Homes & Gardens
Best Vases & Jugs For Arranging Flowers
Here's how to pick the perfect vessel to complement your flower arrangements, plus the vases and jugs to buy.
Fresh flowers in your home certainly brighten up a room and can make you feel more positive. Even if you're gathering a few wild flowers or some stems from your garden, arranging them in a pretty vase or jug can be very satisfying.
Ideally you'll get the proportions of stems versus vessel right and generally a vase should be either a third or half the height of your overall flower arrangement. Delve further into the rules of flower arranging, it's worth having a variety of styles of vases and jugs as the choice can make a big difference to the result of an arrangement.
Before you start arranging your flowers, have in mind where you're going to place your flower display and then choose a vase to match the space.
Every flower arrangement should suit the occasion and its surroundings, from the colour scheme, to the style, shape and size of your bouquet. John Lewis and IKEA have a large selection of styles at varying price points, from budget to designer, so make a good starting point if you're shopping around. If you've got the space, try and store your vases in one place, on a shelf and visible. It's surprising how quickly you forget what you already own.
We love this shaped vase for tulips where you can let the flowers do their own thing. Roses and hydrangeas look great arranged in these vases, where the style is looser.
This type of round bowl works well for hand-tied bouquets that are tightly put together. Make sure you cut the stems to suit the height of the vase. Once you've placed the bouquet into the vase, ease out the arrangement to create a domed effect.
Go for height with long-stemmed flowers, such as lilies, gladioli and sunflowers, where the stems will get extra support.
This type of vase works well for compact designs and short stemmed flowers. You could opt to use just one type of flower and then fill several identical vases to run along a line.
Most of us have a few bud vases as they make good table arrangements, whether its a few small blooms or individual stems. Jam jars work well too or little glass jugs. A bud vase is perfect for a bedside table too.
Instagram is full of inspiring feeds when it comes to flower arranging and it's worth following your favourites to see their latest posts. Willow Crossley and her relaxed style is an endless source of creativity that is easy to copy at home.
You've mastered your arrangement and now you want to make sure you optimise the life of your flowers so that they'll last as long as possible. Here are a few things to remember:-
- Make sure you use a squeaky clean vase.
- Adding flower food to the water can prolong the life of your blooms.
- Be sure to trim any leaves on the stems before putting in the vase.
- Trim the stems.
- Change the water regularly so that it's clear and doesn't get smelly.
- Ideally you'll keep your flowers somewhere cool but this isn't always possible.
- As flowers wilt, prune deadheads.
How to choose the perfect vase for your flowers
Ideally you'll get the proportions of stems versus vessel right and generally a vase should be either a third or half the height of your overall flower arrangement. Delve further into the rules of flower arranging, it's worth having a variety of styles of vases and jugs as the choice can make a big difference to the result of an arrangement.
Before you start arranging your flowers, have in mind where you're going to place your flower display and then choose a vase to match the space.
Essential vase shapes
Every flower arrangement should suit the occasion and its surroundings, from the colour scheme, to the style, shape and size of your bouquet. John Lewis and IKEA have a large selection of styles at varying price points, from budget to designer, so make a good starting point if you're shopping around. If you've got the space, try and store your vases in one place, on a shelf and visible. It's surprising how quickly you forget what you already own.
Hourglass vase
We love this shaped vase for tulips where you can let the flowers do their own thing. Roses and hydrangeas look great arranged in these vases, where the style is looser.
Fishbowl vase
This type of round bowl works well for hand-tied bouquets that are tightly put together. Make sure you cut the stems to suit the height of the vase. Once you've placed the bouquet into the vase, ease out the arrangement to create a domed effect.
Column vase
Go for height with long-stemmed flowers, such as lilies, gladioli and sunflowers, where the stems will get extra support.
Cube vase
This type of vase works well for compact designs and short stemmed flowers. You could opt to use just one type of flower and then fill several identical vases to run along a line.
Bud vases
Most of us have a few bud vases as they make good table arrangements, whether its a few small blooms or individual stems. Jam jars work well too or little glass jugs. A bud vase is perfect for a bedside table too.
Find inspiration on Instagram
Instagram is full of inspiring feeds when it comes to flower arranging and it's worth following your favourites to see their latest posts. Willow Crossley and her relaxed style is an endless source of creativity that is easy to copy at home.
How to make flowers last longer in a vase
You've mastered your arrangement and now you want to make sure you optimise the life of your flowers so that they'll last as long as possible. Here are a few things to remember:-
- Make sure you use a squeaky clean vase.
- Adding flower food to the water can prolong the life of your blooms.
- Be sure to trim any leaves on the stems before putting in the vase.
- Trim the stems.
- Change the water regularly so that it's clear and doesn't get smelly.
- Ideally you'll keep your flowers somewhere cool but this isn't always possible.
- As flowers wilt, prune deadheads.
See our selection of vases and jugs to help you create floral magic at home
title:FAQs: Arranging Flowers In Vases
q:How do you choose the right vase for your flowers?
a:Choose a vase based on the type and length of your flowers, as well as where you plan to display them. As a general rule, the vase should be around one-third to one-half of the total height of the finished flower arrangement.
q:What is the best vase shape for arranging flowers?
a:The best vase shape depends on the flowers and the style of arrangement. Hourglass vases work particularly well with tulips, roses and hydrangeas, while column vases provide support for tall flowers such as lilies, gladioli and sunflowers.
q:How tall should flowers be in a vase?
a:As a general guideline, the vase should make up around one-third to one-half of the overall height of the arrangement. Trim the stems accordingly so the flowers sit comfortably in the vase without looking too short or top-heavy.
q:What flowers work best in an hourglass vase?
a:Hourglass vases are particularly suited to flowers with a naturally relaxed shape, including tulips, roses and hydrangeas. They allow the stems to spread naturally for a loose, informal arrangement.
q:How do you arrange flowers in a fishbowl vase?
a:A fishbowl vase works well with a compact, hand-tied bouquet. Cut the stems to the appropriate height, place the bouquet in the vase and gently ease the flowers outwards to create a rounded, domed shape.
q:What type of flowers are best for a tall column vase?
a:Tall column vases are ideal for long-stemmed flowers such as lilies, gladioli and sunflowers. The height and narrow shape of the vase help support the stems while creating an elegant, vertical arrangement.
q: What flowers look best in a cube vase?
a:Cube vases are ideal for short-stemmed flowers and compact arrangements. For a simple contemporary look, try using one type of flower and arranging several identical cube vases together along a dining or console table.
q:What can I use instead of a traditional flower vase?
a:You don't need to use a conventional vase. Small glass jugs, ceramic jugs, jam jars and bud vases can all make attractive vessels for flowers. Small individual stems or posies can look particularly effective in smaller containers.
q:How do you make fresh flowers last longer in a vase?
a:Start with a clean vase and fresh water, remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline and trim the stems before placing the flowers in the vase. Flower food can help prolong their life, while regularly changing the water keeps it fresh. Remove wilted flowers and deadheads as the arrangement ages.
q:Where should I put a vase of fresh flowers?
a:Consider the size and style of the room when choosing where to display your flowers. A larger arrangement can make a statement on a dining or console table, while bud vases and individual stems work well on bedside tables, shelves and smaller surfaces. Keep flowers somewhere relatively cool where possible and they'll last a lot longer.
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