DESIGN STRATEGIES THAT WILL HELP

Organize: Cut the stems to a similar length, remove any leaves that will be below the water line, and condition the stems by sitting them in a bucket of cool water overnight (the deck worked fine). Have everything ready when you start your arrangement: conditioned stems, clean vases filled with water, secateurs, bin for trash.

Stability: Use a loosely formed ball of chicken wire placed in the vase to stabilize the arrangement, or build a base of foliage and stems. For my arrangements, I used the wild asters (they have very woody stems) and sprays of artemisia to support the star flowers.

Fresh water: One of the most important things you can do to preserve your arrangement is give it a fresh drink of water. With a tight arrangement of flowers, this may be a challenge. Here’s a tip: Put the entire vase in a large sink, carefully lift the foliage on one edge of the vase and let the water from the faucet gently run into the vase until the water overflows into the sink. The stale water will be replaced with fresh water. Tip out any excess water and thoroughly dry the outside of the container when finished. Composition: When putting together an arrangement, use the same strategy as they recommend for designing a planter: include thrills, fills and spills. As the name suggests, the thrills are the stars of the arrangement, include three to five distinctive flowers. Fills are the backbone of the arrangement, interesting foliage, clusters of smaller flowers, seasonal berries will work. Spills are usually softer materials you can drape over the side of the container to soften the edge.

Keep it simple: The most effective arrangements are often the simplest, don’t fuss too much.