5 Vases Every Homeowner Must Own

*First published 14.2.23, updated 1.5.24.

How many vases do you have at home? How many of those vases do you actually use? If you enjoy having fresh flowers at home, you’ve probably bought and stored quite a number of flower containers and only get to use some. So to help you purge your stash and be left with only the useful (yet still decorative) ones, we thought of listing five types of vases that true-blue flower lovers must own.

ROUND OR OVAL VASE

Round-shaped vases or fishbowl vases are great when displaying clusters of flowers. Cut the stems of your tulips really short and display them together like a little ball of blooms in a round vase. The posy you received from a dear friend would look lovely in this type of vase. Flowers in round or oval vases make fabulous centerpieces for home parties you’re hosting. They also make awesome side table accents.

Round or oval vases are versatile and well-suited for creating lush, overflowing floral arrangements. Their curved shape allows flowers to be clustered and arranged in a naturally flowing, organic style. When using round or oval vases shape:

• Cut flower stems at varying lengths to create dimension and movement within the arrangement. Shorter stems towards the center can create a domed effect.
• Use flowers with flexible stems like tulips, daffodils or lilies that can bend and curve to follow the vase's rounded lines.
• Incorporate lush greenery like ivy, eucalyptus or ferns to trail over the sides and soften the overall look.
• For a full, abundant look, pack the vase tightly with blooms, allowing some to spill outwards.
• Mix different flower varieties, colors and textures for visual interest while maintaining a cohesive color palette.
• Use clear glass vases to showcase the beauty of the entire arrangement from all angles.

In addition to centerpieces, round vases work well for creating bedside arrangements, styling bookshelves or displaying single statement blooms. Their soft, curved silhouette complements both traditional and modern interior styles seamlessly.

BUD VASE

If you still can’t find your way around flower arranging, you have a bud vase to rescue you. Start small and try your creativity on a bud vase floral arrangement.

Want to draw attention to a certain element in your living room or home office? Place a bud vase with a single or a couple of blossoms on it. This small vase can also be placed on sideboards and bedroom nightstands. Available in clear glass form or in textured and coloured varieties, bud vases make an interesting décor with or without flowers.

Bud vases are perfect for showcasing the simple beauty of a single stem or small bouquet. Their petite size makes them ideal for adding pops of color and life throughout your home:

• Group several bud vases together on a tray or runner for an eye-catching vignette on a coffee table or mantel.
• Use them to line a windowsill, creating a charming indoor garden effect.
• Place one on your desk or nightstand as a cheerful, low-maintenance accent.
• Cluster bud vases down the center of a dining table as an alternative to a traditional centerpiece.

When selecting flowers for bud vases:

• Look for flowers with slender, willowy stems like ranunculus, anemones or sweet peas.
• Go for sturdy, long-lasting varieties like spray roses, lisianthus or chrysanthemums.
• Have fun with unexpected choices like ornamental kale, air plants or wildflowers.

To complement the minimalist look:

• Choose vases with a simple, streamlined design in clear glass or muted tones.
• Vary the height and shape of the vases for visual interest when grouping them.
• Add natural elements like pebbles, moss or twigs to the vase for an earthy aesthetic.

BOTTLE NECK VASE

Vases with narrow necks provide secure support for stems and branches. Flowers with long stems are prevented from flopping over by the slim neck. This type of vase also delivers more dramatic arrangements. Magnolias look fabulous in bottle neck vases. Luscious and thick bouquets are, however, not ideal for vases with narrow necks along with large, wide and showy blossoms. Store tall and slim flower bunches on this decorative vase or flowers with lots of foliage.

Bottle neck vases are a stylish and practical choice for showcasing linear floral arrangements with height and drama. Their narrow necks provide sturdy support while allowing the stems and blooms to take center stage:

Ideal for Displaying:

• Tall, willowy branches like curly willow or forsythia
• Flowering stems with multiple blooms like gladiolus, delphiniums or lupines
• Single statement flowers with long, sturdy stems like calla lilies or birds of paradise
• Architectural foliage like bamboo, palms or grasses
• Great for showing off your collection of Australian Native Flowers

Design Tips:

• Let the stems gently curve and arc over the vase's neck for a graceful, cascading effect
• Create visual interest by clustering several varieties of linear blooms together
• Incorporate textural elements like seedpods, berries or dried botanicals
• Use clear glass to showcase the full length of the stems
• Opt for colored or opaque vases to create striking, high-contrast arrangements

With their elegant silhouettes, bottle neck vases are ideal for showcasing the lines and forms of nature's bounty. Get creative with height, texture and negative space for eye-catching arrangements.

CUBE VASE

Flower arrangements using cube vases are commonly seen as modern arrangements. However, cube vases can be tricky to fill and it might be a challenge for you to pick the right flowers to sit in it. As a tip, simply cut the stems of your chosen flower short and go for a tightly packed arrangement.

Which flowers go well with cube vases? Big and bushy hydrangeas would be perfect. Big beautiful roses also work well with cube vases. 

Cube vases offer a contemporary and architectural aesthetic for floral arrangements. Their clean lines and geometric shape provide an ideal canvas for modern, structured designs:

Design Considerations:

• Go for flowers with sturdy, compact stems that can be tightly clustered like roses, hydrangeas, peonies or dahlias
• Cut stems very short for a dense, compact look within the vase's confines
• Use floral foam or chicken wire to securely anchor stems in place
• Incorporate interesting foliage like eucalyptus, dusty miller or seeded eucalyptus
• Play with contrasting textures - pair soft, lush blooms with spiky, linear elements

Styling Tips:

• Group several cube vases together in varying heights for a striking, monochromatic display
• Opt for a single variety of bloom for a modern, minimalist aesthetic
• Create an ombre effect by gradually transitioning shades within the arrangement
• Use opaque or colored glass for a high-impact, sculptural look
• Pair with other geometric objects like candles or vases for a cohesive vignette

With their straight lines and compact designs, cube vase arrangements make an eye-catching modern statement. Get creative with color, texture and scale for Instagram-worthy displays.

CYLINDER VASE

For a shows topping flower display, opt for the tall and round cylinder vase - a great keepsake. This tall vase holds long-stemmed flowers perfectly. Delphiniums and lilies are its perfect match. Blooms with graceful tilts and unique shapes get the attention they deserve when placed in straight-sided cylinder vases. Anemones, tulips, and hyacinths will look dazzling on this type of flower receptacle.

Flowers in cylinder vases are best displayed in an entrance hallway or in the dining rooms' buffet table or console.

Ideal for Displaying:

• Elegant, statuesque flowers like calla lilies, delphiniums, and gladiolus
• Gently arching stems like tulips, hyacinths, and anemones
• Unique, sculptural blooms like protea, birds of paradise, and king protea
• Tall grasses, branches, or curly willow for textural interest

Design Tips:

• Allow stems to gently curve and lean against the vase's sides
• Use floral foam or chicken wire to securely anchor tall stems
• Cluster blooms closely together for a lush, abundant look
• Incorporate trailing vines or greenery to soften the linear design
• Opt for clear glass to showcase the full length of the stems

Like flowers as décor, your choice of vase can add character to your living space. We think the five mentioned vases are the basic vases that any homeowner must have. It’s up to you whether you want them all in clear glass form or made from different materials like ceramic, recycled glass or even plated aluminium. So you can put your personality in your home, we leave the decision of choosing clear vases versus coloured, textured or patterned ones to you. For what it’s worth, we think one must have a classic clear glass cylinder vase on hand. The other four can come in fancier designs.

Lily's Florist stocks a large number of flowers in vases that are all available for same day delivery. 

Please note though all our products how a vase, this is purely for display purposes only. The products that include a vase are shown in the link above. If you like you are able to buy any flower bunch with a vase, you will just need to add that before you checkout.