Spring finally seems to be taking hold here in New England, and we are starting to peek out of winter hibernation. With social-distancing restrictions poised to start relaxing, we are envisioning better days to come. It’s time to celebrate the warmer weather, and the prospect of hosting small gatherings again! With the spring holidays around the corner, I was inspired to create a gorgeous fresh floral arrangement for our holiday table. Get ready for those Easter Brunches and Passover Tables with my step-by-step flower arranging class! Read on to find out more about Pastel Flowers that Pop, with my beautiful DIY Spring Bouquet!
What flowers bloom around Eastertime?
Some of my favorite flowers are available during the first weeks of the spring season and work amazingly well for your Easter flower decorations. Traditional tulips and daffodils are always welcome on my table, but also fragrant purple hyacinth and Easter Lillies. I love combining these classics with texturally interesting stems like snapdragons, ranunculus, and delphinium. These varieties come in a wide array of colors that can be arranged into a variety of lush Easter and Passover Flower Centerpiece ideas! For today, we’ll focus on a pastel palette, falling into the analogues section of color theory.
What exactly is an “analogous” floral arrangement?
Simply put, analogous arrangements are a harmonious color palette, containing colors that appear beside each other on the color wheel. Examples are yellow/orange/red, or pink/dark pink/purple, which is what I’ve chosen to use today. Pastel colors are trendy and spring-y, so this is the perfect time to put them on the table. now! These bright (but not-too-bright) choices are a welcome sign of spring, and are the perfect addition to any Easter or Passover Tablescape.
Other popular color wheel options include monochrome (using one color for the entire bouquet) or a choice of complementary colors (colors that appear opposite each other on the color wheel) like purple & yellow. The options are endless, and so is the fun! Keep these color techniques in mind as you make your amazing Easter pastel flower bouquet!
How far in advance can I make a fresh flower arrangement?
Generally speaking, about 1-2 days before your event is about as far in advance that you want to go. With proper care, including every other day stem trimming and fresh water changes, fresh flowers can last anywhere from 7-12 days depending on the flower variety. To help our chances of lasting more than a week, I like to trim off any extra leaves, save a few at the top, and use cut-flower food to treat the vase water. Some flowers also need special care: Hydrangeas require water from the stems plus a regular spritz to their flower heads. They absorb water from both ends! It pays to do a little reading up on the care of flowers you’re thinking of using before heading to the market!
What can I use as filler flowers in my bouquet?
I just love using greenery, dried grasses, seed pods, and even branches to add filler and more visual interest to my flower bouquets for Mother’s Day and the Spring Holidays! Varieties like Silver Dollar Eucalyptus, which has broad green/silver leaves, or Seeded Eucalyptus, which has small bunches of peppercorn-looking berries, are excellent choices. Cherry or apple blossom branches are a stunning alternative, as are dried lotus pods or dried pampas stalks. If available, I always grab branches of Hypericum Coco Berries too. They resemble rosehips, but stay plump for much longer. Filler should not only add bulk, but interest to your homemade flower bouquet!
How do I choose the best vase for my flower arrangement?
You want to keep a couple of things in mind as you start your DIY floral arrangement. One of them should be the vessel or vase you have available. Taller stems and branches need the support of a taller vessel with a narrow mouth, these types of arrangements make a dramatic impression on larger tables. If you have a smaller or more casual dinner planned, multiple smaller vases, pitchers, or even mason jars, create a vibrant and lush arrangement on a table. For a really lush and low arrangement, I love using a large shallow bowl or footed compote dish with floral foam. You can arrange an abundance of flowers in this type of bouquet, but still keep in low enough on the table that it doesn’t get in the way of any dinner conversations!
My thoughts on flowers…
You can never have enough! I just adore flowers and I try to incorporate them into as much as I can, even into my recipes! Have you seen my Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Grapefruit Basil Smash? Topped with flowers, this drink could easily add another element of spring to your celebrations! If you are seeking even more tips and tricks for making the best ever flower arrangement, check out this Floral Arranging Class post I put together last year, where I break the process down even more!
Pastel Flowers that Pop! The Most Beautiful DIY Spring Bouquet!
Supplies
Vase(s)
Floral foam or a floral frog
Water
Cut flower food
Gardening shears
Two bunches of fresh tulips(about 12-14 blooms), one light pink & one purple
1 medium bunch (about 4-6 stems) of pink spray roses
2 packs of snap dragons (about 6 stems), light pink or purple
Hypericum Coco Berries (3-6 stems)
A variety of eucalyptus branches
Begin by filling your vase or vases with water and cut flower food. If using floral foam or a flower-frog, insert into your vessels before filling.
Unwrap your flowers and separate into different piles. Tulips and snap dragons (soft stems), roses & coco berries (sturdy stems), and greenery (eucalyptus).
Start to think about what shape you would like your arrangement to be. I opted to have a fairly tall, but lush bouquet.
Begin arranging with your sturdy blooms. Trim the flowers so they are two to thee inches above the rim of the vase. these sturdy blooms provide the structure of the floral arrangement.
Next, we’ll repeat the process with the soft stemmed flowers. These flowers don’t have as much structure and will bend slightly downwards. This will create some height variance in your bouquet, but also some movement.
Finally, we will place the greenery or filler in areas that need to be filled nor bulked up. I cut the stems at different lengths to create a lot depth.
That’s it! Trim the stems and replace the water every other day.
A fun way to dress up your Easter table.
Thank you so much! It’s a great way to bring a little Mother Nature to the table!
These are really awesome tips! I really enjoyed this article! Thanks!
Thank you!I hope my tricks helped!
Thank you for the tips! I’ve always admired glorious flour arrangements and now I’m going to try it myself!
This is so wonderful to hear! Flower arranging is far simpler than you thing and a great way to show off your creativity! Cheers!
Such a beautiful floral arrangement — thanks for sharing your tips! Will have to try this for Easter!
Fabulous! I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
This post was an interesting read and very helpful! So pretty and definitely helped understand a little more! Thanks!
Perfect! Floral arranging is such a fun aspect of holiday entertaining and you’ll be hooked in no time!
Creating a great bouquet can feel so overwhelming sometimes! This is so gorgeous! Perfect for Spring and Mother’s Day!
Yes! Absolutely! Creating a homemade arrangement for Mum is the perfect gift!