Arranging Roses
Tips to help with your table arrangements.

Arranging roses is both an art and a science. You bring in roses from the garden or perhaps a friend brings you a bouquet. You want to extend the life of these beautiful flowers and you want to make an attractive table decoration.

The first point in arranging roses is to consider where the arrangement will sit. If it is to sit against a wall you need to show one side only and if it is to be a centrepiece for a dinner table it needs to be low, preferable 12 to 14 inches; something to look down on and for your guests to see over.

Consider the container next. How tall are your roses? Tall vases need flowers 1 1/2 to 4 times the height of the vase while if your vase is wide,your flowers need to be 1 1/2 times the width. Consider this carefully, for the balance is important.

Placing the flowers makes a difference. Those with smaller blossoms or of a 'spikey' nature should go at the back, or in the center, and be the tallest. The larger blooms should form the center of the arrangement and be within the lower third. These 'face' blooms should be the eye catching centre. Layer the flowers so that you have at least three levels each 1/3 the height lower than the one higher.

Try to connect the vase with the flowers by having some foliage hanging over. Miniatures are good for this or the extra foliage such as Babys Breath or Ladys Mantle that you add. Of cause the color and shape of the vase needs to connect with the overall color scheme.

Match your rose colors. Yellow doesn't look good with red! On the other hand red looks good with pink and white looks good with anything. Mono colors work well with roses. And don't forget partly opened buds with fully opened ones. (or at least 2/3 open)

And here are two extra ideas. Try floating a half opened rose bud in a brandy glass or lining up five shot glasses and floating a two-thirds open miniature rose in each. A light pink glass bowl with three open roses floating in it also makes an awfully nice centerpiece.

Enjoying your roses shouldn't be a chore. These tips should help with your floral table arrangement.

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