The Only Glass Vases You'll Ever Need

Which ones to keep and to buy―and which to toss.

You'll want to keep the following vases, shown left to right:

• A tall, wide cylinder is ideal for displaying a large bunch of long-stemmed flowers, such as tulips or sunflowers.
• Square vases of any dimension work well for uniform bouquets of carnations or roses.
• A cylindrical bud vase with a one-inch opening is perfect for holding a single stem, such as a calla lily or an orchid.

Reclaim some of that cabinet space by tossing these vases:

• “Any that are cracked, chipped, or made of discolored glass,” says Meredith Waga Perez, florist and owner of Belle Fleur, in New York City. A flawed vase won’t look good and might cut your fingers.
• “Vases made of colored or painted glass. “Clear glass is multifunctional, so it can be used in a variety of settings,” says Jennifer McGarigle, owner of FloralArt, a floral-design studio in Venice, California.
• “Concave (hourglass-shaped) vases and bud vases with wide bases and narrow necks, because “any vase with a narrow opening and a wide bottom makes flowers look stiff,” says Perez.
• “Round fishbowls. Even professionals find them difficult to design arrangements in.