Cutting the Stems

• Although the stems will probably already be cut when you receive the flowers, go ahead and recut. This cut should be slanted and made about a third of the way up from the original cut. This exposes a maximum amount of stem surface, thereby making water consumption more efficient. This ensures that the flowers last longer.
  
  

Containers

• Many people try to get the prettiest or most expensive containers possible for their flower arrangement, but this is unnecessary and may even be inadvisable. Old water jugs make great vases because they are deep and have a wide mouths that fit a full bouquet. For just a few flowers, nothing beats a tall drinking glass because it highlights the straight shape of stems. Consider a salad bowl for a large amount of flowers to deal, especially when the flowers are of different sizes. Saving money on the container allows you to spend more money where it counts: on the flowers.
  
  

Color

• Color will probably be your guiding aspect when arranging flowers. Avoid using flowers that are the same color as the room. Red roses will get lost in a room dominated by red hues, just as yellow roses will fade into the consciousness of a brightly colored yellow wallpaper. Blue flowers tend to have a faded appearance even in a room not decorated with in blue, but match them up with yellow or pink flowers and they can become much more vibrant. White flowers and even more creamier types of off-white lend any room a sense of elegance and sophistication while red and gold rooms dominate a room with a sense of excitement.
  
  

Tools and Accessories

• Sharp scissors are the most basic flower-arrangement tool. Buy a pair of scissors made specifically for this task. The scissors need to be so sharp that they can easily cut through stems, but delicate enough to do detail work. One of the most useful flower-arranging tools is green spongy florist foam. This foam can be cut and molded to fit into that jug or salad bowl. This allows you to insert the stems so the arrangement stays in place and doesn't move during transit. Wire netting is an additional accessory that can be pushed down into your container to lend extra support to the stems.