Unique Flower Arrangements

Fresh flowers are not the only flowers that you can use to make a beautiful flower arrangement. You can make a flower arrangement out of dried flowers, too. Contrary to most people's opinion, dried flowers can still be used for so many purposes like in making flower arrangements.

There are many ways to dry fresh flowers. You can freeze-dry them, air-dry them by hanging them upside down, use silica gel, or place them in the microwave - just be sure to follow instructions on how to do these things carefully.

When arranging dried flowers, place a vase on a lazy Susan with the base of the vase stuck with floral clay and a piece of foam fixed into the vase. Using lepidium, lavender and a straw, provide an over-all shape to your arrangement. Then, fill center up with flax, foliage, galax leaves,

or maidenhair fern. Position your flowers in descending order of size where large flowers such as hydrangea are the ones placed first, then moving on to the medium-sized ones. Do not forget to space them evenly. For a better effect, add delphinium, larkspur, or dried flax.

When making a bouquet of dried flowers, it helps to imagine a triangular floral arrangement with a flat back. Make an arrangement that is 1 1/2 times bigger than the size of the vase. Begin by placing twigs, ferns, spike flowers, and long seed heads. To show depth, longer pieces such as larkspur should be used at the back of the arrangement.

To finish it up, add filling material such as statice, tansy, or hortensia, extending at least half the height of the twigs and ferns. For greater appeal, the most attractive flowers with the main colors of the arrangement should be located at the center.

Make sure that the arrangement is balanced well--not too heavy on one side. And to maintain the arrangement's basic shape, keep filling it up with flowers and heighten its effect with seed heads and grasses.

By Ken Marlborough