Six Steps You Need to Know When Putting Together Any Flower Arrangement
Step1
First consider where you intend on placing the arrangement. This is important as you will need to design the arrangement around the location.
Step2
Your second consideration is color and harmony. Plan in your mind the colors you want to use and the flowers to incorporate in order to achieve the end result. Try exotic flowers and fewer of them if you wish to project something unexpected in your arrangement. Many exotic flowers last longer than what you may find in everyday fare. So if you have the opportunity to find such flowers, you may wish to purchase them for something that is a bit out of the ordinary.
Step3
The third consideration in any "grand" flower arranging scheme is to plan what flowers you intend to purchase in meeting the color requirements of your display. If you'd like to be particularly inventive, you may plan for flowers normally not considered for day-to-day presentation. Examples include columbine, anemone, forsythia, euphorbia, heather, ranunculus, godetia, lupin, thistle and tuberose--just to name some. Though flowers such as roses and carnations are absolutely lovely, it can be most rewarding to put together a display that is out of the ordinary. Such a display will capture the attention of your family and visitors alike.
Step4
The next step in the process is the selection of a container. The ideal "all-around" service vase for most floral arrangements is the white pottery vase. The vase is around nine inches high with a six inch mouth tapering to around five inches at the base. Do not place your flowers in such a vase filling up the empty space with greens. The result will be just plain messy.
Follow the next example when adhering to a "smart" design for the standard vase (described herein).
The following design works well with the standard service vase and is referred to as the "Triangle Design."
Set three stems of foliage down low and off-center. You do this in order that the rest of your arrangement has a center of gravity. The foliage also acts as a filler, keeping your flowers from "flailing" about the vase. Allow the tallest flowers (in this example Gladiolas) to rise to a high point directly above the greens. Cut and wire the other flowers so they taper off, each shorter in length than the flower above.
Regardless of your design, consider your container and how it fits in with your total design scheme as well as its placement in the room.
Step5
Group colors in the most attractive way possible. This portion of your design scheme should have been determined before the purchase of your flowers. Even so, some modifications may need to be made in keeping with an eye-catching design.
Step6
Shape the flowers into a pre-planned design. There are a good many fundamental designs you may use with various flowers. A good place to attain design ideas is the public library or you may wish to search second hand book shops.
Another idea is to maintain a card catalog of particular designs you like as you would with recipe cards. Purchase 3-x-5 cards and an index card file box. File your designs according to type of design and flowers you used. This may be particularly useful should you host yearly events. Once you design a spectacular centerpiece or other type of arrangement record the type of design used and flowers and materials purchased. When the event occurs again you will not have to "reinvent the wheel." Merely pull the card from its file. It may be best to file by event and cross-reference by design--that way you'll be sure to find it easily at a later date.
By following the aforementioned fundamental steps, your design skills should "take root" in a good understanding.
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