Pitcher perfect: creating a beautiful flower arrangement

You know how it is, you’re at the grocery store and you pick up a bunch of flowers. But how do you display them when you get home? Here, easy-to-follow tips for a beautiful presentation.

• Whether you’re choosing individual blooms or a bouquet, make sure you pick a complementary colour scheme, perhaps pastel shades with a few bright yellow or purple flowers, along with some fresh greens.
• For variety, pick bouquets with different flowers, such as flowers with a single bloom (roses, tulips), those with a lot of blossoms on one stem (gladioli, orchids), and those with several blossoms on multiple stems (alstroemerias, lisianthus).

Choose a container, like a vase or even a pitcher. Start by arranging the bouquet in your hand instead of in the vase.

• Arrange the blooms in a series of concentric circles, placing each bloom at a slight angle (about 20 degrees), and positioning each one just slightly below the previous circle of flowers.
• Begin with single-bloom flowers like roses for the centre of the bouquet, and then encircle with foliage.
• Then create the next circle with flower stems, creating as many circles as you like. Keep your grip loose so that you can turn the bouquet and adjust the flowers. End with a circle of foliage to frame the bouquet.

• To know how much to trim flowers, place your vase close to the edge of your work surface.
• Hold the bouquet so that the blooms come just over the top, then cut all the stems to the same length. Pop your bouquet into the vase (make sure you place it in a visible spot so everyone can admire it!).

Whether for your own enjoyment or that special someone, there's nothing quite like a vibrant flower arrangement to tie a room together.