Spring Centerpiece Tutorial

Truthfully, I could talk about flowers for hours. And hours. Which is why when Rue Magazine approached me about a tutorial, I jumped on the opportunity to share my process in making a Spring centerpiece. 

I typically choose a vase with a wide mouth to be able to fill it with more product. I start with a little ball of chicken wire to be able to hold the stems in place, and secure the chicken wire with a couple pieces of thin floral tape. I like to start with the most shapely branch or green, so that I can start see the shape of the arrangement come to life. I used spirea in this arrangement as my first ingredient, since this specific variety has a lot of shape and texture.

Next, I filled in the arrangement with lilac. Lilac is my absolute favorite bloom, so I wanted to make the arrangement feel lush and full of it. Lilac (and most branches or flowers with woody stems) should be cut at an angle and their stems should be split with your clippers so that it optimizes their lifespan by allowing it to drink more water. I then added a stem of Tulip Magnolia, mostly for scent, but also because it’s another flower that I absolutely adore, which has a really short season as well!

Then I added hellebores throughout the arrangement. I clustered them in a few areas throughout the arrangement, and made sure that any of the stems that had a beautiful shape were given a chance to have their moment by placing the stem closer to the base of the arrangement. I wanted the arrangement to feel even more springy, so I added some of these beautiful white tulips! I typically arrange my tulips in clusters of 2 or 3 and assure that they are all on a different plane to give the arrangement a garden-like feel. I used the same concept of clustering with the white muscari as well.

Fritillaria was next on the list! The greens on the Fritillaria give a lot of shape, so I allowed them to have a moment by leaving their stems long, and floating them above the blooms already placed in the arrangement. I added ranunculus next, which are a perfect spring addition to any arrangement. Again, I clustered them in various parts of the arrangement, all on different planes. I also made sure that all sides of the arrangement were detailed, since the arrangement will be seen on all sides!

The final touches were to add a couple of big, beautiful Icelandic poppies. I placed the poppies in the arrangement anywhere that looked like it needed an extra pop. Lastly, I placed a couple stems of figs to add interest and color!

See the full spread on Rue Magazine here.

Photography by Cassie Xie