Decorating with
flowers

Parties are one of life’s great pleasures. To lend elegance and excitement to your next gathering, make flowers part of the festivities. Flowers are a super way to get the fun started – they dress up dining tables and powder rooms, they can be key elements of a theme party, and unusual bouquets are excellent conversation starters. Flowers set the tone, whether you have simple bunches of daisies or orchid

bouquets hanging from a crystal chandelier.

Your local florist is a valuable resource, especially if you entertain frequently. Building a relationship with a florist offers several advantages. If the floral arrangements are complex, you have the option of leaving that entire part of the party to a professional and, for smaller, simpler affairs, you can check in with your florist for tips, such as what flowers will be in season at the time of your event.

To get you started, we checked in with floral experts around the country. For Tom Simmons, designing a perfect party is all in a day’s work. Simmons runs Three Bunch Palms Productions in Palm Springs, Calif., and is the current president of the American Institute of Floral Designers. Tom gave lots of terrific suggestions as did Chicago-area floral consultant Kim Oldis; Bert Ford, owner of Ford Flower Company in Salem, N.H.; and Carolyn Shepard of Carolyn Shepard Design Group in Charlotte, N.C.

Tap the power of flowers with these party-specific ideas.

Your color scheme will be set by whichever team you’re rooting for, but grass and flowers can give your party a creative kick-off. Try covering a table with an 18" by 30" flat of wheat grass so that it looks like a playing field. Old leather footballs cut in half and lined with wet floral foam can hold flowers, as can old helmets. Also, hallmarks of your favorite team’s city (say beans for the New England Patriots) help put guests in the mood to cheer.

One or two flower varieties in small groupings will maximize color, in this case, green. Bells of Ireland are a great choice – they can be clustered in vases of varying heights and shapes. Not only is cabbage a food associated with the holiday, it also functions as an all-natural vase. Slice it in half and cut the bottom so that it’s flat, then pierce the cabbage with a skewer to create holes for the flowers. Finally, place inside a low bowl with a little water. Wheat grass is another easy way to get green into your festivities.

A fun and simple idea is to fill a tall clear vase with lemons and limes, then add bright yellow sunflowers (and water for when they get thirsty). Decorative glass pieces inside the vase enhance this striking look.

Graduation is all about accomplishment and reward for hard work. So, how about a beach-vacation theme with tropical flowers, like hibiscus and bougainvillea? Floral leis also lend a relaxed air. Otherwise, you could have several groupings of flowers in school colors.

To spice up a red, white and blue celebration, have your flowers mimic the look of an exploding firecracker. Gather some cardboard tubes (5" or 10" diameter) and cover in red contact paper or paint them red. Then pop in a small vase of white spider mums, silver mylar, and glitter-coated dried grass. (If you don’t have vases to fit, you can use plastic liner and floral foam.) Depending on the size of your gathering, make them in a few different sizes and use wherever you need eye-catching accents.

When you’re cleaning and carving pumpkins, set some aside and paint them black, gold or purple. Floral foam and flowers will turn them into festive vases. Mini pumpkins, adorned with flowers or wrapped with vine, are darling place cards. Going for a glitzy vibe? Decorate pumpkins with shiny beads.

A wedding on the social horizon likely means lots of parties and gatherings. Over the top and exuberant or ever-tasteful, the most important thing is that the festivities reflect the bride’s personality. Next step: Plan, plan, plan! As for the accompanying flowers, start simply. Gradually develop and expand your floral motif leading up to the big day, the culmination of your creativity.

For example, once the bride has picked her flowers or you know what her favorite flowers are, choose a bloom to appear on the invitation to the engagement party or shower. At the event, feature that flower in mixed bouquets around the room or in floral centerpieces for the dining area. Is there a wonderful story behind the proposal or the bride-to-be’s ring? If so, make visual reference to it by filling martini glasses with individual blossoms and plastic diamonds. Or for a beach wedding, mix seashells into the floral décor. And don’t forget the groom – be sure to include his favorite flowers at the rehearsal dinner.

Also, plants and flowers at the entrance to a party are attractive welcome signs. Try a ceramic pot filled with curly willow and Algerian or English ivy overflowing at the base. Party favors can hang from the branches.

Curly willow can also be used in centerpieces. Use three or four branches in a glass cylinder filled halfway with small pieces of frosted glass. For a little dazzle, spray the willow with silver paint and use floral glue to attach small crystals to branches; you might also hang crystals from the branches with ribbon or monofilament. At the opening of the vase, add a “collar” of hydrangea or carnations.

Romantic floral touches include sprinkling rose petals on tables, an ice ring with edible flowers for the punch bowl, a petite hand-tied bouquet for the bride and a floral cake or cupcakes (made from flowers and floral foam) next to the real desserts.

If you’re looking for a theme, a map might come in handy – is there a corner of the globe that holds special significance for the parents to be? Or just work with baby gear. For instance, place vases of flowers amid bottles, blocks and stuffed animals. Instead of pink and/or blue flowers, yellow, purple and green are a nice update. And baby’s breath can be beautiful as the focal flower, rather than as filler.

In addition to adorning the buffet area and individual tables, flowers look pretty next to the guest sign-in book and seating-assignment cards, perhaps blended with a collection of photos, conjuring milestones and joyful memories. Unless it’s a surprise party, a lovely gesture is for the guest(s) of honor to write each guest a brief note, describing their special connection or a good time shared. Put the notes at the place setting or attach to the slip of paper indicating table number.

Silver and gold are classic color choices, but your palette can be much broader, depending on who’s blowing out the candles. Want to evoke the psychedelic era? It’s easy to create a groovy vibe with flowers. Fill clear glass containers with 1.5 to 2 gallons of red, orange and lime JELL-O. While the mixture is still liquid, insert flower stems, leaving the petals just above the rim. Surround the containers with clear votive candles.