Lana Starr, AIFD

Certified Floral Designer & Owner, Dream Flowers

Lana Starr is a Certified Floral Designer and the Owner of Dream Flowers, a floral design studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dream Flowers specializes in events, weddings, celebrations, and corporate events. Lana has over 14 years of experience in the floral industry and her work has been featured in floral books and magazines such as International Floral Art, Fusion Flowers, Florist Review, and Nacre. Lana is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) since 2016 and is a California Certified Floral Designer (CCF) since 2012.

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Q&A Comments (16)

How do you arrange bouquet of roses in a vase?

To make the very simple arrangement of a dozen roses or so even more gorgeous and beautiful, there are a few tricks that florists use. First, you can add long grasses, like beard grass. That long thin grass creates kind of fountain look when you add them inside the vase among the roses. And there are a few tricks of what you can do with that grass: you can do a little loop at the end, you can put simple pieces of paper and pierce them through the beard grass, you can put a little heart on the beard grass, and so on. The second trick you do is add more lush foliage, since the rose foliage is not going to last quite long. Usually, florists remove this foliage because it can wilt in a couple days and it's better to have the heavy duty foliage to make the arrangement even more lush and beautiful. You can use different types of the foliage to provide that look. The third thing you can do is use different botanical materials, like feathers or paper, to make the rose more interesting.

How do I transport my arrangements so they stay fresh and don't get damaged?

There are a few ways to transport flowers. First, it's best to transport vase arrangements in a box, crate, or basket and then fill in the gaps around the vases with kraft paper, newspaper, or bubble wrap. Keep your arrangements vertical so that they don't slide around while you're moving them.

What are the best flowers to dry if I want to preserve them?

The best flowers to dry are roses. Unfortunately, spring flowers tend to have very thin petals that can fall off or become too brittle when you dry them out. Flowers with heavier petals tend to be much better for preservation.

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Co-authored Articles (16)

How to Preserve Fall Leaves for Crafts, Decor, & More!

Drying, pressing, and preserving the color of fall leavesAutumn is perhaps the most beautiful time of the year, but it often feels like the shortest. Though you can’t stop the season from changing, you can keep some of...

The 8 Best Ways to Preserve Flowers at Home

Keep and display your beautiful blooms forever with these simple tips Do you love the look of flowers in your home but wish you could enjoy them for more than a few days? Rather than letting fresh flowers fade and die ...

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Preserve a Corsage

Corsages are way too beautiful to throw away at the end of a special evening. Fortunately, there are a couple of different ways you can preserve a corsage so you have it forever! This article will walk you through two di...

How to Make a Corsage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Learn to make a DIY wrist corsage with this guide Wrist corsages are a traditional accessory for many formal occasions, including weddings and proms. Buying a corsage from a florist can sometimes be a bit expensive, but ...

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Preserve Flowers in a Book

Cold weather may put a temporary end to your garden, but your beautiful flowers can still live on! While they’re still blossoming, harvest the blooms that you’d like to preserve for longer. Start by trimming away the...

13 Striking, Masculine Flowers That Men Will Love

Choose the perfect flower arrangement for the guy in your life We often associate flowers with femininity, but plenty of flowers represent masculinity, as well. Flowers like red roses, Sweet Williams, and orchids are all...

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Dry a Hibiscus Flower

Hibiscus flowers are pretty to look at, but they fade quickly once you pick them. Luckily, you can dry them to preserve their shape and color to some extent. With the right technique, you can even dry hibiscus flowers fo...

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Transport Cut Flowers

Many events call for arrangements of lovely fresh flowers. Because flowers are living things, they can be very delicate. You should know how to transport your cut flower arrangements without damaging any of your blossoms...

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Dry a Tulip

There’s nothing better than looking outside and seeing a garden full of colorful, vibrant tulips. Unfortunately, tulips only bloom during the spring, so you may feel yourself missing them during the fall and winter mo...

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Dry Flowers

Would you like to keep your house full of flowers right through the winter? You can dry your favorite blossoms at home and do exactly that. There are many ways to dry flowers, and part of the fun is experimenting to find...

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Arrange Flowers in a Vase

You've picked up some lovely flowers from a local farmer's market or even your favorite grocery store. Now comes the fun part! Arranging flowers can be a challenge, but with a little patience and creativity, you'll have ...

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Pin a Corsage

A corsage is a small grouping of flowers and greenery held together by a ribbon. It is usually worn to signify a special celebration, such as a wedding or school dance. You can purchase a wide variety of corsages, but mo...

3 Ways to Dry & Preserve Flowers in a Jar: Air-Drying, Silica & Wax

Plus, stunning display tips to show off your new dried flowersCut fresh flowers only last so long before they start to wilt. You can save some of that beauty for longer by preserving fresh flowers. Air-drying flowers is ...

How to Properly Put Long Stem Roses In a Vase

Create a romantic bouquet for your Valentine or special someoneLong stem roses make a beautiful Valentine’s day gift or a spontaneous, "just because" purchase. These flowers have a sweet fragrance and add elegance to a...

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Start a Flower Shop

If you're interested in starting a flower shop, the first step is to learn more about the floristry business. If you're skilled with floral design, have strong interpersonal skills, and a good business sense, opening a f...

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Create a Spilled Flower Pot

The beauty of gardening is that you can get flowers to look like something else. One trend that is quickly gaining popularity is the spilled flower pot. It looks like a knocked-over flower pot with flowers spilling out o...