One of the best ways to enjoy the simple beauty of flowers is create a nosegay. A nosegay is a small bunch of flowers grouped together to create a small arrangement that can be given as a gift, placed in a vase, or even carried in a wedding or other ceremony.

The nosegay has an interesting history. The term literally means a “gay or happy nose”. This is because nosegays were carried by men and women in medieval times to mask unpleasant odors.

Nosegays were popular fashion accessories during the Victorian period. Women of this era were taught by their mothers how to create these beautiful arrangements to enhance their personal beauty and the beauty of their home. Creating a nosegay is an easy way to craft an arrangement to put in a small vase without having to worry about the flowers falling out of their container. They can also be used as ornaments or given as gifts. Once you discover how to make these small floral creations, you’ll find many interesting uses for them. Here’s how to make a nosegay:

Gather Your Flowers

If you garden, you have a ready source of flowers for your nosegay. Step outside and pick a group of flowers that will coordinate nicely in your arrangement. You’ll want to select a group flowers to act as the central focus of the arrangement as well as flowers to act as fillers. You can also add herbs or more delicate flowers along the outside of your arrangement. Read up on the meaning of flowers so your nosegay can convey a special message.

Prepare The Stems

Use heavy duty scissors or gardening sheers to remove any thorns (if using roses) and any leaves on the stem. Carefully trim the stems using your gardening shears until they’re even and around seven inches in length. Establish how you want your arrangement to look and arrange the flowers in your hand accordingly. Now gather the stems into one hand and hold them firmly while wrapping them securely with floral wire to hold them together.

Add The Final Touches

Once you have your flowers wrapped in wire, you can drop them into a vase and display them in your home or add a beautiful ribbon or bow around the floral wire to give as a gift. Who wouldn’t appreciate such a colorful gift crafted by the hand of nature and created by you?

Nosegays can be used at Christmas as ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree. They also make nice centerpieces for the kitchen or dining room table. Strategically placed nosegays will give your home color and character, not to mention a wonderful smell.