How to Use Tin Pails for Flower Vases

Flowers in tin pails add a country feel to your table.

Flowers arranged in tin pails make attractive centerpieces for a garden wedding reception or an outdoor barbecue or picnic. You can purchase small tin pails from a craft store and either leave them plain, paint them with spray paint or decorate them with stenciled trim. You can use silk flowers, but fresh flowers from your garden or inexpensive blossoms from a florist may be cheaper.

Things You'll Need

• Tin buckets
• Plastic cups or containers
• Ribbon or raffia
• Scissors
• Flowers

Instructions

1. Fit the plastic container inside the tin pail. Tin pails aren't always watertight, so the plastic liner will prevent leaks. You can recycle yogurt and cottage cheese containers as your liner.

2. Cut two 1-foot long sections of raffia or ribbon. Use the ribbon or raffia to tie a bow around the handle of the pail on each side, where it intersects with the pail.

3. Gather your flowers in a loose bunch in your hand. Trim the stems so that the flowers will stand 1 or 2 inches taller than the top of the pail.

4. Arrange the flowers in the pail. Strive for a loose, informal arrangement, as if you'd just collected the flowers from your garden.

5. Pour water into the liner until the water measures approximately 2 inches deep. This will provide enough water to keep the flowers fresh, but allow you to easily move the bucket without spilling the water.

Tips & Warnings

• Daisies, zinnias, roses and sunflowers make attractive arrangements in tin pails. You can also add greenery such as lemon leaves or asparagus fern.

References

• Wedding Flowers: Tin Pail Flower Girl Basket

Resources

• Phillip's Flowers: How to Arrange Loose Flowers in a Vase