What if your arrangements were edible?

We’ve spotted some super fun arrangements while scrolling our Pinterest feeds, and it might have just inspired us to try something new.

Integrating your fruit bowl and your flower bed brings the whole arrangement to life with bright fresh colours and natural shapes.

Obviously, doomscrolling Pinterest isn’t the ideal activity to be enjoying over breakfast first thing in the morning, but while eating my granola and strawberries I stumbled across a whole host of fruity floristry that I just had to share. Suddenly the bananas in my kitchen seem all-the-more inspiring (although I still think I’ll save those for banana bread).

Gone are the days of floral boundaries – instead we’re seeing more and more creative installations popping up all over our explore pages. And we love it! Replace a vase with a watermelon, a rose with an orange, and you’ve just instantly upped your funky flower game. Selecting seasonal fruits and veg will make arrangements look as natural (and tasty) as possible, blending super well with the flowers that are also growing at the time.

No more ceramic vases

Why use a traditional vase when you could use a grapefruit? Take containers to another level by placing flower stems in a watermelon. Whimsical arrangements like these are perfect as a centrepiece for a summer tea party or an editorial photoshoot.

I love using fruit in my arrangements! As an artist that studied painting, I enjoy how adding fruit and vegetables references Dutch still life paintings. It’s also nice if you are working sustainably and want to create a “no show” design without using foam, you can use fruit to hide the vase of your arrangements and still have that look. – @sarahsaundersstudio

Bits of both

Keeping fruits and flowers separate is out – construct your arrangement with a combination of pineapples and peonies for the ultimate wow factor.

Do what works for you and try to play with textures to get something interesting! – @martin_dumont

The table is your oyster

Use fruits and veg to create the perfect table centrepiece. Don’t shy away from taking up space with your design – make something with wow factor!

Create a monochrome work of art by colour-coordinating your inclusions. Yellows and oranges make for the perfect citrussy summer vibe.

Look for fruit with interesting tonal colouring that plays off of specific florals. Intention is everything when it comes to styling fruits.

I like to keep an eye out for the quirky or imperfect pieces of fruit or veggies as I think they bring so much character to a tablescape. Check out local growers and farmers markets as they will often have some interesting varieties of things you may see regularly in grocery stores. – @absuna_

See-you-later to sunflowers

Flowers aren’t even necessary for an eye-catching installation. Go all-fruits-ahead and create and arrangement that is top to toe with berries (yum!). Fruits like grapes and blueberries that grow on vines are a great way to add some height and dimension to the piece.

It’s important to use the fruits again after the arrangement so they’re not contributing to waste. The cherries in this installation were later used for a cherry liqueur. – @carolinruggaber

How do fruits compare to flower arrangements?

We don’t use any chemicals in my studio, but you can experiment with different solutions such as lemon water, honey water etc. to act as an anti-browning agent on lighter fleshed fruits. – @absuna_

Fruits have a fruit gas called ethylene that has an influence on the maturation process of the flowers, meaning the flowers won’t last as long as usual – @carolinruggaber

When positioning your flowers, you should never hold back from breaking some arranging rules, but we have some handy tips nonetheless.

Place heavier fruits in the centre to avoid your arrangement toppling over. You could also use floral wire or bamboo skewers to help keep them in place.
Use a water mister to maintain freshness.
Use fruit that isn’t too ripe. Harder fruit will hold its shape better, and for longer.
“Stay in tune with the temperature and weather for the event day, and come prepared with a few extra hands to be prepping, cutting and styling on site as the very last touch. The last thing you want is fruit baking in the sun for hours before guests sit down.” – @absuna_