FLOWER ARRANGEMENT

FLOWER ARRANGEMENT

Decorating flowers is a creative and stimulating art which often carries a message or theme and express the mood or emotions of the arranger. The basic principles which any visual art must comply with are:

·         Proportion or scale

·         Balance – symmetrical and asymmetrical

·         Dominance or emphasis

·         Rhythm

·         Transition

·         Repetition

·         Variation

·         Contrast

PROPORTION – This relates to the height of plant material, size of container, its shape, size of room, wall or table or other interior decor.

BALANCE – The arrangement is made to appear balanced by adopting a self-balancing shape like S; placing arrangement on one side of container so that the void in design is towards the vacant side of the container or table or by keeping an accessory on the empty side. These help produce a visual weight, which can be increased by tall height, compactness, stronger darker colours or greater distance from the central axis. An asymmetrical design can be viewed from the front only while a symmetrical design is free standing and is usually a mass arrangement.

CENTRAL INTEREST – Also known as the focal point. It is characterised by converging of lines or flowers, presence of largest and most interesting flower stronger and darker colours and greater density. Besides this, there may also be a dominant theme:

·         Movement

·         Direction

·         Line

·         Mass

·         Texture

·         Colour

·         Flower

RHYTHM – It is the related movement in respect to line, form, pattern or colour. The eye should move smoothly and freely without any distraction.

REPETITION – It must be restrained to avoid monotony.

VARIETY AND CONTRAST – These aspects especially in relation to shape, texture, colour and foliage impart interest and strength to the design.

Tools for flower arrangement

For proper arrangement of flowers, the right tools should be used, like:-

1.       Container / Flower Vase

2.       Stem holder / Flower holder

3.       Sponge / Foam

4.       Scissors / Cutter

5.       Wire / Thread

6.       Adhesive / Tape roll

7.       Mist spray (Mister)

8.       Sand, pebble, Stone, Marbles

9.       Moss

10.   Watering Can / Bucket

Rules for storing cut flowers

1.       Remove all extra leaves and stem.

2.       Spray water continuously so that flowers and leaves do not dry.

3.       Always keep the stems of flowers and foliage under water.

4.       Pick flowers at late night or early morning, before they are fully open.

5.       Split hard stems at the end so that they do not dry.

6.       Cut stems diagonally so that they can absorb more moisture.

7.       Stems that give out sticky substances should be washed before betting into the water.

8.       Cut flowers should be wrapped in wet newspaper and put into polythene bags so that they do not dry.

9.       The container should be filled with warm water before starting an arrangement.

10.   Dip a piece of charcoal to keep the water pure.

11.   Fill up the empty flower vase with warm water every day.

12.   Sugar may be added to water, in which flowers are kept, to increase the life of the flowers.

13.   All flowers and foliages should be kept in a dark place or under cover until they are arranged.

Themes

1.       Vertical lines depicting stately and bold character.

2.       Horizontal lines appear restful and calm.

3.       Circular patterns denote satisfaction or completeness.

4.       Diagonal suggests movement or force.

5.       Radiating lines symbolise alertness and activity.

6.       Cascading or hanging lines stand for depressive mood.

7.       Colour schemes may be monochromatic or poly chromatic;

Red                        Love and Bravery Blue                       Serenity Yellow                   Cheerfulness, Youthfulness Orange                 Courage, Energy and Hope Magenta              Richness and Luxury Black                      Mysticism and Drama White                    Purity and Delicateness Grey                      Mildness Restraint

Types of flower arrangement for different places and occasions

·        The setting often dictates the type of arrangement. Ceremonial settings, such as weddings, funerals, graduations and banquets use the triangular arrangement, as it is large and dramatic making a bold statement.

·        Formal gatherings use oval or Hogarth's curve arrangements, as they are sophisticated and blend well with formal settings.

·        Crescent arrangements lend a touch of artistic beauty to coffee tables and horizontal arrangements make delightful table centre pieces.

·         Vertical arrangement fit a variety of settings depending on the overall height and size of the display. Mantels and side tables highlight these arrangements.

·         Minimal arrangements brighten dark corners and nooks and liven up bookshelves and cabinets.

Arrange fresh flower bouquets for buffet style gatherings. Place several small bud vases that hold over-size Gerbera daisies between various dishes offered. Avoid fragrant flowers since they can interfere with the enticing aroma of the foods. Another way you can display the flower arrangements is to place a couple of fresh bouquets in a wicker basket. Line the baskets with plastic, and insert a moistened block of floral foam in the center. The centerpiece can serve as a divider between main dishes and desserts or food and paper goods.

TRIANGULAR SHAPE – They are placed on the reception counter, lobby, corner table, side table and alcoves. The right or left facing triangular shapes are always meant for corner tables.

CRESCENT SHAPE – It is always placed along the wall and not at the centre so that only one side is visible because the crescent arrangement is a one-sided arrangement.

TORCH SHAPE – This arrangement can be one-sided or both-sided and is placed on buffet table, corner table, reception counter. The large ones are used in a banquet hall or lobby. It is one-sided, so it should always be placed against the wall. As it is a tall arrangement, it should not be used on the dining table.

FAN SHAPE – It is a one-sided arrangement and is to be placed along the wall, side table, corner table, buffet table, etc.

HOGARTH SHAPE – It is also a one-sided arrangement and is to be placed along the wall or corner tables only.

CHRISTMAS TREE – It is used during Christmas or New Year. It is placed in the lobby, foyer and banquet hall only.

FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS ON A DINING TABLE –

·         No such flowers should be chosen that are infected by insects.

·         Aromatic or fragrant flowers should not be used.

·         The flower arrangement should be small in size so that people sitting opposite can see each other.

·         The colours of the flowers should be chosen according to the container, table layout theme. Very bright flowers should be avoided.

General rules

1.       Consider the size of the blooms when choosing a design for arrangement. Large flowers, such as sunflowers or peonies require large displays such as the vertical or triangle design. Small delicate flowers require a small vase and may be displayed in a minimal design or as the central focus of a horizontal display.

2.       The size of the vase or container determines the height of the arrangement. The tallest blooms are displayed three to four times time the height of the vase for best appearance and balance. In vertical displays, the vertical sprays are three to four times as long as the height of the vase. Minimal displays do not incorporate these rules, although the vase selected should be considerably smaller than the central bloom.

3.       Florists create floral arrangements following eight basic designs. Horizontal flower arrangements created in shallow containers feature one large central bloom, such as a rose, as focal point. Horizontal sprays spread to either side with fillers like baby breath clustered near the central bloom. Vertical arrangements display tall flowers with a variety of fillers to create a balance. Baby's breath, forget-me-nots or other airy sprays create attractive fillers. Crescent arrangements shaped like a crescent moon feature curved branches and flowers like gladiolas. A triangular arrangement features tall flowers in the center with smaller flowers completing the triangle. Oval flower arrangements take advantage of both color and size with the biggest brightest flowers in the center and gradually decreasing hues to the sides. The minimal arrangement focuses on the central flower with few fillers or smaller blooms. Hogarth's curve is a complex arrangement shaped like an S.

HOW TO MAKE FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS A beautifully designed flower arrangement can add a unique personal touch to any home decor. Not only is making an arrangement easy, it allows for unlimited individual creativity and expression whether using silk, dried, artificial or live flowers to achieve the final result. 1 Wash and dry bowl. Never use a container or vase that hasn't been washed after the last arrangement. 2 Prepare foam by soaking it in cool water. Let the foam float until it is half way submerged in the water, then remove it immediately and let it drain. Don't push foam under the water, just let it sink naturally. 3 Place the ball of floral foam in the bowl. Make sure there is ample room in the bowl for water to come up covering about 1/4 of the foam ball. Add water with the correct mixture of floral preservative. 4 Remove leaves from the part of the stems that will be in the foam. 5 Place the single specimen rose in the middle of the foam and push it in carefully. Add clusters or single, smaller roses and buds of the same variety in a close circle around the center rose. 6 Insert small bunches of violets between every third rose in the circle. 7 Alternate one small and one large carnation in the next circle. Be sure carnations are placed closely together and right under the rose and violet circle. Place a small cluster of violets between every fifth carnation. 8 Begin another circle with one hydrangea head, then 3 carnations, then one bunch of violets. Continue around the foam with this sequence until there is room for only one more circle of flowers on the bottom. 9 Add one last row of all hydrangeas to the very bottom of the floral arrangement. Stand back and look at the floral arrangement. There should be no foam showing and the arrangement should look tight and symmetrical. Add additional rows or flowers where needed.