Flower Baskets: How to Choose and Make One Yourself

A bouquet is a classic, but more and more people choose a flower basket instead. It is a ready-made arrangement that doesn't need a vase, and the flowers stay fresh longer. Here is why a basket beats a bouquet, which flowers suit it and how to make a flower basket yourself.

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Why a basket is a great alternative to a bouquet

• No vase needed. The arrangement is ready to go straight onto a table, windowsill or floor.
• Flowers stay fresh longer. The stems sit in water-soaked floral foam, so a basket copes well with a banquet, a long journey or a picnic.
• Easy to give. A basket is easy to carry and hand over, especially with lots of flowers.
• Doubles as décor. Baskets decorate festive tables, wedding venues, entrances and offices.

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Which flowers suit a basket

Almost any flower looks good in a basket, from field daisies to a hundred roses. For bold accents, use roses, hydrangeas, peonies, lilies or gerberas; for filling in, spray roses, chrysanthemums, alstroemerias, lisianthus and gypsophila. Another option is a basket of pot plants such as violets, primroses or mini roses — a gift that lasts much longer than cut flowers.

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How to make a flower basket yourself

You will need: a wicker basket, thick plastic, floral foam, floral or ordinary tape, a knife, secateurs, flowers and greenery.

1. Line the base and sides of the basket with thick plastic so water can't leak. Keep the edges below the rim — the greenery will hide them later.
2. Prepare the foam: cut it to fit the basket and lay it on the surface of the water. Don't push it under — it should soak itself in 1–2 minutes, or dry pockets will remain inside.
3. Place the foam in the basket so it sits 1–2 cm above the rim and tape it in a cross.
4. Outline the shape with greenery: insert stems around the edge to hide the plastic and foam.
5. Add the flowers: large ones first, in the centre and at the key points, then small ones in between. Cut stems at an angle with a sharp knife and insert each one only once — moving stems leaves holes in the foam.
6. Decorate the handle with ribbon if you like, but don't overload the basket with décor.

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How to care for a flower basket

• Top up the foam with a little water every day — it must not dry out.
• Keep the basket cool, away from radiators, sun and fruit.
• Remove faded flowers so the rest last longer.

On average, a basket with well-chosen flowers lasts 5–10 days.

A gift basket with treats

Baskets aren't only for flowers. Traditionally they were given at weddings and housewarmings as a symbol of plenty, filled with bread, grain and fruit. Today a gift basket might hold fruit, cheese, sweets, coffee and tea, honey, wine or home baking, topped with a small bouquet.

• Choose a sturdy basket with a handle, woven from willow, rattan or jute.
• Line the bottom with paper filler or a linen napkin; put heavy items at the bottom and light, fragile ones on top.
• Pick firm, unblemished fruit, and add perishable items only just before giving the basket.
• To add flowers, place them in a small water tube or a piece of wet floral foam wrapped in film.

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A wedding flower basket

A small flower basket can be made for a bride, a flower girl or a honeymoon photo shoot. It is put together like any other: a liner, soaked foam, greenery around the edge, then the flowers. Roses combined with spray roses, freesias, gypsophila and alstroemerias look lovely. For a festive touch, thread pearl beads onto thin stems of bear grass and bend them in arcs over the arrangement.

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FAQ

How long does a flower basket last?

About a week if the foam is watered daily, and longer with chrysanthemums and alstroemerias.

What occasions is a flower basket good for?

Birthdays, anniversaries, 8 March, weddings, as a thank-you or to decorate a celebration.

Don't want to make one yourself? Choose ready-made flower baskets or gift baskets with UFL delivery in Kyiv.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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