20 Beautiful Flower Arrangements

By By the editors of MidwestLiving.com
June 01, 2012
Garden blooms take on fresh looks in these displays. See how to show off your flowers in gorgeous displays.
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Prairie palette

We included a few surprises in this display of field flowers. Bursts of complementary orange and salmon break up the golden monochrome, and formal, old-school gladiolas add a disparate structural element. Guests at a dining table would view this arrangement from the sides rather than from above, so be sure to check all the angles as you design a display. Plants in this arrangement:Gladiola, yellowDahlia, blushBlack-eyed SusanCoreopsis ‘Pumpkin Pie'Dahlia, yellowDwarf marigold, yellowZinnia ‘Profusion Double Fire'SunflowerHosta, green variegated

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Garden variety 

An unexpected strand of tomato vine adds shape and character to a casual display that will evolve as the fruit ripens.What we used in this arrangement:Cherry tomatoConeflower 'Cheyenne Spirit'Queen Anne's laceGerman garlic

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Artfully ombre

A horizontal display is an inventive variation on the traditional bouquet and plays beautifully on a dining table. In our display, we grouped blooms by hue and framed them with feathery ferns. To use a wooden vessel, wrap floral foam tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, leaving the top exposed. Then place a sheet of foil beneath the plastic.Plants in our arrangement:DelphiniumFernDahlia, burgundySweet pea, blueCosmos ‘Sonata', dark pinkZinnia, magentaCelosia spicataZinnia, redDahlia, light pinkDahlia, whiteSweet pea, pinkDahlia, whiteCosmos ‘Snow Sonata'  

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Lushly layered

For a full, textured display, start with a foundation of subtle greenery (or our brushy pink astilbe). Add soft tendrils that drape over the brim. Place a large, eye-catching flower (or three, if you don't have any giant ones) in a central spot. Tuck in accent blooms or foliage to fill and balance the arrangement. A crumpled ball of chicken wire secures these cuttings.Flowers in this arrangement:Astilbe ‘Younique Silvery Pink'Nigella, whiteDahlia ‘Snowbound'Sweet pea, pink

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Bare minimalist

A simple-yet-chic arrangement proves that, yes, less can be more. Oversize foliage and one focal bloom create a stylish (and super-easy) display.Plants in this arrangement:FernCaladium, tricolorPeony, magenta

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Three in a row

It takes no more than a few flowering stems to create a pleasing arrangement in a small vase. But grouping several similar arrangements results in considerably more impact.Plants in these arrangements: Catmint (Nepeta)Cosmos bipinnatusCelosia spicata, magentaGlobe amaranth, purple (Gomphrena globosa)

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Mix it up

Add variety to your bouquet by mixing herbs with flowers. Fresh snipped herbs top off a sweet collection of dianthus, spirea, purple pansies, pink rose geranium and purple violas.

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Sunny side

Combine different colors of the same flower for a striking bouquet. From yellow to orange to black, all sunflowers bring bright summer sun inside.

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Marigolds and roses

Mix an elegant flower like roses with the humble marigold for a striking mix. Here, a stoneware pitcher holds 'Yves Piaget' roses, 'Durango Red' and 'Red Gem' marigolds, and a few Persian carpet zinnias (Zinia haageana) that are marigoldlike in appearance.

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Dairy-fresh blossoms

Peony blossoms on short stems fill old cream bottles in this antique wire carrier. Even when the stems are cut short, the blooms still look extravagant and smell heavenly. 

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Teatime

A dozen magenta peony buds and snippets of soft yellow honeysuckle in a stoneware teapot make a charming bouquet. 

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Color guard

Unify three containers of three colors of flowers by including one that blends the other two shades. This scheme transitions from white to dark pink via the white-and-pink hydrangeas between.

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Traditional favorites

Match the personality of your flower to the personality of the vase. Here, a fistful of the old-time favorite peonies billows from an equally old-fashioned pitcher.

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Old-fashioned display

Tufts of chestnut flowers peek out of a peony bouquet in this cobalt sap bucket. The bouquet is actually in a mason jar inside the bucket-the jar helps stabilize the bucket. 

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Casual ease

Even the simplest of containers can make for a charming vase. Here, stems of herbs (try fennel or mustard seed) stuck in Mason jars communicate summertime ease.

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By By the editors of MidwestLiving.com