A freelance gardener and floral designer, Mary Catesby Halsey has owned and managed MCH Floral Studio in New York since 2018. In addition to creating private and corporate garden installations, she makes custom wreaths, garland, and decorations for Christmas and Halloween.
For the DIY flower arranger, a few simple techniques can elevate work to a professional level. To ensure that arrangement lasts longer, remove the extra leaves and any damaged petals first. Then, trim the bottom of each stem diagonally and place the flowers in water with fresh cut flower food. Choose a flower vase with a sturdy foundation, and crisscross floral tape over the opening. Insert stems into the holes created by the tape so they stay firmly in place.
Add greenery such as ivy or eucalyptus first, creating an inverted triangle shape to give the arrangement vertical and horizontal interest. Then, add the largest, most attractive flowers first, taking care to achieve a natural rather than symmetrical look. Smaller filler flowers come next; clustering small groups of flowers together tends to look more organic. If you are including more delicate blooms such as baby’s breath, they should come last, so they don’t get buried by more substantial blooms.
