The vase is half the arrangement. A great bunch of flowers in the wrong vessel looks awkward; the right vase makes even a few stems look intentional.
A good starting rule: flowers should be 1 to 1.5 times the height of the vase. Short, round vases suit lush, full arrangements with flowers like dahlias and ranunculus. Tall, narrow vases work for spiky flowers like snapdragons, delphinium, and larkspur.
Wide-mouth vases are easier to arrange but need more stems to avoid looking sparse. Narrow-mouth vases naturally hold a few stems upright and can make a small bunch look full. Bud vases (single-stem) are ideal for individual peony or sunflower stems.
Opaque vases (ceramic, stoneware, colored glass) hide stems and murky water. Clear glass shows everything—stems become part of the display, so strip foliage carefully and keep water clean. Mason jars, vintage pitchers, and simple ceramic cylinders all work beautifully.
Start with three vases: a medium ceramic cylinder for everyday bouquets, a wide-mouth pitcher for garden-style arrangements, and a few bud vases for single stems. You can find excellent vases at thrift stores.