Perfect Flower Bouquet | Florist Tips to Make – MO BLUMEN
How to make your own bouquet — a florist’s guide
Spiral technique, color harmony, proportions, and pro tips for the perfect bouquet
Our flower bouquets
Tying a beautiful bouquet isn’t magic — but it is a craft with its own rules. With the right technique and a few basic principles, anyone can create a bouquet that looks florist-made.
What do you need?
- Flowers: 3–5 different varieties in 2–3 colors. More on that below.
- Greenery: Eucalyptus, fern, pistachio greens, or gypsophila as “fillers” and framing.
- Sharp knife or flower shears: No household scissors (they crush the stems).
- Binding material: Florist wire, raffia, satin ribbon, or jute — depending on the style.
- Bucket of water: The flowers should stay in water until you’re ready to tie them.
Buying flowers — what to get and how many?
A beautiful bouquet needs 3 elements:
- Main flowers (stars): 3–7 stems of the most eye-catching flower. Roses, peonies, dahlias, or sunflowers.
- Supporting flowers (supporting cast): 3–5 stems of a smaller variety. Lisianthus, carnations, freesias, gypsophila.
- Greenery & texture (frame): 5–7 stems. Eucalyptus, fern, grasses. The greenery holds everything together and gives the bouquet depth.
Rule of thumb: For a medium-sized bouquet, you’ll need around 15–25 stems in total. Fewer varieties, but more of each, usually looks more harmonious than lots of individual flowers.
The spiral technique — step by step
The spiral technique is the foundation of professional flower arranging. It ensures that the bouquet sits round, even, and stable in the vase.
Here’s how
- Step 1: Remove all leaves from the lower third of the stems — they don’t belong in the water.
- Step 2: Take one stem in your left hand as the center point (reverse if you’re left-handed).
- Step 3: Place each additional stem at an angle — always in the same direction (e.g. always to the left). The stems cross below the flowers.
- Step 4: Keep turning your hand so the bouquet develops an even, round shape. Always alternate: flower, greenery, flower, greenery.
- Step 5: Check it regularly from above — fill any gaps with greenery or smaller flowers.
- Step 6: At the binding point (where your hand holds the bouquet), wrap it tightly with florist wire or raffia.
- Step 7: Cut all stems to the same length — trim them at an angle.
Color combinations — the basic rules
- Monochrome: Different shades of one color (e.g. Pink from light to dark). Always elegant.
- Complementary: Colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel (Yellow + Violet). Vibrant and eye-catching.
- Analogous: Colors that sit next to each other (Red + Orange + Yellow). Harmonious and warm.
- Neutral + accent: White + Green + one colored accent. Modern and elegant.
- No more than 3 main colors: More than that quickly looks chaotic. Colorful bouquets are the exception.
Proportions — the bouquet formula
- Height: The bouquet should be about 1.5x the height of the vase.
- Width: A well-balanced bouquet is about as wide as it is tall — round and full.
- Large flowers at the bottom/center: Place heavy, large flowers (roses, dahlias) in the center and slightly lower.
- Small flowers at the top/outer edge: Delicate flowers (baby’s breath, waxflower) around the edge create an airy feel.
- Green as the frame: Let eucalyptus and fern extend slightly beyond the flowers — this gives the bouquet depth.
Popular bouquet styles
- Classic round: Evenly shaped, tightly tied, with all blooms at the same height. A true all-rounder.
- Wild / natural: Loosely tied, with varying heights, grasses, and trailing vines. Boho style.
- Biedermeier: Concentric circles in one color — each ring a different flower. Very formal.
- Cascading: Flowing downward like a waterfall. A wedding classic.
- Mono bouquet: Just one type of flower, one color. Minimalist and modern.
Professional bouquets from MO BLUMEN Vienna
Don’t feel like tying one yourself? Hand-tied bouquets from the florist — delivered throughout Vienna.
Frequently asked questions
For a small bouquet (for a vase): 7–12 stems. For a medium gift bouquet: 15–25 stems. For a lush bouquet: 25–40 stems. Always add 5–10 stems of greenery too (eucalyptus, fern). Odd numbers usually look more natural.
Daffodils release a slimy sap that can harm other flowers. Either place daffodils in water separately for 24 hours first (so the sap drains out), or use special flower food for daffodils. Strongly scented flowers like lilies and hyacinths can also make delicate flowers wilt more quickly.
Brown kraft paper with a simple satin ribbon looks naturally elegant. Tissue paper in a matching color feels luxurious. Wrap the stems in a damp paper towel and cover them with foil — that way the bouquet stays fresh during transport. Add a handwritten card, and you’re done.