A beautiful flower arrangement can be the perfect centrepiece for your table!

The type of vase you’re using will help guide the direction of your arrangement, notes stylist Tamara Robbins Griffith. With a simple vase you can have a lot more variety in terms of flowers used but with a more decorative piece, keeping things simple is a better idea.

Flower arrangement #1: Decorative vase with a simple arrangement

With a more ornate vase, the emphasis should be on the vase and not as much on the flowers that fill it. To draw attention to the vase, opt for a monochromatic arrangement. For a polished look, it’s important to choose flowers that echo the shape of the vase.

Build the arrangement in your hand and then trim ends on an angle. Remember, the height of the arrangement should be double the height of the vase.

Lastly, be sure to condition flowers properly — remove the leaves from the bottom of the stem so that they’re not submerged under water — for ultimate health and a long-lasting arrangement!

Flower arrangement #2: Basic vase with a mixed bouquet

With a basic vase shape — think cylinders, squares or rectangles in white ceramic or clear glass — there is more room for showcasing a variety of flowers with different textures and colours. As with a decorative vase, make sure the shape of flower and arrangement echoes the shape of the vase.

Tamara likes to use three types of flowers to keep things simple. Have one large, one medium and one small variety of flower for an elegant balance.

Again, build the arrangement in your hand and then trim the ends on an angle. And don’t forget to water!

For more flower arranging suggestions from Tamara, check out the clip below.