Flower Power: 8 Tips from a Florist for Easy Floral Arranging + The Perfect Flower Recipe

I’ve been obsessed with flowers and flower arranging since I was a kid, watching my mom make her own arrangements in our kitchen. And while I’ve made (and shared) quite a few floral centerpieces and my fair share of DIY flower projects  over the years, I also know when it’s time to call in the experts. And today is one of those days!

I teamed up with Malorie Orme of Petal + Fold, an Atlanta-based subscription flower delivery + floral design shop, to share her top 8 tips for creating the perfect floral arrangement at home. I even got her to share the ‘flower recipe’ for this whimsical, wild centerpiece. So, if you’ve ever wanted to dabble in floral arrangements at home, this one’s for you. Click through for the perfect flower recipe + 8 tips from a florist for easy flower arranging.

I’ve worked with Malorie on several floral projects over the years (florals for the latte the day away brunch / florals for the ice cream social / and the winter wreath workshop to name a few) and she always knocks it out of the park.

The more wild and organic feeling arrangements with a lot of movement are the ones I’m always most drawn to from her work. So, I asked her to share the recipe for one of my faves in case you want to recreate something similar at your next party, etc. Here’s Malorie’s recipe…

The Perfect Floral Centerpiece Recipe

• orange + yellow butterfly ranunculus
• pink scabiosa
• blush stock
• poppy pods
• eucalyptus pods
• blush + green lenten roses
• orange ranunculus
• carnations
• blue wax flower
• corn flower
• sarracenia | “trumpet pitcher”
• mixed greenery

Malorie’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Floral Arrangement

1. Have a foundation of color, and or texture, in mind before you go to purchase flowers.

2. When purchasing from your local farmers market or grocer, snag at least 3 blooms of varying  sizes and shapes to give your arrangement visual appeal.

3. Forage seasonal items from your environment. These tend to last longer as they have not been processed but also give way to unique shapes and lines within arrangements.

4. Always start with a clean/refreshed vessel. Fill the vessel with fresh, lukewarm water.

5. Process flowers as soon as possible when you arrive home… Remove (and recycle) any plastic wrap, trim ends of flowers at a diagonal, trim the stems of thicker stems/branch elements with a 1-2” slit and smash ends (this helps the water continue to absorb into the branch)

6. Use your counter or tabletop as a way to eyeball ‘measure’ stems before cutting. Place at desired height while measuring against the vessel and trim accordingly (remember you can always continue trimming if needed).

7. Rotate your vessel as you add in flowers so you see it from different angles. Add greenery first, then layer in blooms one type at a time – you can fill in special blooms at the end once your base is set.

8. Keep flowers out of the line of direct AC flow or sunlight for long periods of time. And add small amounts of water each day, refresh water every other day until blooms begin to fade.

Photography Amelia Lawrence
Florals Malorie Orme of Petal + Fold / Assisted (and modeled) by Emily Vila
Styling Brittni Mehlhoff

If you’re in the Atlanta area, be sure to check out Petal + Fold for beautiful floral design, subscription flower services (!!!), and local workshops. You can follow Malorie on Instagram too @petalandfold. Thanks Malorie for sharing all of these tips!