How To Make A Winter Floral Arrangement

I love a good floral arrangement in the winter months. Even though I live in Los Angeles, the land where it’s always sunny; I still feel like I need to add a little floral cheer.

When people think of winter florals, they most likely gravitate toward poinsettias. Yasmine Mei, a floral design artist in Los Angeles, thinks outside the box with her floral arrangements and wreaths. Instead of the typical reds, greens, and whites; Yasmine adds florals that are muted yet still colorful. The finishing product is something that can easily be transitioned to spring.

If you’ve never made your own floral arrangement, it’s a great skill to have. Each and every flower put into the vase is placed with your own specific taste in mind. There’s also something special about someone hand picking and arranging for your gift rather than a stranger at a shop.

Here are some easy steps and winter floral suggestions to create your own today:

Get Creative With The Vessel:

The vessel you choose to arrange in depends on the style you are going for. Instead of just a simple vase, Yasmine handpicked these wooden bark vessels, which gave it a more muted and earthy look. If you plan to use something without much support (like the bark) make sure to reinforce the vessel with plastic to avoid water spillage. Champagne glasses and wide brimmed bowls also make unique vases.

Use Chicken Wire:

Yasmine uses chicken wire in her arrangements, instead of the traditional foam, which can be toxic to the stems. Twist the wire loosely and fold in.

Don’t Be Afraid To Experiment With Different Winter Themes:

I like going to flower marts for the freshest options which also helps me creatively. For a beautiful winter arrangement, I like the idea of “low-key” color such as:

• Tulips
• Roses
• Bittersweet
• Rosemary
• Magnolia
• Kale/
• Pomegranates
• Sage
• Fountain grass

Before You Arrange Flowers, You Must Cut The Stems:

With a sharp knife or shears, cut the stems to allow more water to be absorbed and to keep the freshness. Cut the stems diagonally, about an inch from ends. Remove all leaves that will be underwater. If not, the leaves will rot and contaminate water.

Start With Most Dominant Flowers:

When arranging, begin with the largest flowers. I found it easier to work in a circle and work with one flower at a time to keep it more balanced. Then move on to the greens to fill in (bittersweet, rosemary, sage, fountain grass, etc.)

Step Away As You Create:

What does Yasmine find to be a huge struggle with arranging? Most people tend to make their arrangements too top heavy. To avoid this and create balance, arrange at table level to make sure you can see from above and step away to get different angles. This also helps with creativity, too!