Photos by Jonathan Fong. Some may assume that because I create so many floral arrangements that I prefer big, complicated designs. But the reality is I have better things to do — like practicing my ukulele or dressing my pups in crazy costumes — so I like expending the least amount of effort possible when arranging flowers.
You can’t get much easier than this bud vase arrangement inspired by the candles of a menorah. Nine bud vases hold nine flowers in a row, with eight at one level and the middle one higher than the others. What a perfect centerpiece this would make for a Hanukkah celebration, or as an elegant decoration for a fireplace mantel.
Lest you think this could get pricey with nine vases, I picked up the ones in this example at a 99 Cents Only Store for a buck each. If you’re having guests over for Hanukkah, you can even give away the individual flowers in their vases as favors at the end of the night. Then you can say, “This bud’s for you.”
What you’ll need:
9 bud vases
9 individual flower stems
1. Gather nine bud vases. They can be identical, as in my example, or you can mix and match what you have around the house. You also can get creative by upcycling soda or perfume bottles. Try to select vases with narrow openings so that the stems stay upright rather than tilt.
2. Flowers like tulips, calla lilies or roses work well for this arrangement because the buds look like flames. Remove any leaves from the stems. Cut eight stems to the same length and one that is a few inches longer. Place the stems in the vases, lining them up with the taller flower in the middle.
Jonathan Fong is the author of “Walls That Wow,” “Flowers That Wow” and “Parties That Wow,” and host of “Style With a Smile” on YouTube. You can see more of his do-it-yourself projects at jonathanfongstyle.com.
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