Buying loose flowers and creating a homemade bouquet feels intimidating to some. If this is you, rest easy. We’ve demystified the process in this step-by-step summer flower arranging guide.

Fresh flowers are key to a lively bouquet. As with produce and other foodstuffs, your local farmers’ market, or grocery store, is the place for seasonal finds.

Each season brings with it a new assortment of flowers. When you opt for seasonal blooms, your arrangements will be more dynamic and natural.

Our favorite July flowers include: calla lilies, dahlias (did you know they can grow to the size of a dinner plate?), delphiniums, and anemones.

You may think of your florist as a magician of sorts. While their creations certainly mesmerise, they rely on a few tricks to ensure their arrangements remain perfectly positioned:

• Create a tape grid on your vase for structurally sound arrangements
• Place chicken wire in your vase and thread stems through the wires. This is especially useful for large or unconventional vases
• Band stems together to make thick bunches that won’t fan out. You can move the rubber band up or down to adjust density
• Round up an interesting mix of greenery to serve as a shelf. It will also add visual interest to your bouquet

Experiment with each strategy to discover which works best for you. However, greenery is always a good idea.

Start with base foliage. The fuller and more supportive, the better. Next, are robust flowers that will make up the arrangement’s foundation. Hydrangeas or yarrow are perfect summer picks.

Then come your focal flowers. These blooms are the largest and should nestle in amongst the greenery and base flowers. Secondary flowers follow. Cluster these flowers in groups of two or three. Last, are the finishing touches. Perhaps a sprig of Queen Anne’s lace here and some chamomile there.

Should you need inspiration, here are a few more July varieties we enjoy: freesia, sunflowers, gardenias, viburnum (we could go on and on).

• • Buy flowers that haven’t bloomed yet
  • Thoroughly clean vases, otherwise bacteria forms and interferes with absorption
  • Use sharpened tools and cut stems at an angle
  • Replace the water and trim the stems daily
  • Display your arrangement in a cool place

With this, we’ll leave you to get started. Share your bouquet on Instagram and tag @thehavenly so we can celebrate your flower arranging wins!

Don’t forget to tune into the @thehavenly Instagram this Saturday 7/20 to see a sneak peak of our San Francisco Flower Power Hour class.