How to Make a Modern Arrangement with Fruits and Vegetables

Start with a solid, water-tight container like an ice bucket. This arrangement is top-heavy, so the heavier the container, the better. Consider other non-traditional floral vessels like salad bowls and dutch ovens.

Cut pieces of floral foam to fit into the container. Select "wet" floral foam, such as floral foam formulated for fresh arrangements. You can purchase floral foam in the floral section of crafts stores. It comes in standard-sized bricks, which can be easily cut with a knife.

Remove the floral foam from the container and soak the pieces in a bucket of water for about a minute. Then return the foam to the container. Although most of the elements of the arrangement will not actually need a water source, the weight of the wet foam will help stabilize the top-heavy arrangement.

To select the fruits and vegetables for this arrangement, a trip to your local farmers market will definitely inspire you. A great foundation for the arrangement is ornamental cabbage, as the heads look like giant flowers. Remove the outer leaves that are yellowing or wilted, and trim the stem.

Insert the stems of the cabbages into the floral foam. The stems should be hidden completely in the foam. These cabbages are the only element in the arrangement with stems, and therefore the only things in need of the water in the floral foam.

Artichokes are also ideal for this arrangement because of the bud's flower-like appearance. Insert skewers into the stems of the artichokes.

Insert the skewers with the artichokes into the floral foam. You may need to trim the skewers if they are too long. The photo illustrates how the arrangement looks so far from the back.

Squash blossoms are a farmers' market favorite, and their golden blooms look like African tulips. Bundle three squash blossoms and a skewer together with a rubber band, and they're ready to go into the arrangement.

When inserting the squash blossoms and subsequent elements in this arrangement, aim for a rounded look in which the sides are shorter and the middle is taller. As you can see in the photo here, the squash blossoms, which are in the middle, are higher than the artichokes and cabbages on the side.

Pomegranates, which are a fall staple, add a pop of color to the arrangement. As with the artichokes, insert skewers into the fruit to create a long stem, which you can use to place in the floral foam.

Green beans aren't just green anymore at farmers markets. These purple and yellow beans provide additional color and texture in the arrangement. Bundle the beans with a skewer in the middle, securing them with a rubber band, and place them throughout the centerpiece.

A farmers market truly is inspiring, and everywhere you look there are fruits and vegetables ideal for this arrangement. The deep purple of these eggplants contrasts so beautifully to the green cabbages. Again, insert skewers into their base to create stems for you to place in the centerpiece.

As you complete the arrangement, you will inevitably notice a few empty spots here and there. The perfect filler for these spaces is fresh herbs, which also make your centerpiece smell glorious. Bundle herbs like rosemary, sage and thyme with rubber bands.

Then position the herb bundles wherever there is an opening in the arrangement. If the arrangement is already densely packed, you will be able to fit in the herbs without anchoring them to skewers. Keep the arrangement in a cool place, and enjoy the fruits – and vegetables – of your labor.