Fresh flowers make any space beautiful! They're one of my favorite things to photograph. However, sometimes they can be tricky to to arrange right, so I always ask my daughter Kay-Lynn for advice. (She has her Texas State Floral Licenseand lots of experience!)

Below are Kay-Lynn's TOP 5 TIPS for achieving the perfect fresh flower arrangement.

Tip #1

Always rinse flowers first to get any and all pesticides off. Then cut off 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the flower stems, but only after you’ve planned and visualized what your arrangement will look like.

Tip #2

If you're using floral foam. Let it soak for ten minutes before putting flowers in. Water foam every few days.

Tip #3

Use chicken wire horizontally at the top of the vase to keep your flowers in place. This will help prevent the flowers from flopping down.

Tip #4

Drop pennies into the bottom of the vase to help the flowers stay fresh longer.

Tip #5

Place largest flowers first, then fill in with the smaller flowers and greenery. Make sure to keep looking all around the arrangement for balance and even placement.

Thanks for stopping friends!

Hopefully these tips come in handy next time you have fresh flowers!