Placement: If it’s a centerpiece at a dinner table: Don’t exceed 12 inches in height; you don’t want guests trying to peer through jungle foliage or having to stretch to see the person across the table. If the arrangement will be sitting against a wall, have the flowers facing outward, in one direction. No need to put on a 360-degree show.
Container: The first choice is between glass and ceramic. Vanderwarker says she uses glass a lot, but if you’re worried about how your stems will look and don’t want to incorporate them in the finished work, go ceramic. There are vases in every size and shape. Choose wisely. Or be bold: Vanderwarker suggests six bud vases set up in an old purse. Very eclectic.
If you’re worried your flowers won’t stand at attention, create a grid across the top of the vase using tape (florist’s tape or even scotch tape will work).
