Ingrid’s All-Pink Arrangement

Ingrid Carozzi of Tin Can Studios shows how to make an all-pink arrangement (in a vintage pink vase, no less) with step-by-step instructions in an excerpt from her book, HANDPICKED (Abrams, 2017)
ingrid carozzi, all-pink arrangement

My inspiration for this arrangement is the color pink. I thought it would be fun to make an all-pink arrangement in a pink vase because I’ve noticed the color is very popular on Instagram. I found this vase in my neighborhood antiques store for just $8. For the flowers, I wanted to use at least one type that is underused. Lilies are underused in general—I’m guessing mostly because of their strong fragrance, but these are not that strongly scented—and I thought the color was amazing. Majolicas are my favorite roses because I love when they really open up and the pollen shows. Ranunculus is another favorite, and these are locally grown in New Jersey and have a beautiful black center. — Ingrid Carozzi 

For more about Ingrid, check out her Q&A with Flower magazine or listen to her recent interview on the 2021 season of the Flower Podcast.

ingrid carozzi, tin can studios
Ingrid Carozzi of Tin Can Studios

Ingrid’s Floral Tutorial

Flower List

  • ‘Pink Majolica’ spray roses,
  • Garden roses
  • Lilies
  • Ranunculus
  • Sweet peas
  • Snapdragons
  • Passion flower vine
  • Jasmine foliage
  • Forged greenery foliage

all-pink arrangement, ingrid carozzi

Step 1

I used a mix of flowers we found at the corner deli, the flower market, and our front yard. When you get home, give them a fresh cut, and let them drink for a few hours before you start working on your arrangement. This lets the flowers hydrate and perk up so they are stronger once you start working with them.

Step 2

Put the chicken wire in the vase, and tape an X across the rim to hold it in place. This is my favorite method for creating arrangements. The wire’s netlike openings keep most stems in place but still allow you to move and reposition your flowers until you’re happy with your design. It’s a more painterly way than foam.

Step 3

Arrange a good amount of greenery around the rim. I always prime my vase with several types of foliage to support and frame the flowers. This gives the arrangement a slightly wilder and natural look versus using just one type of foliage.

Step 4

Place a large flower off-center to set your focus, which I call my “gestural” flower. In this case, it’s the lily. Continue adding a few more stems throughout the arrangement. The phrases I repeat most often are “up-and-down movement” and “varying heights,” meaning the flowers should not be cut at the same length.

Step 5

Fill in with more flowers while turning the vase. Here, I place the garden and spray roses around the base and then add height with snapdragons and assorted greenery. My goal is to have a ratio of at least two-thirds flowers to one-third vase. In other words, use lots of flowers to make the arrangement look super lush.

all pink arrangement, ingrid carozzi

Step 6

Continue to fill in the middle section using ranunculus. I also angle them off the sides, along with the sweet peas. I almost always have some materials draping out on one side to create balanced asymmetry. Fill in holes with greenery to hide the wire, and then add final touches with any leftover flowers. And done!all-pink arrangement, ingrid carozzi

“It’s always extra special if you can incorporate something from your garden, the street, or the woods in your arrangement. Here, I have a branch from my apartment’s front garden and some wild rose foliage that was growing outside my studio window.”
— Ingrid Carozzi

Produced by Jena Hippensteel | Photography by Paul Brissman | Excerpted from Handpicked: Simple, Sustainable, and Seasonal Flower Arrangements by Ingrid Carozzi (Abrams, 2017)

More from Ingrid Carozzi

ingrid carozzi, handpicked book cover