First, you’ll want to pick a bouquet that is easy to understand. Instead of picking a handful of pretty flowers to see if they work as a group, think of your bouquet as a series of jobs to complete: focal flowers, supporting blooms, filler flowers and greenery. You’ll want one or two focal flowers, a few supporting blooms, a couple of filler flowers, and some greenery for the edges. This way, you avoid a crowded bouquet with each stem too far in the shade.
The focal flower is the flower that catches the eye. It can be any bloom that draws attention, such as the largest flower, a particularly bold color, or the best-shaped flower. It is easiest to start by picking one focal flower type to practice with, rather than two that might compete for attention. This might include a rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, tulip or other full flower, depending on what is available. Again, this flower does not need to be the most expensive one, it is simply the flower you want your design to focus on, and which will give you an idea of what kind of additional stems you need.
Your supporting blooms are there to compliment the focal flower, not fight it for attention. They may match in color to the focal flower, provide shape and rhythm to the bouquet, or simply provide smaller blooms for a more subtle presence to the main flower. A round full-shaped supporting flower may provide a lighter counterpoint to a large round focal flower to avoid heaviness. Supporting blooms may also be picked from a complementary color palette to a bold focal flower, helping to keep the colors more subdued. Beginners often add too many supporting blooms to their designs; if every bloom is a strong or interesting color or shape it can make the bouquet appear too busy before you add in your filler stems and greenery.
The filler flower and greenery help with space, movement and outline. The filler flower is usually a smaller stem, so you’ll be able to add a filler stem between focal and supporting blooms without overpowering them. The greenery is essential in setting the initial outline of your bouquet. Take a moment to start your design with a few pieces of foliage, then rotate your design to see if you’ve established an idea of width, height and negative space before you add your flowers. If you wait until the end to add greenery, you may just be covering up the design; however if you use greenery at the start, you can use it to define the shape and flow of your arrangement.
Aim to keep your selection limited; one focal flower type, one supporting bloom, one filler flower and one greenery type is fine. Before you start to arrange, strip the leaves from the bottom of each stem so that nothing below your desired cut will sit in the water. Trim each stem at an angle to ensure the freshest cut, then lay your stems in groups to identify which is the focal, which is the filler, which is the greenery, and which are the supporting blooms. This will help you to avoid overloading on stems and to identify which stem you may be pulling from.
Add the flowers slowly and constantly review the shape of your bouquet. Begin by setting the focal flower(s) in place, then add the supporting blooms with varied height and placement. Filler flowers should be used to add movement and fill negative space, not every void. Leave small spaces, it allows the flowers to be individual and stand out. Check your design as you go, turn the arrangement to see if there is a heavier side and adjust if necessary. If the focal flower loses the eye or is being overtaken, take a step back and move or remove one stem or supporting bloom and then continue the process.
A good measure of improvement is not necessarily the beauty of the flower arrangement, but the ability to define each stem in the design. Focal flowers should direct the eye of the viewer; supporting blooms should be varied and help in establishing the structure and color of the bouquet. The filler flowers and greenery should provide space and help in outlining the shape. When these elements of your arrangement are clearly defined and understood, it becomes easier to determine where to trim the flower heads and leaves, and add the ribbon and wrapping.