My friend Will Hunt Lewis is a Renaissance man. Floral designer extraordinaire, horticulturist, and shopkeeper at Hunt & Bloom, one of Houston's loveliest home goods and gift shops. We grew up together in Mississippi, and both learned about flowers and arranging from our grandmothers, who were, of course, on the altar guild. Will Hunt took his interest in flowers all the way to university, where he majored in the business of floral design. He is a wonderful teacher and a dear friend. Here, he shares six tips for creating beautiful, long-lasting arrangements.
Keep the water fresh.
Fresh water is non-negotiable. Start with a clean vessel and fresh, cool water. Add water daily and change it frequently to keep your flowers hydrated and looking their best for longer. The white watering can makes topping off your arrangements throughout the week easy.
Don't be afraid of a non-traditional vessel.
Will Hunt used our Pink and Brown Fluted Fruit Bowl for this arrangement. Add floral tape in a latticework pattern and start with an anchor flower, such as a hydrangea, to hold other flowers in place.
Give your stems a proper cut.
A clean, angled cut helps your flowers take up water more easily. Trim your stems before arranging and recut them as needed. Our Rosewood Floral Snips are just the tool for the job.
Always use a floral preservative.
A little floral preservative goes a long way. Use a few packets of FloraLife in the water, and after your arrangement is complete, spray some more preservative on the whole arrangement. Will Hunt swears by Crowning Glory. I've started keeping packets of FloraLife in a wine rinser on my counter.
Use clean, biodegradable Oasis or a flower frog.
If you are using Oasis, make sure to buy the environmentally safe version and place the dry block in a tub of water to allow it to soak up the water slowly. Do not water from above or the inside of the block will remain dry. Easier yet: use a flower frog to keep your stems in place.
Embrace asymmetry.
Will Hunt recommends considering the "Hogarth Curve" for your design. The term describes a graceful floral arrangement shaped like a lazy "S," based on the "Line of Beauty" coined by 18th-century English painter William Hogarth. A longer vessel, such as our Oval Terracotta Planter with Latticework Detail, works very well for this.
