Did you know that the art of flower arrangement is enshrined in the principles of floral designs that primarily include balance, proportion, rhythm, contrast, harmony, and unity, among others? Simply throwing the stems of flowers in a vase will look good because of the inherent beauty of the flowers. However, to turn it into a work of art, you need to engage the different elements of floral design in alignment with the design principles.
But do not let the technicalities scare you off from making beautiful flower arrangements. You too can create luscious flower bouquets like professional florists in these simple steps.
Take your pick of flowers
Whether you are picking from the garden or the supermarket, choose whatever is fresh and in season. It is best to keep a colour theme in mind while choosing the flowers. You could go for a monochromatic theme or pair pops of complementary colours in your arrangement. You may also want to consider the purpose of the bouquet; a small bunch to cheer up the room’s ambiance or a statement arrangement for entertaining guests. Finally, do pick some foliage for some contrast in colour and texture.
Trim the stems
Do not just plop the flowers and the leaves into a vase. You need to clean the stems of damaged leaves and loose petals, if any, before proceeding to arrange the flowers. Once you have discarded the unsightly leaves and petals, trim the bottom of the stems diagonally. Place the trimmed stems in a water-filled vessel containing cut-flower food until you use them later.
Choose your vase
Choose an appropriate vase depending upon the volume of flowers and foliage you have. As a thumb rule, long slender stems with sparse leaves will not look good in a broad-rimmed vase. Likewise, large bushy arrangements cannot fit in a vessel with a narrow mouth. Further, blooms with pliable stems like tulips need a straight-sided vase, while top-heavy designs need weighted vessels.
Start building with a supportive base
Zero in on a design to create the perfect flower arrangement. Start with a base of foliage and tropical leaves that will hold up the delicate blooms and give the much-needed contrasting texture to the design. A point to bear in mind here is if you have chosen a broad-rimmed vessel, then make a grid with transparent floral tapes or chicken wire to help the flowers and foliage stay in place.
Build your arrangement
Create a focal point in the arrangement with the flowers you want to highlight. Arrange the remaining blooms as fillers all around such that the focal flowers are accentuated. Smaller flowers can be grouped in clusters of three or five to make the arrangement look straight out of a natural setting. Add height to your arrangement with leafy branches of berries, cotton plants, etc.
Creating artistic designs with flowers reflects your positivity and a happy heart. Hone this skill with the Pearsons School’s Certificate 3 Floristry program, and continue stunning everyone with professional-like flower arrangements.
