As the season of love approaches, many are wanting to show their loved ones appreciation on a post-holiday budget. Dinner dates, chocolates and Valentine’s baskets filled to the brim with gifts can end up costing a pretty penny and some may love sentimental gifts more than anything else. So, what better way to show someone you love them than through a homemade bouquet?
We sat down with local florist Debbie Brooks from Postoak Florist to talk about what goes into building a bouquet. The Aggie-owned business was established in 1986 and is committed to offering the finest floral arrangements. They provide for all kinds of events from weddings and graduations to simple thank yous with options ranging from a simple, dainty bouquet to enormous, extravagant arrangements that will suit any occasion.
Step 1: Do Your Research
What colors do you or your special someone love? How big do you want the bouquet to be? How easy is it to care for? All of these questions are super important to ask when looking into making your own bouquet. You may want to find strong flowers, such as daisies, succulents or chrysanthemums, which will allow for a strong base. With that, you’ll want to make sure to find your focal point flower, this flower will be front and center.
Pro Tip: Sometimes the best way to figure out what best suits your loved one is to look through any saved photos, put them together to see where there may be repeating elements.
Step 2: Prep Your Greenery
Prepping your greenery is one of the most important steps in making sure everything looks nice and clean before you begin to work on your project. Otherwise, you may be handing over a dirty bunch of flowers with prickly thorns that can potentially stab your loved one in the hand. In order to avoid this, it’s a great idea to clean up your stems before beginning any placement. You can use small shears or simple scissors to cut off any pesky thorns and leaves, or sometimes the leaves can simply be peeled off. Make sure to remove any extra stems that may not be needed. Be sure to wipe off any excess dirt so that the flower stems stay nice and clean.
Pro Tip: It is helpful to have a water bucket around to dip your stems in rather than trying to clean off the dirt with just your hand.
Step 3: Place Your Greenery
Now comes the fun part — beginning your bouquet. Although you may be tempted to start with the flowers, greenery is the best starting place because you’ll begin to notice the spots where a flower would fit in nicely when situating all of your greenery. However, it’s also a good idea to start with your focal point flower if you already know you want it directly in the middle.
Pro Tip: Placing the greenery while circling the stem with your hand may help keep its uniform shape — if that’s the style you’re aiming for.
Step 4: Place Your Main Flowers
Now that you have placed the greenery, start filling it in with flowers. During this step, make sure to check for any holes in your bouquet and find a place within that spot to add flowers to help it stand out.
Flower preparation will determine the longevity of your bouquet to an extent, but it’s better to use flowers that last longer over those that are known to wilt quickly, Debbie says. However, if the flower is perfect for your bouquet, properly caring for it afterward can help it stay bright and lively for as long as possible.
Pro Tip: Ensure the longevity of your bouquet by keeping the stems clean, routinely changing the water and keeping your bouquet out of the sun.
Step 5: Place Any Accessories
As you’re finishing up the design of your bouquet, you may start to notice a few empty spaces that are in need of a little touch of pizazz. For this step, some of the best additions may include flowering baby’s breath, Genista or Ammi, depending on the season or look of the bouquet. Genista can add a special pop in the late winter and early spring, so this might be a perfect fit off your bouquet during this season.
Pro Tip: Find empty space that may need a little pop! Sometimes between the greenery, focal and main flowers, spots still show up that feel out of place or plain. This allows you to add something different instead of just more of the same.
Step 6: Remove Excess and Add Finishing Touches
Now it’s time to clean up! Cut the stems a few inches below the flowers so they are all around the same length. It’s also the time to remove any unnecessary leaves or stems, especially on the lower half, that are still in place.
Pro Tip: Removing excess stems throughout the process makes it easier to step away when needed! But when finalizing the bouquet,make sure to remove all imperfections before wrapping up your beautiful bouquet.
There are a multitude of ways to finish off your bouquet. One of the most common and budget-friendly ways is by using a brown paper bag from a store and repurposing it as a wrap for your flowers. Another option is to tie off the bottom with a ribbon so that your bouquet can easily be held.
At the end of the day, no bouquet has to be perfect or uniform to be exactly what your loved one wants. Have fun with it and don’t be afraid to do things your way. The joy that one receives from a homemade gift is beautiful enough, all the bouquet will do is add some color.
For more information on Postoak Florist, visit their website at postoakflorist.com.
