As part of NUDE in Bloom, we've invited our collaborator and friends, Grace & Thorn, to share their expertise within all things floral.
"When buying flowers, it’s always good to have an idea of what vase they will be going in. A vase can not only elevate the beauty of the flowers, they can be a key part of the arrangement itself. To create a harmonious arrangement, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.
One of the key things is height. As a general rule, you want your arrangement to be one-and-a-half times the size of your vase. This will ensure your flowers and vase don’t overpower one another, but also helps keep things steady - too low and it can look unfinished, too high and it could topple over."
"If you have a tall vase, be sure to include at least a few more linear stems. At Grace & Thorn we love to use sweeping tall branches of foliage, or towering stems of delphinium, leucadendron and snapdragons to achieve this. For a more subtle effect, delicate grasses will also draw the eye upwards.
As well as the height of the vase, you will also want to consider the opening. If the neck is too wide you may find it difficult to achieve the desired shape of the arrangement. Too narrow an opening and it could constrain your design or damage the stems. For wider vases, opt for lovely full pieces of foliage to help get an initial filling that will support the rest of your stems. At Grace & Thorn, we love to forage for seasonal greenery which allows us to choose the fullest, leafiest branches. Once you’ve got a good base of greenery in, you can start to add taller stems and blooms to your vase."
"If you have a very small opening, then use your vase as a bud vase. Choose single elegant, architectural pieces. Dried flowers like pampas grass, cotton stems or branches of rosehip work beautifully in a single tall bud vase, or individual big, bolshy blooms will create a high impact for shorter bud vases, especially when grouped together."
"As well as shape, use the colours and textures of your vase for inspiration. If your vase features a key colour, think how your stems might complement or create contrast with your vase. We loved pairing the neutral matte tones with the gorgeous shine of the Layers Gold vase. If your vase features textured glass, think about the refractions and reflections that will be created by the stems placed within it. Subtle details like this are really what will give your arrangements that extra edge and elevate your flower design to the next level."
"The beauty of a bouquet should go beyond the flowers themselves, and thinking about your vase whilst choosing them will help you create a cohesive and eye catching arrangement."
Grace & Thorn for NUDE