Buying guide
Choosing a ceramic vase and arranging flowers
A beautiful vase is almost enough on its own. Well chosen, it suits a single branch as well as a generous bunch. Here is how to match shape, material and flowers.
Shape for the flowers
- Narrow neck: one to three stems are enough — an olive branch, a pampas plume, a single flower. The easiest shape to style.
- Wide or flared neck: for a round, generous bunch; choose stems long enough to support each other.
- Sculptural vase (ring, arch, organic shape): leave it almost empty; a single stem underlines its line.
- Height: an arrangement ideally measures 1.5 to 2 times the height of the vase.
Matte, glazed or raw ceramic
Vases glazed inside are watertight and take fresh flowers. Matte or raw ceramics are often porous: keep them for dried flowers, or slip a small tube or glass inside for water. If in doubt, test with water over a sink for an evening.
Dried flowers: the no-care option
Pampas grass, honesty, eucalyptus, thistles, cotton or wheat stems keep their shape for months. Keep them out of direct sun to preserve their colour and dust them with a hairdryer on cold.
Grouping several vases
Group three vases of different heights but the same colour family (white, cream, sand): the set looks considered, even with varied shapes. Place them on a stone or wooden tray to create an island on a console or coffee table, and leave space around them.
Care
Hand wash in warm water with a little mild soap, without abrasive sponges. For limescale inside a glazed vase, leave hot water with a little bicarbonate of soda to work, then rinse.
