffodils and pussy willow since those were in season at the time of filming, but the same technique works beautifully with whatever's fresh when you're arranging. In summer, swap in dahlias, zinnias, or garden roses; in fall, try mums or branches with autumn foliage. The grid-and-layer method stays exactly the same no matter the season.
Step-by-Step Directions
1. Fill your vase with water, right to the top.
2. Build a grid with your greenery first. Start with 1-2 pieces of Italian ruscus and crisscross them across the mouth of the vase. This grid is the secret to the whole look - it gives every other stem something to lock into and stand up on its own, so you get that natural, "just gathered from the garden" shape instead of everything sliding to one side.
Tip: Strip off any greenery or foliage that would sit below the waterline. The leaves tend to rot in the water and shorten the life of your arrangement.
3. Add your stock flowers next. Place them in a few different spots around the vase rather than all together - maybe three stems in one area, two on the other side. The goal is movement, not symmetry, so go with your eye rather than an exact count. Keep turning the vase as you work so you're building the shape from all angles, not just the side facing you.
4. Add your focal flower - the rose. This can sit right in the center, or slightly off to one side for more flow. Racquel kept most of her roses grouped on one side, with a single outlier rose on the opposite side to balance it out.
5. Add the tulips. A little insider tip: tulips keep growing once they're in water, so cut the stems a bit shorter than you think you want if you don't want them shooting up higher over the next day or two. Work your way around the vase - a few tulips on one side, one or two on the other, adding more wherever the arrangement needs balance.
6. Fill in with your filler flowers and seasonal blooms. This is where the daffodils and wax flower come in, along with the pussy willow branches. Vary the height of the willow branches and use an odd number of stems - it reads as more natural than an even, matchy amount.
Remember: it's your arrangement. Racquel's biggest piece of advice? Don't worry about making it too perfect or symmetrical. The slightly wild, uneven look is exactly what makes garden-style arrangements feel special.
Want Fresh Flowers or a Ready-Made Arrangement Instead?
If you'd rather leave the designing to us, stop by the shop or check out our flower and gift boutique for ready-made arrangements, plants, and gifts. And if you're local to Providence and have questions about custom orders, get in touch any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do garden-style arrangements last?
With fresh-cut stems and clean water, most garden-style arrangements last about 5-7 days. Re-cutting stems at an angle every couple of days and changing the water regularly will help them go the distance.
What flowers work best for a garden-style arrangement?
Any mix of greenery, a focal flower (like roses or peonies), a few mid-size blooms, and delicate filler flowers will work. The key isn't the specific flowers - it's mixing different shapes, sizes, and textures so the arrangement has movement.
Do I need floral foam for this style of arrangement?
No - that's actually part of what makes this technique so approachable. The greenery grid does the same job floral foam would, holding your stems in place without it.
Can I use a different size or shape vase?
Definitely. A 4x4 vase is a great starting size, but the same grid technique works in a taller or wider vase - you may just need a few extra stems to fill it out.
Let us know if you have any questions!
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