This cake seems to rise from a garden of tulips. The stems are secured in water-filled tubes tucked into a fondant-covered Styrofoam tier.

Fresh flowers are an inexpensive and romantic adornment to any cake. The flowers should be added as close to serving time as possible so they look fresh.

A traditional tiered confection covered with pale-green fondant has fresh hydrangeas between the layers (each cake tier is topped with clear acetate so flowers don't touch the icing).

Voluptuous fresh cattleya orchids spill over a white fondant-covered cake. Use only pesticide-free blooms, and the flowers should be removed before serving.

The cake is decorated in a variety of basket weaves inspired by patterns of antique wicker and is crowned with ivy and flowers gathered from the garden, including geraniums, sweet peas, Queen Anne's lace, and lavender and purple roses.

A string of soft petals encircling a dainty cake makes romantic use of a classic flower. With sepal removed, the petals of a perfect rose fall open; the flower's grace repeats in a necklace of pale petals -- cream and blushing.

Miniature calla lilies, long and sinuous, are a dramatic counterpoint to crisp, angular tiers. Only the bottom layer of this glamorous structure, clad in white fondant, is meant to be eaten; the remaining tiers are Styrofoam, which keeps the flowers from touching the cake. Rubbing the stems between fingers renders them bendable. The tiers sit on clear acrylic columns and a custom stand.

Four buttercream cubes topped with brilliant parrot tulips glow with color; every cluster picks up a hue from the one next to it. To prevent marring the soft icing, the blooms are arranged on clear acetate sheets.

Against white fondant, a wreath of flowers -- among them, fringed nerines and primula in pink, tiny yellow kalanchoe, and papery sweet peas -- is even more glorious. The cake base rests within a ring of floral foam; space in between keeps the flowers from touching the icing. The top tier is Styrofoam, providing support for the weighty bouquet. Freesia, roses, and the bouquet's trailing ribbon embellish the cake's lower tiers.

A four-tier cake covered in pink fondant celebrates the beauty of carnations. Hundreds of them blanket the simple wooden box it rests on, an idea that works well with carnations because they are so affordable.

Miniature posies of cosmos and fondant lamb's ears are tied with delicate satin ribbon and perch atop shimmering carpets of sanding sugar on this gorgeous cake. The curves of the flowers' petals are echoed in the contours of each chocolate-covered tier, made by using petal-shaped cake pans; a slender satin ribbon is taped to the cake board to disguise its edge.

This airy and moist vanilla sponge cake has a thin layer of apricot jam inside and is covered with buttercream; piped dots and fresh cattleyas lend elegance. The cake board was cut from teak (the cake itself rests on a cardboard layer).

This couple selected a grand four-tier cake by Vosges Haut-Chocolat. A cluster of peonies serves as the topper, and the tiers are draped in rolled ivory fondant and detailed with jewel-like swags and dots piped in royal icing. Fresh peonies, begonias, and fuchsia decorate the corners. Inside, the cake is a rich medley of flavors: Layers of white Tahitian vanilla-bean cake have rose petals baked right in them; the filling combines strawberries with a ganache made of white chocolate, pink Champagne, and rose water.

This wedding cake, with chocolate and vanilla layers and raspberry filling, has dahlias galore.

Tasha and Sanders cut their cake, which is decorated with basket-weave buttercream and topped with fresh flowers.

This wedding cake is decorated with roses, pears, and crab apples. Tables are set for the reception, held in a hall in the park.

Martha created the pistachio-and-vanilla sponge cake topped with buttercream, a pearl border, and roses.