5 Secrets & Tips to beautiful fresh foliage arrangements

A simple look when it comes to floral arrangements is to create something that uses mostly greens or even all greens. But how to create a stunning arrangement using mostly greens without it feeling like it is ‘boring’? The secrets are in the type of greenery, the mix and mingle and in adding a few key things that makes even the most simple of arrangements look incredible.

Fresh Greens

There is something about just simple fresh greens that brings an abundant natural beauty when they are placed in a vase. They finish your room with elegance and an unexpected charm – without the floral filled more ‘fru-fru’ look. Simplicity is key. Greens are a tad more modern- more stream-lined in decoration but they bring an abundance of beauty in their own way.

I tend to usually be all about the blooms over here- as you know. But sometimes I crave that simplicity with arrangements. I love that beautiful natural texture -and I want something fresh without it being to frilly. And I almost always use my favorite go-to fresh foliage element.

You can find bunches of mixed fresh greens and all eucalyptus at the grocery store- places like Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Safeway seem to have them in stock year round.

Favorite Foliage- Eucalyptus

I know, I know… thanks to the 80’s and 90’s filled with dried eucalyptus in bold colors that seems to be incredibly good at attracting dust- you might consider ‘eucalyptus’ to be something that is less than exciting. But it really does deserve a second look- and there are so many beautiful kinds of eucalyptus to enjoy.

We have an abundance of eucalyptus trees in California- and that fresh scent is one I grew up with and have always loved. So for me- it is my favorite green to use in an arrangement, wreath and garland.

Seeded, silver dollar, knife blade, baby, spiral, etc. there are so many beautiful varieties to enjoy-and they are all so lovely in their own way.

Creating a Simple Natural Arrangement

When I shared the living room last week- I got a ton of questions about the floral arrangement on the coffee table. And I will tell you a secret to this one. It was really mostly just where I plopped the greens and a few leftover flowers from a project – rather than an intricately designed arrangement. But sometimes- those are the best kind. So today- I am breaking down this arrangement and sharing 5 secrets for creating ‘green’ arrangements like this one.

1. Start with one type of fresh green

Spiral eucalyptus, lemon leaf, mint- start with one element to create the ‘base’. Something I love about eucalyptus other than the delicious fresh scent – is the soft muted sage color it has. For my preferred palette- it is the perfect ‘green’ to bring in- and it keeps it from feeling too bold and vibrant in color. So I start with one type – in this case- it is fresh spiral eucalyptus and create a ‘base’ for the flowers.

2. Bring in a Neutral Color Flower

For a soft and serene natural look– stay away from the bold and beautiful saturated tones and colors.

There are several different flowers added to this arrangement- mostly in shades of cream and white. The vanilla and cream colors add a warmth to the greens -but aren’t ‘talking’ too loudly – which creates a cohesive, serene look and feeling.

White Flowers in this arrangement: Larkspur, Anemone, Wax Flower, Queen Anne’s lace

3. Add Something pastel

Okay- since we just talked about avoiding bold and saturated and adding warm white tones- now we are bringing in a touch of color. And when I say touch- that is exactly what I mean. This arrangement has just a few very pale lavender color flowers added with light lilacs. There are a handful of blooms tucked into the greens- and that soft touch of color and texture adds a pretty touch without too much.

And to show just how versatile that fresh greens and neutral base is- I added a few Juliet roses and you can see how that peach compliments the overall arrangement perfectly as well.

4. Add OrganicTexture with Seed Pods

I love to include seed pods in all kinds of floral arrangements – and especially with mostly greens and neutral colors- they really bring in a beautiful texture.

Just a few eucalyptus pods were perfect for adding a silvery blue color- and the secret here is that you can use any kind of seed pod to create that texture. You might remember the fall arrangement I created using hollyhock pods- really any type of seed pod that brings in a woodsy natural texture will be perfect.

5. Add something tall

Something tall sounds strange- but what I am referring to is something that stands above the rest of the arrangement. In this case- it is Larkspur. Adding something with height helps to create interest and a more ‘collected and gathered’ feeling to the arrangement. Like you wandered about in the garden and clipped various things that were in bloom and put them all together. Larkspur, hollyhock, foxgloves, delphinium, etc are all great choices- but there are so many. Simply use your favorite.

I hope this helps break down this arrangement and how it came together and give you some ideas for creating a beautiful fresh foliage arrangement as well.

Happy Monday everyone.