Flowers Without a Vase: 9 Ways to Decorate Your Home

A bouquet does not have to go into a classic vase. Flowers in a glass jar, an old teapot or test tubes on the wall look lively and unexpected, and sometimes there is simply no suitable vase to hand. Here are nine ways to decorate your home with flowers without a vase, plus a few rules to keep them fresh for longer.

Flowers for any container: spray roses and flowers in a box.

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9 ideas

• Glass jars and bottles. Several jars of different heights with small posies look better than one big one. Tie twine or ribbon round the neck.
• A teapot, jug or milk pitcher. A cosy choice for the kitchen or a country house, perfect for garden and wild flowers.
• Mugs and cups. Small posies for the breakfast table or a guest room.
• Test tubes on a stand or on the wall. One flower in each: striking and economical.
• A bowl of floating flowers. Short-cut heads of roses, gerberas or hydrangea in a wide bowl of water make an instant table decoration.

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• A pumpkin or melon. Hollow it out, put a jar of water inside and your autumn or summer arrangement is ready. More in “Autumn home decor”.
• A wreath or garland. Fresh flowers and greenery on a base of twigs or wire can decorate a door, table or window.
• Kokedama. A plant in a moss ball instead of a pot; see “Kokedama”.
• A box or basket with floral foam. The flowers sit in wet foam, and the arrangement is gift-ready.

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To keep flowers fresh longer

• The container must be clean and watertight; line metal tins with plastic or stand a glass jar inside.
• Use slim stems for narrow necks and fuller flowers for wide containers.
• Change the water every 1–2 days: it spoils faster in small containers.
• Floating flower heads last 1–3 days, so save them for a party or dinner.

General cut-flower care is covered in “How to make a bouquet last longer”, and interior ideas in “Flowers in the home interior”.

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FAQ

Which flowers suit small containers?

Spray roses, lisianthus, daisies, carnations, gypsophila and greenery: anything that looks good cut short.

Can I put flowers in a metal tin?

Yes, but it is better to put a glass container of water inside: metal can oxidise and spoil the water.

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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