How To Make a Posy Bouquet - Southern Living

Photo: Charles Walton IV

Gather Flowers for Bouquet

First, gather flowers, greenery, and a vase. We used long-stemmed flowers such as snapdragons, roses, tulips, and lisianthus. Eucalyptus and viburnum add various shades of green. A clear glass container showcases the posy’s distinctive spiraled stems.

Photo: Charles Walton IV

Remove Foliage

Starting about 8 to 10 inches from the top of the flowers, remove all foliage from the stems. Carefully strip off any thorns with a sharp paring knife.

Photo: Charles Walton IV

Spiral Stems

Hold a cluster of several flowers in your left hand, at the midpoint of the stems. Gradually add other blooms, three stems at a time. Place each addition of flowers on the right and angle the stems to the left, gradually forming a spiral. As you add the rest of the flowers, give the bouquet frequent clockwise quarter turns.

At the center of the spiral, tightly wrap the stems with florist tape, as pictured.

Photo: Charles Walton IV

Cut Stems

Along the bottom, cut stems straight across.

Photo: Charles Walton IV

Place in Vase

Set the posy in a glass vase filled with water and flower preservative; cut and remove tape. Change the water every two or three days.