Reconsider your go-to vessels and dump those dime-store cast-offs you keep stowed under the sink. use a multiple-bud vase for more delicate sprays, such as fringed tulips, grape hyacinth, and lisianthus.
Peonies and other summer flowers often have beautiful foliage, but consider mixing the gorgeous blossoms with leaves of a different sort, such as mint, for striking contrast.
Think outside the box—or inside the box, in the case of this vintage crate, where succulents simply dazzle on delicate nests of grass.
In addition to being dazzlingly fragrant, Sweet peas are at their best when tightly reined into a stunning mass, held captive like a rubenesque beauty.
One glorious, blossom-studded stem, such as fritillaria persica, can really make an impact. To detract attention from the stem itself, consider using a vessel of colored glass.
This article appears in the August-1 2015 issue of HC&G (Hamptons Cottages & Gardens).