In my experience, finding a good vase is not nearly as easy as it should be. A great vase will elevate even the most ordinary of flowers so it’s worth seeking out lovely vases and spending a little. Ideally, you also want to own a variety of vases so that you have multiple options to choose from when it comes to placing your flowers - some small, some short and wide, some taller - and go beyond glass and look for a combination of ceramic and glass vases to round out a collection.

My Favourite Vases

The perfect vase shape is the one that is easiest to work with when it comes to arranging flowers. For me, there is one simple rule : the base diameter should be roughly the same as the neck diameter.

Vase shapes that will make your life difficult

1. Tall skinny vases with a narrow neck and opening

The only flower (note: single flower) that you could ever put in this vase is a very fine stemmed variety that is flexible - allowing it to bend and lean through the narrow opening - with one delicate smallish flower at it’s end. To increase the chance of movement and drape, cut the stem a little shorter so that it sits mid way up the vase and leans against the wall of the vase rather on the base.

2. Vases with a narrow neck and wider opening

Similar to the difficulties with the tall skinny vases, these kind of vases that squeeze into a narrow section are difficult to work with. Too many flowers and they will all poke straight up as the narrow neck doesn’t allow any room for the flowers to drape and fall. I would keep these vases for decorative purposes on their own without any flowers in them. In which case, look for interesting ceramic versions with a design element.

3. Narrow base with a wide opening

These vases are shaped more like bowls and are therefore really tricky to work with. One option is to use a variety of flower with a large floral head (such as hydrangeas). Cut them short so that the blooms sit on the rim of the opening and place them en masse so that the whole surface of the vase opening is covered with the bloom heads. Otherwise, use one single hydrangea cut short and let it lean from one corner of the base through to the opening so that it is completely leaning. For a really open wide vase you will also possibly need to create a grid inside the vase using floral vape to hold the flowers in a position (for that, you need an opaque vase otherwise you’ll see the tape that is providing the internal structure).