Flower power: Floral design pros share their secrets for creating beautiful arrangements that last.

摘要

There's an undeniable sense of romance that goes with arranging flowers. You head out into the garden to choose some of your favorite blooms, then unleash your inner artist, fussing with each stem until they're positioned just so in the vase. Take that, Martha Stewart. A few days later, flowers start flopping; their blossoms loll over the side of the vase like a dead chicken's head on a chopping block. The once clear water is not only cloudy, but it smells. What went wrong? While you don't need to bea pro to create great-looking arrangements that last, it helps to know the secrets the experts rely on. We asked four local floral designers to share some of the tips they hold dear. Here's what they said.