DIY Trader Joe’s Arrangement
Spring is right around the corner and with it - beautiful springtime blooms! Whenever I visit Trader Joe's, I always have to stop and browse their floral section. What I love about their selection, is that they have several bunches of single variety flowers. So I can grab what I like to make a stunning floral arrangement at home.
In my opinion, ones your hand select and create yourself far beats the curated, often "clown-colored" bouquets you see at most retail stores.
I'm excited to share tips on how you can create one yourself!
First off, if you love having fresh flowers in your home, I highly suggest purchasing some unique vases. And I don't mean the classic mason jar or leftover colored glass vases from previous floral arrangements. I mean unique colors and shapes. It can instantly elevate your floral design!
Picture here (left to right): a plant pot from Walmart (that's right, they make great vases!), a compote, a textured low profile vase, a cylinder galvanized vase.
Supplies:
Vase
Flower Snips
Water
Greenery and Flowers
Choosing your floral ingredients
When creating a floral arrangement, there are 5 key ingredient categories. Try to select flower colors that compliment each other.
Greenery - this is your base that helps to establish structure and shape.
Filler - this is your supporting element that adds texture. Tip: chose something airy with several smaller flowers!
Line Flowers - line flowers, give your bouquet height, movement (lines that your eye follows) and a balanced look.
Accent Flowers: these are smaller than your focal flowers.
Focal Flowers: these are flowers that are supported and highlighted by the rest of the ingredients in the arrangement.
These are the ingredients I chose. Note: I chose two different varieties of flowers for my focal flowers - you only need one.
Greenery: Two different varieties of eucalyptus, baby blue and silver dollar. Unpopular opinion: I think eucalyptus has had its moment. I wish people would embrace some other varieties of greenery. Trader Joe's always has it in stock - so it is what I went with.
Focal flower: these beautiful irises! I love the bold color, yet delicate look of them.
Line flower: lavender stock
Accent flower: blush hyacinth. Hyacinth have short stems so they are hard to use in arrangements, but they smell heavenly so I just had to include them.
Focal flower: blush lilies
Filler: fever few
Okay, okay, lets get to designing!
Some quick technique tips:
Work in odd numbers (3 hyacinth, 5 irises, etc.)
Don't be afraid to cluster the same type of flower - that's how they grow in nature!
Don't be afraid of varying the height of flowers. Have some sticking out more than others! It creates depth and draws your eye in and out of the design.
Step 1: Fill your vase almost to the brim with water. Note: before you add stems, it is important to give them a fresh cut to insure maximum water intake.
Step 2: Establish shape and size by adding your structural (greenery) stems. Work from the outside in, placing stems at varying heights.
Step 3: Place the filler/textural stems in at varying heights, in the pockets left by the structural stems. Things will shift around as you design, embrace it!
Step 4: Layer in your line flowers.
Step 5: Tuck in your accent flowers. I clustered hyacinth together in the middle. Again, this was really just for its heavenly smell!
Step 6: Layer in your focal flowers.
Step 7: Add in your showy focal flowers, floating above the rest!
Step 8: Glance over and fill in any gaps with leftover flowers, or consider removing flowers. Try to resist overstuffing. I'm guilty of it too! If you still have flowers leftover, I suggest making a smaller arrangement/budvase for a friend, your bathroom, by your bedside...
I hope you found bits and pieces of this helpful. I can't wait to see what you create!
Tips to help your blooms last longer:
Remove dead foliage which can increase bacteria content in water
Replace water with fresh water every 1-2 days
Give the stems a fresh trim
Keep away from heat or fruit which release ethylene gas as they ripen
