How to create a fragrant floral arrangement
Floral designer Lauren Wilson shares a step-by-step guide to assembling this versatile bouquet at home
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Whatever your floral preferences, an arrangement instantly elevates any space. And when the materials smell so beautiful, it becomes a full sensory experience. Choosing your fragrant notes is as simple as following your nose. At flower markets or while out walking, I often find myself diving headfirst into a bouquet of flowers and taking a deep inhale.
Here's a guide to get you started.
The first step is to choose your vessel — something that speaks to you. Having a vase I love on a table always inspires me to fill it with flowers. Make sure it's clean and filled with room temperature to cool water.
During the material selection stage, I always ask myself these questions to help me choose florals that have the traits I'm looking for:
- Will these materials add volume to the arrangement?
- Are they gestural? Will they allow me to expand the arrangement outward in an interesting way?
- Are the colours or shades complementary, or do they provide an alluring contrast?
- Do I find the scents of these flowers appealing?
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For this project, I've chosen the following florals:
- Pieris japonica 'Mountain Fire' (If you can't find this, hyacinth is a good alternative.)
- Eucalyptus (A classic, fragrant option.)
- Rosemary (Can be found at the grocery store.)
- Jasmine vine (A beautiful touch to add to any arrangement.)
- Butterfly ranunculus (Not fragrant but always a nice addition.)
Once you have your materials and vase ready, start by adding one stem at a time. I always like to begin with the most voluminous flower, so, for this arrangement, I started with the Pieris. Starting with volume will allow you to use that mass as support for other materials.
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Next, add volume on the opposite side (I used rosemary), allowing the arrangement to stretch in different directions.
After adding volume on both sides, build up some height. I used eucalyptus because I love the gestural airiness of the leaves.
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Once I have equal volume and height, I add my accents — jasmine and butterfly ranunculus for this project. Since I created volume with the bulkier florals, sticking in the finishing accents was a breeze. I always cut the stems at varying heights and place them in one area to add the drama I'm aiming to achieve.
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Next, stand back and make any edits that feel necessary. I always like to manicure some stems and leaves to make sure the piece looks wild, but intentionally so.
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Lastly, place your arrangement in a high-traffic spot in your home or office and enjoy the visuals and scents!
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