Knowing
the basics of flower arranging makes it easier to create beautiful,
well-designed arrangements. Carefully study all components, including the
container, to make sure that elements complement each other.
Color In Florals
Color is an integral part of flower arranging basics. The best floral
designs follow the correct elements of design, and also pay careful
attention to color.
Special occasions such as weddings will probably use
more white or neutral tones with the addition of soft pastel colors, while
other celebrations tend to call for brighter colors. For help with color,
refer to the Color Theory chapter on page 190.
Basic Flower Types
There are four basic types of flowers:
Line Flowers
Named for their tall, thin, long, line-like look, line flowers include
gladiola, delphinium, and larkspur.
Mass Flowers
Mass flowers are named for mass/bulk and majority of use; most are round
flowers such as peonies, open roses, carnations, daisies, and asters.
Form Flowers
Form flowers are named for their unique shape and form; they include iris,
lilies, anthurium, and bird of paradise.
Filler Flowers
Filler flowers fill in the areas between the more major floral placements;
examples include statice and baby's breath.
Some flowers can actually fall into two categories.
Roses, when in bud form, are form flowers; when they are open, they are
mass flowers. Limonium or spray asters are known as filler, but depending
on their use in the design, also can be considered line material.
Arrangement Recipe
Line Materials
Line materials are the first elements placed in the design. They help
establish the height and width of the arrangement. If no line materials
are used in the design, the other flowers are used in the same manner as
the line materials.
Dominant Materials
Inserted after the line materials, these are usually form flowers like
lilies or iris and mass (round) flowers like peonies. Be sure to insert
the dominant items within the form established by the line materials.
Secondary Materials
Secondary materials usually consist of smaller mass flowers spaced evenly
between the dominant materials in the design.
Filler Materials
Filler materials occupy open spaces around the other flowers in the
composition; however, filler flowers are by no means mandatory in your
design.
Accent Materials
Accent material is the one thing that stands out in the design. It could
be simply the use of color or the focal point of the composition. When a
statue or figurine, such as a bird, is added to a design, it automatically
becomes the accent to the design.
Special Materials
Add items such as vine, grapes, and visible moss to create added texture
and visual interest.
Note: When working with only mass or form flowers, use
the flowers as you would when working with line materials. Establish the
top and outer boundaries. Place special importance on the visual balance
of the design by spacing identically on all sides.
