Equipment: glass vase, water, clear sellotape

Flowers: kniphofia, daisies, leucadendron

Foliage: ficus, cordyline, seed heads

The objective is to create a simple, well balanced arrangement using just a few architectural flowers and foliage. It is harder than it looks. The clear sellotape is used to make a grid across the top of the vase, with the flowers / foliage inserted stem by stem through that. Getting the first few stems to stay upright and in place is tricky, but as you add more they eventually support each other and find their own balance. All the flowers and foliage came from the garden - the kniphofia was my last flower of the season, the leucadendrons are just starting to come into flower.

Lessons learned with this one: 

• An asymmetrical arrangement is more interesting. I kept trying for symmetry and it didn't work so well.

• Use the main flower(s) at the level you want to draw the eye into. I started with a very tall red hot poker, but had to cut it down to bring the eye to the centre of the arrangement.

• Mix up the different type of leaves: balancing the texture and colour is what gives the overall sense of balance. The foliage is as important as the flowers.

• I will use a vase with a smaller opening next time. You get a tighter display.

This arrangement lasted for a week. The daisies were first to go, then the red hot poker, then the foliage and seed heads. The cordyline and leucadendron leaves are still going strong 4 weeks on and will be re-used in a future arrangement.