by gail

You don’t have to rely on your local florist for a gorgeous bouquet. Try these simple strategies to design elegant bouquets.

February is a good month to fill your house with flowers. You can buy an arrangement of flowers from your local florist or—even better—try designing your own bouquet for a unique and personal touch.

Try these simple strategies to design beautiful bouquets:

1. Choose a bouquet of just one type of flower. A simple bundle of daisies or sunflowers is striking and elegant.

2. Limit your choices to one color family. Hot orange, red, and yellow work well together. Dark, dramatic purples and blues also harmonize. Or try pale pastels like pink, lavender, and white.

3. Group flowers by shape. Use tall vases for spikes like gladiolus, snapdragon, or foxglove. Create a cluster of flat-topped flowers like daisy, cosmos, or yarrow. Put round flowers like dahlias together in a tight, lush bouquet.

4. Take apart a mixed bouquet and make three or four smaller, more harmonious arrangements. Add flowers, leaves, and other natural elements from your garden.

5. Showcase smaller flowers and blossoms with short stems. Use shallow bowls and cups to display groupings of pansies, forget-me-nots, alyssum, or even larger flowers like camellia, roses, or lilies.

6. Use wire or floral foam (available at craft stores) to hold stems in place.