DIY Fall Flower Arrangement With Apples

I had a blog fall table challenge and decided to use apples as my theme. I wanted to incorporate apples in floral arrangement and table centerpiece. Instead of using wet floral foam to create my arrangement, I used acrylic / plastic cups as mini vases, adding them to my container that would be my centerpiece.

No flower arranging skills required for this easy flower arranging method! I used grocery bags that seem to multiply overnight to keep the cups from shifting and upright once they’re filled with water and flowers.

Apples were added to the arrangement with bamboo skewers. You can find bamboo skewers at the grocery store, they come in 10" and 12' lengths. Insert the bamboo skewer into the blossom end of the apple, about in inch into the core. As the skewers are food safe, your apples can used for fall baking after the flowers have faded.

Place your skewered apples either in between or in the vases to help fill in the gaps of flowers in your arrangement. I used mums, alstroemeria and sunflowers from the grocery along with Limelight Hydrangeas cut from the garden that have begun their fall metamorphosis. The individual cups make it easy to change your water and replace the spent flowers and get more life out of your arrangement.

Fall is a great time to plant shrubs in your garden. If you're looking for an easy to grow, low maintenance shrub for your yard that will provide you with beautiful cut and dried flowers too, see my public service announcement: Plant a Limelight Hydrangea…or Five.

Here are few tips to help extend the life of your flowers in your arrangement:

• Cut your flower stems at a 45 degree angle for maximum water uptake and remove any leaves below the water line.
• Always add the floral preservative packets to your vase water that come with your flowers from the store. If you don’t have any floral preservative, you can make your own with this easy formula.
• Check your water level to top it off as needed. Some flowers like sunflowers and hydrangeas are heavy drinkers. 
• Change your vase water every other day if possible. 
• Keep your flower arrangement away from heat or direct sunlight. 

More photos of the centerpiece and table at the blog link below, along with more fall table inspiration. Happy Fall!