Choosing a vase for the flowers you actually buy

Most of us buy the same few kinds of flowers. Choosing a vase to suit them, rather than the other way round, is the difference between an arrangement that holds itself up and one that slumps by Tuesday.

The neck does the work

A narrow neck holds stems upright and makes a small bunch look generous. A wide mouth lets stems fall outwards and needs far more of them to look full. If you usually buy one supermarket bunch, a neck between about three and six centimetres across will flatter it.

The rule of thirds for height

As a starting point, the vase should be roughly one third to one half of the total height of the arrangement. Tulips and roses at around forty centimetres suit a vase of fifteen to twenty. Tall branches want a taller, heavier vessel, or they will tip it.

Weight matters more than you think

Branches, eucalyptus and pampas are top-heavy. Stone, thick ceramic and heavy glass stay put where thin glass does not. If you like tall, sparse arrangements, pick the vase up before you choose it.

For a single stem

A bud vase or a bottle shape with a very narrow neck is the easiest way to have flowers in the house every week. One stem of whatever is in season, changed every few days, costs very little and always looks intended.

For dried grasses

Dried stems need no water, so unglazed and porous vessels are fine. Choose something opaque with a narrow opening so the stems stand in a tight column rather than splaying.

Empty is allowed

A vase with a strong shape does not need filling. If it looks good empty on the shelf, it will look good with almost anything in it.