FLOWER ARRANGEMENT
FRESH FLOWER ARRANGEMENT
Flower arrangement is a tribute to nature and her profound creation – an attempt to establish a communion with nature, by capturing some of splendor and framing it in an individually conceived design. As such, it may also be considered an art, as it invokes the aesthetic faculties of the mind. But most of all, it is pastime that is rewarding and involving.
One of the greatest advantages of flower arranging is that you can produce as attractive effects with the humblest of materials, like a twisted branch picked up during your morning walk, and just a few blooms gathered from your garden as you can with a luxurious variety of flowers. Conventionally, there have been two different approaches to floral designs: western styles, employing a ‘mass’ concept of arranging flowers in an even symmetry, and the eastern or Japanese or Ikebana styles, which are based on specific rules and angles, using less material.
Some of the basic differences between eastern and western arrangements are
Primarily western style is symmetrical arrangement, but eastern style is asymmetrical one.
Western arrangements employ more flowers to create mass effect, but eastern styles impress more by the beauty of individual material.
Contrary to western arrangements the materials in Japanese never touch the rim of the vase.
Accessories are never used in western arrangements. But in Ikebana interesting branches, drift wood, pieces of bark, shells etc., are used to imitate the nature. Here the more emphasis is given on western arrangements.
Western styles of flower arrangement
Western style flower arrangements are associated with ‘mass’ or a number of flowers and foliage arranged together in a graceful manner.
In England and Europe, this style was first used to decorate palaces, mansions and churches. Traditionally, triangular, round or oval shapes were created, but after the Second World War, more designs like the L-Shape, Crescent and S-Shape were introduced. These are said to be more American in their influence.
Western designs may be scaled to large proportions and with their symmetrical patterns; they can give a touch of grandeur to a formal occasion. Small compositions look equally pretty, but whatever the size may be, it is better to go in for these styles when there is a generous availability of material. A few typical nuances of such styles can be mentioned as guidelines. These are:
The outline of the design is normally created first with finer, lighter ‘lines’ so that the shape of the style is defined.
There is not much emphasis on individual plant material due to the mass effect, but in the more recent western styles, ‘points’ are woven through the ‘fillers’ so that a certain planning is evident within the mass effect and the design looks more attractive. Colours are also used in the same manner.
The arrangement gives a flowing, radiating effect originating as it were, from the rim of the vase, where the focus has been created with heavier points.
Getting a good start
A vase for a western arrangement requires to be fitted with a pin holder as well as a wire-netting. It also make use of an ‘ oasis’ or a block of plastic foam which is very light but becomes solid and heavy when it is immersed in water for approximately twenty minutes. The block can be conveniently cut with a knife and is fitted to fill the entire diameter of the vase. It is easy to simply push in the flowers in this sponge-like substance, but being damp, once the stems are fixed, it is advisable not to remove them as the oasis starts to crumble. As it retains water, flowers last in an oasis just as they would in a vase, but a fresh oasis has to be used each time for an arrangement.
Different models
The triangular model
The Round bowl model
The Oval bowl model
The L-Shape model
The S-Shape model
The Crescent shape model
DRY POWER TECHNOLOGY
Indian Dry Flower Market :
The most promising area in floriculture is the dry flower industry. Dried flowers and plants have been exported for the last 40 years and today, India is one of the leading countries in the field. Export of dried flowers and plants from India is more than Rs 150 crores per year. The industry exports 500 varieties of flowers to 20 countries and dry flowers are highly in demand in USA and UK markets. The potpourri variety of dried flowers is a purely export oriented and has specialized processing units. India, with its vast resources, varied products and experience in the field of dried flowers and plants enjoy a distinct advantage. Tamil Nadu is the leader in dry flower industry.
Dried flower products are in very high demand and add an enriched value to the flourishing industry. Various types of dry flower products are handmade paper, lampshades, wall quilt, decorations, books, candle holders, etc. The flower arrangements using dried samples of cone, foliage, flowers like rose buds, lilies and other such plant material enhances the beauty of dry flowers, adding more export value to this industry.
Harvesting flowers :
Flowers and other plant materials for drying should be picked close to their prime. Flowers or leaves for drying may be collected at any time during the growing season. The best time of day to cut is midmorning, after the dew has dried but well before any flowers wilt. Dampness can lead to mould and slows drying. During rainy weather, plants should be harvested when they are dry even if it means cutting them a little early. Damp or over matured plants should not be harvested. If harvesting flowers when wet is unavoidable, the excess moisture should be gently blotted off with a soft paper towel or tissue. Only the most perfect forms should be used. Poor shapes dry as poor shapes. Plants and flowers free of damage due to pest and disease incidence should be selected. This is because any such damage becomes only more obvious after drying. It is sometimes difficult to develop graceful lines when making dried flower arrangements. Therefore, while collecting material for dry flowers, branches and stems with sweeping curves or lines that will add distinctiveness to the arrangement should be selected. If none can be found, curves or other lines can be made by shaping the branches or stems into the desired positions while they dry.
Natural stems do not give the flower enough support when dry and may be difficult to manipulate and position. So, most of the stem is cut, leaving only about an inch. Stems can be replaced with florist's wire after drying. Flowers should be wired before drying them because drying may cause shattering in some cases.
Harvesting foliage :
Harvesting foliage in their active phase is preferable because at this stage, the leaves will be at peak maturity. Foliage is dried by preserving in a solution of water and glycerin. However, certain important points have to be borne in mind while harvesting foliage for preserving with glycerin. Young green leaves and leaves in dormant stage should not be harvested because young green leaves will not absorb the glycerin solution and the leaves in dormant stage would have stopped drinking water. So, both are unsuitable for absorbing glycerin.
Pre Drying Flowers :
Flowers that dry well are typically colorful, compact, strong-stemmed and relatively low in moisture content. Before the flowers are put into the drying process there are several measures to be taken for successful drying of the flowers.
a) Cleaning - After the plants are harvested or gathered, they must be cleaned. Cleaning may involve screening, washing, peeling, or stripping leaves from stems. Any unnecessary parts are removed prior to drying to avoid wasting time and energy. Cleaning is often done by hand.
b) Stem Supports -Many flower heads are too heavy for the dried stems to support during the drying process. The stems have to be cut and wired before hanging them out to dry. The wired stems have to be covered with floral tape after the flowers are dry. Some flowers can be wired after they are dried, but it is easier to wire them when they are fresh, because the wire slips through the moist heads more easily. Several stems of one type of flower or seed pod are wired together for a denser, brightly colored effect. If a flower head falls off during the drying process, a floral stem wire should be hot glued to the head or calyx of the dried flower, and the wired stem covered with florist tape.
c) Adding Wire Stems - Each flower head from the spray has to be cut so that the stem is approximately 1-1/2" long. Using 20-gauge wire, the wire should be cut to the desired length, allowing extra for bending and for the part of the stem to be inserted into the floral foam. The tip of the wire with pliers has to be bent to form a 'shepherd's hook'. The wire should be hooked around the calyx, where the flower head joins the stem, and squeezed tightly with needle nose pliers.
DRY FLOWER ARRANGEMENT
The art of making arrangements with dried flowers and leaves was a flourishing craft as early as the seventeenth century in England and America. But now it has passed from the hobby stage to big business in many countries. In recent years, there has developed a trend to fragrance a mixture of flowers for keeping in rooms, kitchens, toilets etc. This is known as ‘Potpourri’, wherein our living environment is made fragrant with natural items
Advantages of dried arrangement over fresh flowers
It is not dependent on season or weather if once good materials are collected.
It lasts almost indefinitely.
It helps the individuals to improve their skill in design by affording time to study composition and to correct mistakes.
Dried arrangements are certainly time savers as they can be made by conveniently in advance and then enjoyed as needed.
Materials for dried arrangement
The materials usually employed for dried arrangement can be grouped into three categories as follows.
Cultivated flowers and vegetable including seed, pods, vines and grains.
Naturally available materials like flowers, seed pods, fern leaves, certain weeds and grasses.
Pods, cones, capsules, fruits, branches, leaves, berries and flowers of broadleaved evergreen trees and shrubs.
