Flower arranging is one of my favorite pastimes it is both relaxing and pleasing for the amateur or professional. The aim is to create your own unique version of what you can see in your garden or country lane. The finished product should have a feeling of natural beauty.

Color combinations can be whatever you feel like, I find whites, yellows, blues and purples make very peaceful combos but some of the most stunning arrangements are from mixing bright and strong colors, let your imagination run for the most successful combinations... be brave and go for it.

The vase or container plays a big role it is useful to start a collection, some to think about are plain glass, stained glass and pewter in various sizes and shapes. There are now thousands of types of glass vase that you can buy over the internet so give this some thought.

Cutting tips
The best time to cut your flowers is in the cool of early morning
Sharpen your secateurs on a regular basis
Cut your stems long, this helps when you are arranging them
Once cut immediately place into a water filled bucket
Pick everything you can find rather than obvious combinations

Conditioning tips
Leave your flowers in deep clean warm rain water for a day or so
Remove any leaves below the waterline of your vase
Cut the stems, soft stems 10°- 30°, woody stems 45°
Keep in a cool dark place preferably 1-5°C

Arrangements tips
Avoid symmetry or being strict, go with the flow!
Use different stem lengths
Make you arrangement three dimensional... think 3D
Selection of foliage is as important as your flower selection
Most importantly, contrast your colors

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