How to Arrange Wild Flowers

Bring a touch of the outdoors into your home with an arrangement made of assorted wild flowers in an array of colors. Whether you grow wild flowers in your own garden, purchase them from a florist or retail store or pick them in a field or meadow, a display of beautifully arranged wild flowers will add a decorative touch to any room in your home.

Things You'll Need

• Wild flowers
• Wild grass
• Garden clippers
• Gloves
• Thin floral wire
• Floral tape
• Floral foam
• Moss
• Vase or container

Instructions

1. Prior to creating the arrangement, decide where the wild flowers will be displayed, the size of the arrangement and the type of container that will hold the flowers. The types of wild flowers available will depend on the region where you live. Examples of wild flowers you may come across include Shasta daisies, forget-me-nots, cornflowers, sweet alyssum, sunflowers, larkspur, yarrow, primrose, Black-eyed Susan's, phlox, cosmos, hollyhock, chicory and poppies. There are a rainbow of colors among the annual, perennial and biennial wild flowers to choose from, ranging from bright blues, deep purples and rosy pinks to brilliant yellows and oranges and bright reds. Use a variety of flowers and mix several colors in the arrangement to make it a focal point wherever it's displayed.

2. Selecting wild flowers from your backyard or garden should be done early in the morning or in the late afternoon. Do not clip flowers in the hottest part of the day. Clip the wild flower stems near the base of the plant and to ensure propagation, do not clip all of the blooms, or pull the plant up by the roots. If gathering wild flowers from areas where clipping of native growth is allowed, take a pair of garden clippers to clip the stems and gloves to protect your hands from thorns. Clip only where flowers are abundant and be friendly to the environment by not removing all of the wild flowers growing in a location.
   Once clipped, secure the wild flower stems into bunches by using string or twist ties to hold them but don't tie or twist too tightly as this can damage the stem. Place the flower bunches into a basket or bucket to protect them from being damaged. Place the wild flowers in water as soon as possible.

3. Prepare the flowers for the arrangement. To ensure the flower stem can absorb water once it's placed into a container, cut a piece from the bottom of the stem at an angle. Place wild flowers in free fashion into a vase or other type of container or place a piece of floral foam inside the container. Insert the flower stems into the foam block. Before attempting to insert the stems into the foam, soak the block in water in a separate container for at least a half an hour. This will make it easier to insert the sturdier stems.

4. Prep the flowers before arranging them. With some flowers, it may be necessary in order for them to sustain holding their blooms upright. This can be achieved in two ways. If the wild flower stem is hollow, a thin piece of floral wire can be inserted into the stem tube reaching to the top of the stem, then directly into the flower head. Do not allow the wire to puncture through the top of the bloom. The wire acts as a support for the flower head and for inserting the stem into the block foam. If the stem is not hollow but is thick enough to use floral wire, take a small piece and gently insert one end into the flower head and gently wrap the other end around the top of the stem. A piece of floral tape can be used to secure the wire to the stem.

5. Take the container or vase and place the piece of soaked floral foam inside. If using a basket or other type of container that is not made to hold liquids, form a holder for the foam block using heavy duty aluminum foil then place the foam block inside. The foil lining will prevent the water from soaking through to the container. If not using a foam block, do not add water to the arrangement until after the wild flowers are arranged inside the container.

6. Lay the wild flowers out so they are sorted by length and then begin placing flowers into the container, starting with the tallest flowers first. If using a foam block, insert the flowers that have the strongest stems along with those that have been pre-wired. Working from the center outwards, add additional flowers of varying lengths and colors. Wild grass can be used to add height and texture to the display. Grasses also add an element of country decor to an arrangement. If a round arrangement is being created, turn the container as flowers are being added so there are an equal amount of assorted blooms and colors dispersed throughout and around the entire perimeter. For a display that will be set against a wall or other flat area, turn the arrangement from side to side while adding flowers to keep the overall look of the arrangement uniform and well formed. Continue to add wild flowers until the arrangement is full. Wild flowers with fragile, thin stems can be dispersed individually throughout the arrangement or they can be bound together in bunches using floral tape and then be placed within the arrangement.

7. Add water to vases or containers that are not using floral foam. Keep the water fresh by changing it often. Containers that are using the floral foam will need to have fresh water added daily to keep the inserted stems from drying out. Additionally, wild flowers can be part of the arrangement that is using floral foam even though their stems have not been inserted into the block. The daily watering will provide for these flowers as well. To cover the visibility of the foam block used in baskets, place a layer of moss around the sides of the block. The moss will both fill in any unused areas of the container and cover the foam. A thin layer can also be placed across the top of the arrangement to cover any visible foam.

Tips & Warnings

• Once the arrangement is completed, step back and take a look at it from all angles. Fill in any areas where height or additional color is needed in order to balance the look of the arrangement. If working with a foam block, keep in mind the foam will be visible if a clear glass container is being used. While a cut crystal vase will limit the visibility of the foam to a point, a solid colored vase will hide the foam completely.

• Do not pick wildflowers that are considered endangered species and check with city or state park personnel before clipping any flowers. Not all wild flowers are well suited to arrangements.

Resources

• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
• Wild Flower Information