Layout 1

he familiar phrase – “say it with flowers” – is meaningful; flowers do

say a lot of special things for which it is often difficult to find the right

words.

e art of flower arrangement is not a difficult one to learn. Anyone who

loves flowers and is passionate about growing them, can acquire the necessary

skills and techniques. The whole charm and joy in arranging flowers and

displaying them in one’s bungalow lies in the creativity of skillfully using

one’s own home grown flowers.

A little organization is required before you start arranging flowers. For floral

arrangements, the flowers should be fresh and presentable for as long a period

as possible. A little effort should be put into picking flowers. Flowers are

picked before sunrise and after sunset.They are then kept in water in a dark

corner or shade for 2-3 hours.

Half an inch is snipped off the part of the stem which is under water to

remove air locks. Preserve and revive woody stems like camellia, roses etc by

pounding the bottom two inches before plunging them in water.

To reduce underwater decay, strip the stems of all foliage and thorns which

fall below the water line.

Flowers like poppies and

dahlias, with hollow stems,

should have the stem end

seared to prevent sap from

escaping.

To prolong the freshness

of an arrangement, spray

with water both morning

and night.

Materials like proper vase,

pin holder, scissors, oasis,

base, florist’s wire etc are

used while making a flower

arrangement. Types of arrangement vary according to the

requirement, such as coffee table, mass, buffet table,

sideboard, ikebana arrangements for special occasions and

so on.

There are a few points to be

remembered before making

a floral arrangement:

Colour –

The colour blends

of nature are so deft that it

takes only a little practice to

use them effectively.The aim

should be to blend the

colours well. Light colours

should be used at the top and bright shades at the bottom.

We need to see the colour scheme of the room before the

flowers can be selected. For example, an off-white

background and yellow or yellowish-orange flowers

harmonize well but if the room is multicoloured a

monochromatic theme could be followed.

Proportion and balance –

Flower arrangements are

properly balanced when they give us a sense of stability and

do not appear to be lopsided.They may be symmetrical or

asymmetrical and they can be designed vertically,

horizontally, in a curve, circle or triangle.

Harmony and unity –

This should be the final goal in

arranging flowers, by skillfully selecting the right plant

materials, containers, accessories and setting. If all these

elements have blended effectively, the outcome will be a

satisfying design and will constitute a harmonious

arrangement.

Line –

The measurement of the main stem should be one and

a half times longer than the vase if the arrangement is a fairly

large sized one.The second stem should be a bit shorter and

the third one a little shorter than the second.The tall stem or

branches stay at the back and as you come forward the stems

get shorter giving the arrangement its shape .The pin holder

or the oasis should be covered with leaves.

Fillers and foliage –

Leaves bring about the true nature of

a floral arrangement. The gaps in between the flowers are

filled up with leaves like ferns or palm leaves cut in shape.

Fillers like sweet pea, lady’s lace and gypsophila can fill up

the gaps and give the arrangements a lift – specially one’s

done with roses, chrysanthemum and lilies.

Types of Arrangements

Coffee table arrangement –

Usually placed on the coffee

table with a neatly spread table cloth, it is done in a small

container with small flowers like sweet peas, zinnia, etc It

is a circular arrangement.

Mass arrangement –

A good sized oasis covered with

chicken wire can be put in a tall vase or a flat container. It is

arranged in a compact form. Leaves are arranged at the back

to give depth to the arrangement.The taller stems are put at

the back and the shorter ones come in front. It should appear

as if all the stems are emerging from a common point. A

variety of flowers like gladioli, lily, larkspur and antirrhinums,

with a combination of round flowers like gerberas, pompon

dahlias and chrysanthemums can be used along with foliage

like ferns, palm leaves, asparagus.

Buffet table arrangement –

Here, the factor to be kept in

mind is that the arrangement is placed in the centre and

the food around it. So, the arrangement needs to be a bit

high and look attractive from all sides. Arrangements can

be circular or horizontal.

JANUARY 2015 25

24 JANUARY 2015

~ Daljit Singh

Margherita T.E.

Say it with Flowers

The Art f

rrangeets

“

Flowers are a proud

assertion that a ray of

beauty outvalues all the

utilities of the world.

”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mass Arrangement

Special Occasion - Christmas

Right - angle

Coffee Table

Monochrome

Prize-winning Arrangements by the Author

Buffet Table