Design: The simplest and most appealing arrangements are made in the form of a triangle. The triangle form should be soft. These are some general rules, but make adjustments if stem height requires it. They just become a little harder to arrange in a pleasing, balanced arrangement. The smallest flowers should be at the top of the triangle on the longest stems. (They can also be at medium height and the lowest level if there are multiple flowers on the stems.) The largest flowers should be at the bottom level of the triangle on the shortest stems. Medium flowers should be mixed around the middle and bottom levels. To Trim: Lay the flower stems on a table, put the tallest stems and smallest flowers in the middle. Lay the other flowers on each side of the tallest stems. Trim the stems so that you can see a triangle shape on the table in front of you. When the flowers are placed in a vase, the stem height is already set for you. Allow enough stem length for the flowers to clear the top of the vase. The tall flower stems go in first in the middle of the vase, followed by the medium stems on the sides. The shortest stems go in last around the bottom. A couple pieces of baby's breath can fill in all the way through the arrangement so that you don't usually need to add ferns to fill in emply places. Color: If all the flower stem lengths are equal, but the colors are different, lighter colors should go at the top and the middle. Darker colors should go at the bottom of the arrangement. If all the flowers are similiar in size, the colors should be distributed evenly through the arrangement, keeping the darker flowers predominantly on the bottom. Containers: The container should be visible as no more than half of the finished arrangement. Allow long enough stems to clear the top of the container. The top of the container should be tight enough to keep the flowers in a standing position, but not squished. Variations The shape of the flowers and the stems may allow some variations that will be very striking, feel free to experiment and enjoy your flowers. Drooping stems will add a graceful look to the arrangement, and they should be drooping over the sides of the container. Purchasing Flowers Many flowers last a long time and are relatively inexpensive. Carnations come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. They have a lovely fragance and will sometimes last two weeks or more. Buy them while there are still some buds on the stems which will continue to open. Daisies and chrysanthemums are long lasting also. Buy roses sparingly, they don't last very long and are often not fresh even though they are still in bud form. Babies breath will dry beautifully in an arrangement. Your Garden Ask your garden center salesman to help you pick flowers that will bloom at different times during the spring, summer and fall to allow you to have flowers most of the year. Plant something new in your garden every year. In a few years, you find a wealth of flowers in your back yard. Many bloom every year and many self-sow for years to come. Visit the nearby countryside to find wildflowers along the roadside. Many wildflowers will dry nicely and are considered weeds. You usually find them growing on neglected, unmowed farmland and may be picked without upsetting the property owners. If the property has been mowed, it would be better not to remove any flowers still growing there. Falling Star.com... Falling-Star.com, over 1,000 Free Fine Art Cards, Calendars and Stationery. HELP Share images and other content on Falling-Star.com. Double left click to open and right click to save. Save to your "C drive" in "My Documents-My Pictures". Free for personal use. Saved pictures can be sent as attachments by email. Every web page, card, calendar, and photograph has an address which can be copied and pasted into an email, i.e., http//www.falling-star.com. 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