How To Design A Summer Floral Centerpiece

One of my favorite things about summer on the flower farm is the incredible variety of blooms available to design with. Every row in the flower fields hold something different: tall spires, delicate fillers, whimsical accents, and armfuls of colorful focal flowers.

In this arrangement, I wanted to create a centerpiece that reflected the abundance of summer but still felt light and airy. I designed this arrangement to be enjoyed from every side, making it perfect for a dining table, wedding reception, or gathering where guests will be seated all around it.

And all of the flowers in this arrangement (except the salal, which doesn’t grow in Western North Carolina) were grown right here at Flourish Flower Farm.

Watch the video below, then keep reading for a closer look at the design process and why I chose each flower.

Designing from Every Angle

Because this arrangement is designed to be viewed from all sides, I'm building it on a lazy Susan turntable. You’ll see in the video that I continually rotate the arrangement so I can see it from every perspective.

This simple tool helps me catch gaps, balance the overall shape, and make sure every guest around the table has an equally beautiful view. While I want the arrangement to feel balanced, I don't want it to feel perfectly symmetrical. Garden-inspired floral design is at its best when it feels natural and organic.

Design Tip: If you're creating a centerpiece, rotate it often as you work. Looking at your arrangement from every angle will help you spot empty spaces and avoid accidentally creating a "front" and "back."

Start with Your Line Flowers

Every arrangement needs a framework.

For this centerpiece, I began with three stems of gladiolus, which serve as my line flowers. Instead of placing them side by side, I arranged them in a loose triangle or tripod when viewed from above. I also varied their heights and angles to create movement.

One of the most common mistakes I see in floral design is what florists often call "bunny ears"—two tall stems sitting directly beside one another at the same height. Offsetting your line flowers creates a much more natural silhouette.

Build a Green Foundation

Next, I added salal as my primary greenery.

Starting with foliage allows me to establish the overall shape before adding flowers, and the salal creates a rich green base that will support the blooms.

Later in the design process, I tucked in springs of flowering apple mint as a secondary foliage. Its softer green color lightens the arrangement, while the tiny blooms add another subtle layer of texture. As a bonus, it smells wonderful whenever someone walks by the arrangement.

Design Tip: Using more than one type of greenery creates depth. Look for different shades of green, leaf sizes, and textures rather than relying on a single foliage throughout the arrangement.

Create Focal Moments

For my main focal flower, I created several clustered moments around the arrangement using pink lisianthus.

Because this centerpiece will be viewed from every direction, I grouped the lisianthus on opposite sides so guests always have something beautiful to discover, no matter where they're sitting.

Grouping flowers instead of scattering them throughout the arrangement gives the eye a place to rest and creates stronger visual impact.

Then, towards the end, I added zinnias as secondary focal flowers. They're one of my favorite flowers to design with in the summer because they add cheerful color while still feeling garden-inspired.

Design Tip: Resist the temptation to spread your focal flowers evenly throughout the arrangement. Small clusters create much more impact than individual blooms placed one at a time.

Add Height, Texture, and Rhythm

With the foundation established, it was time to weave in flowers that create movement.

Madame Butterfly Bronze snapdragons echo the vertical lines established by the gladiolus while introducing another flower form.

The soft peach foxgloves help bridge the taller flowers and the lower focal blooms, creating a more gradual transition throughout the arrangement. Varying flower shapes and heights is one of the easiest ways to make an arrangement feel layered and natural rather than flat.

Fill the Gaps Without Filling Every Space

One of my favorite filler flowers this time of year is coreopsis, which gives this design a cheerful pop of yellow.

Instead of placing the long stems into the arrangement whole, I broke the branching stems into smaller pieces before designing. This allowed me to tuck small clusters exactly where they were needed while preserving plenty of negative space.

Negative space is just as important as the flowers themselves. Allowing light and air to move through an arrangement keeps it feeling fresh, relaxed, and inspired by the garden.

Design Tip: If a branching stem feels too bulky, don't be afraid to cut it into smaller pieces. You'll often gain several useful stems that are easier to place exactly where they're needed.

Finish with a Touch of Whimsy

The final flowers I added were blackberry lilies and light pink didiscus as my “whimsy.”

I think whimsy is what brings an arrangement to life.

The blackberry lilies introduce an unexpected shape that catches your eye and encourages you to look a little closer. They're playful without feeling distracting.

Finally, I left the stems of the didiscus a little longer than the rest of the flowers so they could dance above the arrangement. These delicate blooms create movement and softness, giving the centerpiece that freshly gathered feeling I love.

Design Tip: Save your most delicate, airy flowers for last. They're the finishing touch that softens the design and gives it a sense of movement.

The Finished Arrangement

Although this arrangement uses a wide variety of flowers, each ingredient has a purpose.

The gladiolus establish the framework. The foliage creates the foundation. Lisianthus and zinnias provide focal moments. Snapdragons and foxgloves add rhythm and dimension. Coreopsis fills thoughtfully without overwhelming the design. Blackberry lilies and didiscus add the final layer of movement and whimsy that makes the arrangement feel alive.

When I'm designing, I'm not thinking about arranging one flower at a time. I'm constantly considering shape, balance, texture, and how each ingredient contributes to the overall composition. Those small decisions are what transform a collection of beautiful flowers into a cohesive arrangement.

Want to Learn More?

If you'd like to learn more about garden-inspired floral design, I'd love to welcome you to one of our workshops at Flourish Flower Farm.

Our floral design workshops are hands-on, seasonal, and designed for every skill level. Together we'll explore the principles of movement, color, texture, and composition while creating beautiful arrangements using flowers grown right here on the farm.

Whether you're arranging flowers from your own cutting garden or simply want to build confidence with a bouquet from the farmers market, you'll leave with practical techniques you can use again and again.

Explore our upcoming floral design workshops and join us on the farm.