When to Use This Flower Arranging Trick

Because this arrangement turns your table into a temporary garden, it’s best to avoid using it at the dinner table—you want to leave room for your guests to eat, after all! Instead, save this hack for your buffet table or drinks station. You can use your flowers as a floral backdrop for your dishes, desserts, or jugs of batch cocktails.

If you’re hosting a themed dinner party or celebratory event, this “impossible tablescape” is fantastic for tables that are holding gifts or party favors. It’s also an adorable way to decorate your activity table—whether you’re putting together a summery flower arranging station or hosting an at-home crafting night.

How to DIY This Tablescape

Reddy first grabs thick wooden planks to cover her table. You’ll be hammering nails into these planks in a minute, so make sure they cover your entire table. They need to be thick enough to hold the nails without causing them to pierce your table.

Then, it’s time to place an old tablecloth on top of the board. Get your nails ready—you’ll be hammering them into the board in any pattern of your choice. You’ll use the nails to help your flowers “grow” straight out of the table, so be sure to leave some space between each nail. Arrange them in a staggered pattern to make your flowers look more natural; place your nails towards the center of the table if you want room for dishes, drinks, or other decor.

Don’t hammer your nails into the table all the way; leave plenty of room to attach your flower stems to the top of each nail.

The fun part comes once your nails have been secured. You’ll carefully pierce the stem of each flower onto the top of a nail, so that it stands up straight. Slide the flower down until its stem fully covers the nail, hiding it from view. Ta-da—it looks like your flower is growing all on its own.

How to Save Your Fresh Flowers After Your Event Is Over

According to Reddy, you won’t have to throw your flowers away once you’re done with this centerpiece. There are a few steps you can take to make sure your flowers stay fresh throughout the event.

First, make sure to give them plenty of water before you use them for your tablescape. After you purchase your flowers, trim the stems and put them in cold water. Then, leave them in a cool, dark place to hydrate overnight.

Reddy says that you can keep your impossible tablescape out for up to eight hours. Once the party is over, trim the stems one more time to help the flowers soak up fresh water faster. Place them back in cold water, and enjoy your fresh spring bouquet for the rest of the week.