Entangled Garden Party: 5 Step Flowers with Emily Duvall

Spring is here and there is nothing more romantic than a flower bouquet. My whole life I have been a lover of flowers and they often appear in my stories. What better way to celebrate spring with a quick five step intro to making a stunning bouquet for your home.

Emily Duvall sits at a table across from a beautiful bouquet of flowers

Step 1 – Choose Arrangement Colors

A collection of colourful flowers I’m a firm believer in using color to compliment my spaces, but if you’re like me, you want to include every color and flower variety. Start by asking yourself what kind of bouquet you want. A punch of one color like pink tulips? Wildflowers plucked from the garden? Try using fewer than three bloom varieties and group similar hues together. Also consider which flowers are in season.

Step 2 – Choose a Vase

A selection of vases set on a table A vase does not have to be, well, a vase. Flower arrangements come in all shapes in sizes, so why limit yourself to the standard store vase? Over the years, I have opted for alternatives like votive candle holders or coffee mugs for a shallow look. For taller bouquets, I go big with height.

Step 3 – Flower Length

A person in a hoodie cutting the stems of flowers at a 45 degree angle

Ever appreciate the ratio of stem height to vase height? I have. As a general rule, cut your flower several inches about the top of the vase. Taller is better, you can always cut shorter if the length is off.

Step 4 – Tools

A pair of scissors and some floral tape Thankfully, a bouquet does not require many tools. Floral tape is great for wrapping around the stems to keep a tight formation, but if you do not have any, use masking tape. Foam bases are always a subtle way to position stems so they stay where I want, but I don’t always have these on hand. Grab your scissors and get to work.

Step 5 – Add Fillers

Baby's breath flowers When doing Step 1, account for any extras needed to fill out the bouquet. A whimsical bouquet will need more greenery like baby’s breath or Eucalyptus leaves. Ivy is also another popular filler. Adding extras is a fantastic way to stretch the bouquet without stretching the budget.

A bouquet of colourful flowers

Trading Places and 10 Things I Hate About You collide when a socialite and a blue collar mechanic have to trade lives for two months in this delightful romcom from debut author Emily Duvall.

Emily Duvall is an award-winning contemporary romance author with a soft spot for cranky, stubborn heroes and heroines who have it all figured out until they don’t. Her stories are packed with blush-worthy steam, a whole lot of heart, and that sweet moment when vulnerability strikes. She’s a West Coast girl at heart married to her East Coast husband and has two children who hover around her computer at the exact moment she sets out to write.