As we near the end of a pretty hellish winter, I think we can all agree we are in need of some mood boosting blooms and to bring the outside in as the weather starts to be a little kinder to us. Whilst fresh flowers have their place, their environmental impact isn’t so rosy. We are beginning to see a clear shift towards more conscious choices, with consumers investing in products they know they’ll use time and time again. Here at Shida, we are proud to offer a sustainable lasting alternative to fresh and faux flowers (which are a no go in our book!) using perfectly preserved blooms that are naturally dried for you to enjoy maintenance free all year.

Aside from filling your Home or Workspace with vibrant blooms and verdant greenery, it has been proven that re connecting with nature and the beautifully-calm activity of flower arranging promotes peaceful relaxation and encourages creative thinking. With hectic schedules and endless to do lists, we’re big fans of hitting the pause button to create some floral joy!

So, you've just received your Shida Flowers and wondering where to start? We’re taking things back to basics and walking you through our step-by-step guide on how to best arrange and style your stems. As well as our favourite Vase recommendations & florists top styling tips!.

The beauty of preserved flowers is that you can restyle and repurpose your stems again in a few months for a fresh new look. All you need get started is a pair of Sharp Scissors or Secateurs and your Shida Letterbox Bouquet.

Firsts thing first - How to choose the Right Vase for your arrangement.

When selecting your Vase or vessel, as a rough guide the Vase should be around half the size of your Bouquet.We like to use opaque ceramics or pretty coloured glass to hide the stems and put the focus on the gorgeous flowers - like this Iris Yellow Spot Glass Vase from Oliver Bonas. Just remember - don’t add water!

Step One - Getting started

Unbox your Bouquet and sort the stems into groups. Measure your stems next to the Vase and trim to fit. Top tip - remember to use varying stem lengths to add interest and dimension from 1.5 to 2 times the height of your Vase..

Step Two - Building your Design

Now you can begin building up your arrangement. Starting with the structural stems to create the shape of the arrangement, continue adding the focal flowers and smaller flowers and foliage until you’re happy. At this stage it’s a good idea to keep in mind what style you prefer and where the finished arrangement will be displayed. Front facing with focal stems in full view? 360 all rounder or maybe asymmetrical? It's up to you! Get creative and arrange your stems to reflect your personal taste and interior style.

Step Three - Finishing Touches

Its a good idea to add any accent stems like proteas or palm spears towards the end once you have built the majority of your arrangement. You can then make any final edits and you’re done! Take a step back and admire your handy work. All that’s left to do now is find the perfect spot to showcase your arrangement. To keep your flowers looking fresh year round keep them out of direct sunlight to preserve their colour and give them an occasional light dust using a hairdryer. Always position the hairdryer at a metre distance from the flowers and use the cool setting
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We hope you enjoy arranging your flowers or giving a new lease of life to an already existing Bouquet. If you’ve followed these steps remember to tag us at @shida_preserved_flowers so we can see your creations!

Words by Molly Newcombe