How to Make Flowers Float

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Things You'll Need

  • Flowers

  • Bowl

  • Water

  • Scissors

  • Thin bubble wrap

There's nothing quite like a floating flower centerpiece for a special occasion. A flower floats when the sunken portion of the flower weighs as much as the water it displaces. Although some wide, flat flowers—like daisies—can spread their weight over a large area and push away enough water to equalize the weight, other flowers like roses cannot and will sink to the bottom of the bowl. This problem can easily be rectified with a simple trick that makes the flowers as light as air, creating a masterpiece that will have flowers floating throughout the evening.

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Flat Flowers (Daisies, Asters, Sunflowers)

Step 1

Pour the water into the bowl.

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Step 2

Snip the entire stem of the flower off from the head.

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Step 3

Place the flower head, right side up, into the bowl.

Other Flowers

Step 1

Pour water into the bowl.

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Step 2

Trim stems to 1 inch long.

Step 3

Cut a circle of bubble wrap slightly smaller than the head of the flower.

Step 4

Cut a hole in the center of the bubble wrap large enough to hold the stem.

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Step 5

Insert the stem into the hole.

Step 6

Float the flower, right side up, in the bowl.

Tip

When selecting flowers, think about the weight of the flower. Hold the stems in your hand at the flower shop; the lighter the flower, the better it will float.

If the bubble wrap shows outside of the flower head, cover it up with a small fern or other piece of greenery. Purchase florist's wet tape to hold the greenery in place.

Warning

Closed flower buds do not float well. Use open flowers.

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