How to maximize your enjoyment of flowers

Warm weather is finally here, and there's nothing more beautiful than - or as anticipated as - the season's fresh flowers. For lifestyle expert Martha Stewart, one of life's greatest pleasures is living in a flower- and plant-filled home. People love flowers but don't often indulge in their purchase because they are unsure how to arrange or care for them. Stewart and the professionals at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM offer some simple tips to help you discover the many pleasures of flowers, whether you are buying them or cutting from your own garden:

Four Simple Arrangements:

It's easy to enhance your flowers' unique personality by creating a lovely arrangement based on one of four basic styles. The nature of your flower's stem and blossoms, as well as your choice of container, will guide you in choosing the right one.

• Domed arrangements display the blooms in an arching bunch. Mass them tightly together, crossing the stems within the vase to allow the flowers to point in every direction, creating a delightful dome of rich color. This arrangement is ideal for gerbera daisies, chrysanthemums and carnations.

• Spiky arrangements are best for long flowers with stiff, vertical stems, such as sunflowers, irises, French tulips and Oriental lilies. Create a dramatic effect by arranging them in a tall, cylindrical vase that holds them upright. This keeps a big display from looking too sparse.

•Free-form arrangements allow flowers to reach and bend naturally. Cut the flowers at various lengths for a more "organic" look. Try combining flowers with sprigs of foliage in a relaxed cascade of color. This arrangement is ideal for tulips, roses and freesia.

•Display arrangements in groups for a charming and spontaneous look. Use several small arrangements to create a single centerpiece by running them in a row down the length of a table. Any flower looks great in a grouped arrangement, from those with larger blooms such as Oriental lilies, roses, and dahlias, to smaller blossoms such as freesia, spray roses and nerines.

The Rules of Color

It's important to keep it simple. Stewart avoids high contrasts, which can look static. Instead, she prefers colors that complement each other and lend richness and depth to an arrangement. She explores every aspect of her garden for inspiration.

Visit the Martha Stewart for 1-800-Flowers.com Boutique at www.1800flowers.com/marthastewart, which features gifts styled with Martha's unusual touch, including the rose and nerine bouquet.

Courtesy of ARAcontent