About Flower Arrangements

Misconceptions

• Flower arranging is not limited to the use of flowers. An arrangement can incorporate leaves, wood and other elements of nature.

Tools

• The tools for arranging flowers aid in the cutting, placing, keeping fresh flowers lasting a long time and maintaining the design. The basic cutting tools are sharp scissors or a sharp knife. Wire holds stems in place while floral tape combines items. Support for the design includes the use of floral foam, clay, a frog, stones or marbles. Along with these are what the arrangement is placed in such as vases or any container that is suitable.

Techniques

• Arrangements are based on designs such as oval, triangle, semi-circular, triangle and the horizontal and vertical. Also considered are the use of texture, space, light, and scale. Once the basic outline of the arrangement is decided on, then material is added. Initially items are used to set up the height and width. Following these are the overriding flowers. Then comes the lesser materials, which are inserted among the first material. If texture is needed, it is added in these spaces. These can be such things as vines or moss. The main focal point of the arrangement can be obtained with the use of a variety of flowers that are all the same color or with an object.

Education

• Learning flower arranging can be done through official courses at colleges. This may be through the horticulture department. Classes may also be taken through courses offered by florists, but it can also be learned through more informal study.

Materials

• The materials used for an arrangement may be determined by the meaning that is meant to be given. Cultural meaning differs for flowers. So, whether the flowers are silk, fresh or dried or other material, the intent of the arrangement influences what is used.

Geography

• Flower arranging has evolved into different techniques around the world. For example, the Japanese art of flower arranging is "ikebana," which means "the arrangement of plant materials" and "flowers kept alive." Within this are different styles such as skoka, having three parts representing man, earth and heaven.