1. Get Them Ready—Pull off all stem leaves that will be covered by vase water. In a water-filled basin or bowl submerge flower stems, and cut them diagonally with scissors. This simple step will help your flowers absorb cut flower food, while eliminating stem-clogging bacteria.
2. Feed Your Flowers—Always start with a clean vase and add a packet of cut flower food to warm water. A packet of flower food is enclosed with all flowers and arrangements from Proflowers. The use of flower food has been shown to increase the life of fresh flowers by several days. Individual packets are available wherever cut flowers are sold.
3. Show Them Off—Display your flowers in a cool, draft-free location, away from harsh sunlight and heat vents. Don't set flowers on top of a TV. Top off water daily and replace totally after several days. Flowers like to be spray misted too! When you're down to your last few blooms, change to a smaller vase.
4. Tips for Getting Started—Beautiful bouquets and flower arrangements can be shown off in many different types of vases and containers. The possibilities are endless—from an antique teapot or brass urn, to an elegant crystal vase, or a simple glass jar. Avoid containers made of steel or iron. Tip: Make sure your vase is leak proof, and has a neck and water reservoir large enough for your flowers to fit comfortably.
5. For some flower arrangements you may also want to use a brick of floral foam—a substance that, when saturated, holds flowers in place. Tip: Be sure to soak your foam in water containing a floral food solution.Let foam absorb water at its own rate. Cut it to fit the shape of your container, leaving enough space for reserve water. Floral foam cuts easier when wet.
6. If your flowers sometimes don't stand up straight … Tip: It could be your vase is too short for your flowers, or your flowers are too tall for your vase! A good rule of thumb: the height of your vase should be about half to one-third as tall as your flowers. Tip: Build a grid across the top of your vase with clear tape. Then place flowers within the grid.
7. Oh no! I've cut my flowers too short! Tip: Don't worry. Just add pebbles or marbles to the bottom of your vase or simply float the head of a broken flower in a clear bowl for a charming display.
8. Splish, splash, my furniture is taking a bath! Tip: To avoid "spill over" when watering your flowers, use a kitchen bulb-type baster to reach into narrow vases and full arrangements.

Proflowers would like to thank the California Cut Flowers Commission (www.ccfc.org) for providing much of the material used in this section.

In learning about floral design, let nature and your own creative inspiration be your guide. And above all, have fun!

Project #1: Loose Flowers in a Vase: Fill your clean vase with water containing floral food. Strip stems so that no leaves will be covered by water. Cut stems to about twice the height of your vase, leaving several stems an inch or two longer for the center of your bouquet. First insert stems of foliage and filler flowers. Criss-cross the stems as you insert them in your vase. This will create a grid that will help hold other flowers in place. Starting at the rim of your vase and working toward the center, add other flowers, spacing them as if they were points on a triangle. Place the longest stems in the center of your bouquet. Stand back and review your bouquet, making adjustments if needed.
Tip: Start with marbles or small pebbles in your vase for extra stem support, or to simply give a favorite vase a new look.

Project #2: The Bud Vase: This simple design can bring the scent and beauty of flowers into every room of your home. Plus it's an economical way to try out new and different flowers!
Select a narrow necked vase and fill with water. Cut flower stem to about twice the height of your vase. Strip stem so that no leaves will be covered by water. Place flower in vase. To give added support and beauty, add a stem or two of linear foliage or a curly twig. Last, to give your bud vase an elegant, balanced look, insert a few small leaves at the rim of the vase.
Tip:Be imaginative with bud vases! Beautiful perfume bottles, recycled spice jars, or antique apothecary bottles can all hold a stem or two of flowers.
Tip: Bud vases can make inexpensive, personalized gifts. Select a favorite flower and place it in a "collectable" vase. Or to dress up a plain vase, simply wrap a pretty ribbon around the neck.

Project #3: The Table Centerpiece: Fill a low container or bowl with wet floral foam. Cut all flowers and foliage to the same length, leaving several stems an inch or two longer for use in the middle of the arrangement. Starting from the middle of the foam, and working outward in a circular fashion, create a "green foundation" by inserting foliage. The longest stems go in first. Next, repeat this process with your line and mass flowers, inserting the tallest flowers first and working outward to a fan shape. Step back and look over your work. Make adjustments if desired. Last, insert filler flowers to connect all flowers into a pleasing arrangement.
Tip: Keep your arrangement under 16" tall so as not to obstruct views across your dining table!
Tip: Stretch your flower purchase by cutting long multiflowered stems into smaller sections.

Project #4: The Hand-Tied Bouquet: As the name implies, this bouquet is made while holding flowers in your hand. In addition to an abundance of flowers and foliage, you'll need a 24" length of twine, ribbon or raffia to complete this bouquet. Start by stripping leaves from the lower half of all stems. Throughout the process in making a hand-tied bouquet, hold flowers and foliage midway up the stems between your thumb and index finger. Pick up one flower and one foliage stem. Begin by placing one stem directly on top of the other at about a 45-degree angle. Continue adding stems of flowers and foliage at an angle, building your bouquet in a clockwise fashion. Keep your hand relaxed—don't choke your flowers! Place similar colors across from one another to create a burst of color. When you have a handful of flowers, bind with twine or ribbon at the point where your hand is holding the bouquet. To secure binding, pull the twine up through the bottom stems and tug gently. Last, trim stems evenly.
Tip: Wrap your bouquet loosely in colored tissue paper for a spectacular gift presentation.

Proflowers would like to thank the California Cut Flowers Commission (www.ccfc.org) for providing much of the material used in this section.

Do decide where you will place your flower arrangement before you make it so you can determine if the finished piece should be tall or wide or round and full.
DON'T use tall arrangements for dinner table centerpieces and expect your guests to be able to see each other across the table!
DO select a container that is appropriate for the decor and/or theme of the arrangement. Consider the material the container is made of brass, silver, glass, pottery, plastic; the shape square, round, tall and slim, short and stout; and the style sleek and modern, ornate and nostalgic, tailored and conservative, or free formed and artistic.
DO choose a vase that is in proportion to the flowers. Often the vase should make up one half to one-third the size of the total arrangement (for example, three-foot tall gladiolus need a 12 - 18" vase).
DO make sure the container has appropriate water-holding capacity in proportion to the quantity and size of the flowers (sunflowers don't fit in a bud vase, for example).
DO use tall, cylindrical vases for arrangements that incorporate line flowers, such as gladiolus, Liatris (gayfeather), Delphinium, snapdragons, and bells of Ireland.
DO use vases with a belly (such as urns or ginger jars) for mass and filler flowers. Mass flowers include roses, carnations, sunflowers, lilies, tulips, daffodils, and chrysanthemums. Filler flowers include statice, baby's breath, waxflower, Queen Anne's lace, and Saponaria.
DON'T combine flowers which do not naturally blend well. Consider the morphology, texture, as well as the color. For example, bold, angular, shiny tropical flowers such as bird of paradise do not blend well with softer, delicate, ruffled flowers such as sweet peas.
DO condition the flowers by cutting the stems diagonally under water. This prevents air bubbles from forming that can block water from being drawn up into the flowers. The diagonal cut allows a wider surface from which flowers can drink. Remove the foliage from stems which will be under water. This discourages life-shortening bacteria from forming due to decaying foliage in the vase water. Add the right amount of floral preservative to the vase water (see instructions on preservative package).
DO recut the flower stems every two to three days and change the vase water.
DON'T set flowers in a drafty or warm place, such as in an open, sunny window or on top of the TV. The drafts and heat will cause the water to rapidly evaporate out of the flowers and the vase and leave you with a wilted bouquet.

Proflowers would like to thank the California Cut Flowers Commission (http://www.ccfc.org) for providing much of the material used in this section.

Flowers have always been an essential ingredient in the occasions of our lives, celebrating or commemorating life passages, as well as expressing appreciation of our relationships, achievements and events. Holding those precious moments longer through flowers is easy with four simple steps suggested by the California Cut Flower Commission:

1. Use clean vases or containers.
2. Remove all leaves which will be under water in the vase. Submerged leaves will rot and create bacteria, shortening the life of your bouquet.
3. Recut the stem of each flower under water using a sharp knife or scissors. This prevents air pockets from forming inside the stems which block water uptake into the flowers. Recut every three days or so.
4. Add floral food, obtained from your local florist, to the vase water. Use the recommended amount for the size of your bouquet. Change the water (and floral food) every three to four days.

Proflowers would like to thank the California Cut Flowers Commission (http://www.ccfc.org) for providing much of the material used in this section.

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