The famous Finnish Aalto Vase isn’t optimal for displaying flowers—but these 3 easy arrangements will change that!
Finland’s most popular vase has a challenging design: twenty tulips might look great in it, but what about individual flowers? Maybe Alvar Aalto himself should have included a support grid with his vase—or perhaps one of these inventive ideas!
Support with twigs
To keep individual flowers upright in an Aalto Vase, create a support network for them. Cut pieces of slender, densely branching twigs and place them inside the vase. Then arrange your single flowers within the twig labyrinth. The denser your twigs are, the more easily the flowers will stay in place.
If your vase is white or dark, the appearance of the support network doesn’t matter much. In a clear vase, a sparse layer of twigs might look nicer, but then the flowers may easily slip out of place. You can fix this problem by laying a layer of decorative gravel or glass beads at the bottom of the vase. This keeps the flower stems in place.
At the bottom of the vase
Crocuses sold in plastic pots look much more stylish when displayed in an Aalto Vase. Gently remove the plant and its bulb from the soil clump, rinse the roots clean, and trim them to about a centimeter in length with scissors. Arrange the crocuses side by side at the bottom of the vase and add a bit of water.
This idea also works wonderfully with potted daffodils, tulips, and grape hyacinths. With their bulbs intact, the flowers last longer than if they were cut. The vase’s edges gently support the stems as they gradually grow taller and more gangling.
Let them curve!
French tulips are long and slender, with stems that echo the sleek elegance of the Aalto vase. They naturally complement each other, making the arrangement easy: simply lean a few of these French beauties into the vase, and your classically beautiful display is complete!
An equally simple style suits the elegant calla lily and orchids. There’s also a more local alternative: the bleeding heart, which has arching blooms and can be grown in the garden. Pick the stems the evening before arranging, cut slanted ends with a sharp knife to help absorption, and place them overnight in deep water in a vase in a cool spot. This way, the flowers will last longer in the vase.
