A Lush Arrangement of Summer's Best Blooms

Materials

Flowers and Foliage
6 purple veronica
7 pale pink foxgloves
9 single pale pink roses
10 cultivated purple bellflower
3 pale pink spray roses
12 forsythia stems
3 aubergine hydrangeas

Possible Substitutions
delphiniums (for foxgloves)
stocks (for veronica)
peonies (for hydrangea)
privet (for forsythia)

Other Materials:
deep-sided round or square plastic bowl
2 blocks floral foam
florist's tape
craft knife
florist's scissors

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - Fresh Flower Arranging © 2011 Dorling Kindersley Limited

How to Arrange

Trim the blocks of soaked floral foam and place them inside the container. Bind the foam and container together with florist’s tape.

Place the tallest stems of forsythia into the top of the foam at the center back to create a mid-point for this front-facing design. Angle them so they tilt back slightly. Then place shorter stems at an upward-facing angle at each side of the foam, and even shorter stems at the center front. Build up the remaining forsythia around this framework to create a loose, triangular shape.

Place the three hydrangea heads near the front of the arrangement, then add the single roses and spray roses. Together, these flowers should provide a balance of shape and color throughout the arrangement.

Arrange the foxgloves next, placing them in groups near the back of the arrangement to give extra height.

Place the bellflower and veronica last, using them to fill any obvious gaps and balance out the color scheme.

The blooms will last for up to five days if you mist them often and keep the floral foam wet.