Building flower arrangements with Visit North Carolina

By / Life / March 17th, 2020 / 15
flower arrangements

It may come as a surprise, but this Instagram-worthy, hand-crafted bouquet was assembled with love (and lots of concentration) by yours truly. I can hardly believe it myself; not bad, right? In February, I attended a flower arrangement workshop hosted by Visit North Carolina’s lovely team, over drinks and snacks at Maman Café in Montreal. This spring-themed event was a much-needed breath of fresh air under the month’s dreariness that had settled over the city.

Attendees assumed bouquet-building stations equipped with fresh eucalyptus, branches, and a variety of fragrant flowers, while nursing Cherry Bombs – cherry vodka, cranberry and lime juices, and club soda. The signature cocktail was curated specially for the occasion, paying homage to a tavern in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The CFO – Chief Flowers Officer – patiently demoed how to build a floral arrangement from the bottom up, divulging best practices and noteworthy advice along the way. By the end of the workshop, I came up with three key steps for anyone looking to build their own perfect bouquet.

Pro tips for building the best bouquet

Tip #1: Hide your mechanics

You can’t tell from my final product but there’s actually chicken wire along the mouth of the vase! It’s what contributes to building a strong foundation, keeping everything in place. Leafy stuff like eucalyptus and fern sprigs are weaved into the mesh. Your wreath is complete once you’ve peppered in branches to add new texture.

Tip #2: Grab three of everything

Being the absolute rule breaker I am, I didn’t quite respect the recommendation. Rule of (green) thumb is that three is your magic number; you may want to pick three flowers of varying shape, colour and height. Let your inspiration guide you; as you near the end of crafting your flower arrangement, add a little this and that to make the bouquet look exactly the way you want it to.

Tip #3: Give your arrangement height – Work in levels

The first layer of flowers sitting on top of the leafy sprigs and branches should be the short, dense ones. Once in place, your next level should be taller, more vertical blooms, which really lend your arrangement its height and focal point. This is where you can decorate with finishing touches to make the pattern look less organized or symmetrical; it doesn’t need to be too perfect.

And we’re done!

Your hand-made floral arrangement awaits. Depending on how many flowers you packed in your vase, don’t forget to add water often to ensure their longevity. Not all flowers are created equally: simply pull out the ones that start drying up to maintain the freshness of the pot. Don’t wait for someone else to send you flowers; you deserve beauty every day! Applying these tips, you’re well underway to creating a one-of-a-kind floral arrangement that showcases your talent!

In search of some sunshine of your own? Plan your perfect escape to see beautiful state gardens on the Visit North Carolina website.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A self-proclaimed bookworm and logophile, Laura loves writing; writing about food is about as good as it gets. Though she enjoys discovering new restaurants around Montreal, few haunts can surpass the simple pleasures of a great home-cooked meal and a smooth glass of wine.

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