1. What is the purpose of the arrangement?
How will it be viewed?
How large should it be?
What shape will work best?
What style? Formal/informal, loose/buttoned-up
2. Choose a container or vase:
Tall? Short and round? Urn-shaped?
Color/texture of container - formal/informal
Water or foam?
Urn shaped / Triangle / Bud vase / round bowl--basket
3. The answers above will help determine the structure of your arrangement - round? One-sided? So people can talk over it? For the mantel? Table?
4. Choose your greens and flowers
Not only colors, but shapes and textures, large, small - again consider the setting in which it will be viewed.
Colors: warm greens (IE Warm -- yellow-green, green work well with apricot, reds, yellows, magentas, blues - clear colors. Cool -- softer gray-greens go well with pinks, purples, darker reds, whites.)
Monochromatic is soft, peaceful - bright colors are exciting.
5. Based on all factors above, you begin with structure/form: (Vase arrangement can/should be 1.5 - 2 time the height of the vase. Just a general rule of thumb.) Look for balance - weighted appropriately at the base, using dense flowers / strong colors there.
6. Whatever form you choose,
Vary heights, up and down
Vary depths, in and out
Cross the edge of container with softness
Stiff vs. arching - nice to mix for graceful look
Flowers and foliage for cutting gardens
Sun lovers:
Early Season:
Iris
Tulips
Astilbe
Viburnum (Snowball)
Alchemilla Mollis (Ladies mantle)
Delphinium
Syringa
Cornus (Dogwood)
Later Season:
Roses
Sunflowers - annual and perennial
Dahlias
Cosmos
Stachys
Lilies
Ornamental grasses - green, varigated, pennisetum rubrum
Echinacea
Daisies
Achillea (yarrow)
Penstemmon
Salvia
Scabiosa
Rudbeckia
Crocomia (Lucifer)
Solidago
Thalictrum
Zinnia
Calla lily
Lysimachia clethroides (gooseneck loosestrife)
Liatris spicata
Gypsophilia
Gladiolus
Chrysanthemum
Clematis
Aster
Amaranthus
Shade lovers:
Hosta
Aquilegia (columbine)
Hellebore
Galanthus (Snowdrops)
Monarada (Bee balm)
Primula
Myosotis (Forget-me-not)
Japanese Anemone
Japanese Maple
Rhododendron
Hydrangea
