This only involves your back yard and a trip to Trader Joes or your best grocery floral section. I usually go to the local Wegmans, which has a great floral department, but Trader Joes is hard to beat!

Here are the deets…

Click on images to enlarge if you want!

I got a bunch of stems at Trader Joes. It was going to be white with lime green, purple and gold. When I went to clip my spirea bushes (dainty white blooms), they really were spent. But the salmon red azaleas were really pretty and my peonies have started blooming - on to Plan B!!!

I wanted to do a big ole thing because the branches were huge - so I got a big ole pitcher. Using branches makes it easier - there are no mechanics - they ARE the mechanics!! They hold all the smaller things in place, like a wire cage or floral foam would.

Step One…

• Stick the flowering branches in and always cut off all foliage beneath the water line to prevent bacteria.

Step Two…

• Add some branches without flowers to break up the mass of color.

• Tip - if they are not cooperating, take some thin wire and wrangle them like you want them - in this case, I tied them together.

Step Three…

• Add the biggest flower around the bottom of the arrangement - they will ground it - I like to put them in a grouping instead of dotted all over…

Step Four…

• Add your next largest flowers. In this case, it was white gerbera daisies. I think white roses would’ve been better with the peonies, but that was what I bought. Scatter these around your base of bigger blooms.

Step Five…

• Add some lime green for a different color and some softer texture.

Step Six…

• I added some tiny daisy bunches to fill large holes in the back. I really needed more - if I was going for a more perfect situation.

Step Seven…

• I added the last bits from Trader Joes - some purple stems for more color and some gold pom poms scattered around. The gold plays off the daisies. Done! I wanted it huge and a little wild, and that’s what I got!

Step Eight…

• When you put it where you want it, check it out and give it a hair cut if needed. I cut some of the azalea branches that were sticking to far out, on the left.

• Give it a spray of this - it holds in moisture and keeps the flowers fresher, longer.

And there you go! It’s like a statement piece for your foyer, large table, or front stoop!

Hope you were inspired by this little “how-to.” The best way to learn this art, is to keep doing it yourself, or to join a local garden club. Or I bet there are 1,893,836 flower arranging videos on Youtube…!

Next up - how to help a friend and then I’ve been asked to do a gift ideas post - weddings and graduations and babies - OH MY!!