Delight the mom in your life with a beautiful bouquet of flowers that you arrange yourself! It’s easy with our step-by-step (or in this case, stem-by-stem) guide.

To get started, you’ll need:

• Bouquet of flowers 
• Vase or other container
• Cutting shears or scissors
• Transparent tape
• Your imagination and creativity! 

Got everything you need? Let's begin!

1. Fill your vase ⅔ full with cool water, then dry the rim. 
2. Sprinkle ½ packet of floral food in the water.
3. Tape off the top of your vase in a grid pattern to make nine empty spaces.
4. Prep your flower stems by removing all leaves that fall below the water line.
5. Immediately before placing a flower in the vase, make a fresh diagonal cut near the base of the stem—this will ensure the best absorption rate for your flowers.
6. Place one or two freshly snipped stems in each of the outer grids, angling them diagonally so the stems criss-cross over each other in the vase.
7. Fill in the center section, then continue working around the vase. Be sure to vary the height of your blooms, as this adds interest and is more pleasing to the eye.
8. If you’re using a variety of different flowers and want a natural look, place the tallest stem slightly off center in the middle space of the grid, arranging the other flowers off that flower’s position. 
9. As you create your bouquet, rotate the vase and view your progress from all angles.
10. Stand back and admire your beautiful bouquet!
11. As you enjoy, remember to keep an eye on the water level and fill vase with fresh water when necessary.

Ready to try your hand at a fabulous floral arrangement of your own? Drop by our Floral Department to find lovely, fresh cut flowers of all kinds and colors, perfect for a Mother’s Day celebration bouquet or any other occasion!

Article originally published in May 2013 and updated in May 2023.