Clustered botanicals are finding their way to the tabletop for hot summer months, both inside and outdoors. Packed with elements live and dried, these arrangements are a natural partner for stone or shell dust containers, often with rocks, minerals and moss tucked inside.

The hard and soft contrast lends texture to the eye, creating a rich density that can last significantly longer than an airy bouquet of cut flowers. Buried into floral form and sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, the live elements stay hydrated longer, their containers cool and wet. Paul Vaughn, known as @florabareflorist (as well as for his wholesale work locally at Flowerlina), created the centerpieces for our issue, inspired by the rich colors of Old World Europe. “All the colors are vibrant,” he says, “reminiscent of both land and sea.”

Mixed with wood and fresh flowers, he likes that the combination seems to come alive from its palette. “Combining moss and other natural elements such as crystals and geodes make a stunning elemental arrangement. It can’t help but make you feel the rays of sunshine on a distant Mediterranean beach.”

Vaughn says to rehydrate the dried moss before starting (there are four different types: sphagnum, mood, sheet moss and reindeer lichen); it keeps everything looking and feeling fresh. He built the containers for a longer lasting feel, everything but the roses and scabiosa can dry naturally and stay put and orchids will last for up to a week cut from the stem. “The longer lasting arrangement is on trend as we get into our busy lives. They can be made as a totally dry piece or with floral foam for those fresh cut stems.”

Simply replace cut flowers once they wilt with new ones or fill in gaps with natural elements from the garden or vacation locales. Our arrangements feature nearly a dozen cracked geodes, seashells, beach wood, mineral and crystal clusters and fossils, grounding the look with earthy components.

“The visual impact of color is better expressed in tight-grouped arrangements,” says Vaughn. He points out that the sparkle, pop and color have the ability to pull from all tones of a room or brighten a more neutral space.

An uncommon vessel can contain low, packed florals, but you want it to be something that will clean easily and be water tight. If you hope to use a planter with drainage like the stone bowl, employ some clear caulk and seal up the drain. Vaugh says it’s a fast and easy fix. If the container is hand-painted or has a patterned exterior, such as the shell container, then test if it will leave any marks on your surfaces. A shiny coating can sometimes come off when wet. When choosing stone or concrete, fill with water for 24 hours to make sure it won’t leech through.