Ina Garten’s flower-arranging secret makes DIY bouquets look professionally made

Getting your flowers to look just right in a DIY bouquet can be a tricky task: Some people seem to have the magic touch, making every arrangement look Instagram-worthy in seconds. But for those of us who aren’t quite so #blessed, there’s actually a technique behind putting together a mood-boosting display—and, naturally Ina Garten has it mastered.

The all-star chef isn’t just a pro at putting together super-appetizing spreads. Anyone who takes a cursory scroll though her Instagram feed can see that she’s learned the art of flower styling, too. In a recent post on Father’s Day, Garten shared her formula, and it’s super easy, requiring nothing but a little arithmetic. “Mixed bouquets are sometimes hard to get just right, so instead I often choose one kind of flower but in lots of different colors,” she writes. “My secret is to follow the rule of odd numbers: Three or five of each color always looks best. I can’t explain it, but it really works.”

This isn’t the only hack she’s shared with her petals-obsessed fans on Instagram. She’s also said that adding touches of bright green and orange alongside dark colors can make your arrangements “come alive,” that preparing your bouquet a day or two in advance can fully open the blooms just in time for your dinner party, and that sometimes, all you need for a stunning display are some chive blossoms and mint (a tip with which plant mama Alison Wu definitely agrees).

So, the next time you’re trying to put together a pretty bouquet for your kitchen table, don’t make it complicated. Just grab some flowers from the garden, do some counting, and you’ll have an arrangement so fancy, people will think you got it delivered.

Here’s how to make cheap grocery-store flowers look like an expensive bouquet. Or, if you’d rather go the faux route, look to Urban Outfitters’ new collection.