Some Simple Advice about Flower Arranging

Some Simple Advice about Flower Arranging

By Arlene Correll

Having a flower garden helps to keep me supplied with lots of fresh flowers. We have lots of windows and some French doors in our home and it allows us the luxury of seeing flowers of all sorts from the early spring until late fall.

Yet there seems to be something special about bringing some of those

flowers into our home. Even the simplest and smallest arrangement gives a little élan to the dining room table or the kitchen island. When we have overnight guests it is such a simple, but welcome gesture to put an arrangement at their bedside table.

During the winter, even a small $1.98 African violet can brighten any portion of our home. We love fresh flowers and candles on our dining room table. I discovered if one removes the leaves of the stems prior to putting them into the water in the vase, the flowers remain fresher for a longer time.

I have also discovered that even the smallest or most unusual vessel can make a grand container for a floral arrangement. Occasionally, I come across an attractive or favorite piece of china that has developed a crack. It no longer will hold liquid. I find that putting a smaller container into the non-functional piece and filling that container with water, will provide an excellent “vase” for an accompanying single rose or a sprig or two of some kind of flower. Sometimes I even just insert a small baggie into the vessel, with the lip hanging over the top. This allows me to safely store the water and then arrange my flowers. I hate to throw anything pretty or useful away.

Floral arrangements in our western part of the world have a tendency to big large, elaborate arrangements. However, I have learned a lot from Eastern culture and especially from the Japanese floral art called ikebana, or Japanese flower arrangement, seeks to create a harmony of linear construction, rhythm, and color. While Westerners tend to emphasize the quantity and colors of the flowers, devoting their attention mainly to the beauty of the blossoms, the Japanese emphasize the linear aspects of the

arrangement and have developed the art to include the vase, stems, leaves, and branches, as well as the flowers. The entire structure of a Japanese flower arrangement is based on three main lines that symbolize heaven, earth, and humankind.

The origins of ikebana can be traced back to ritual flower offerings in Buddhist temples, which began in the sixth century. In these rather crude arrangements, both the flowers and the branches were made to point toward heaven as an indication of faith.

A more sophisticated style of flower arrangement, called rikka (standing flowers), emerged in the fifteenth century. The rikka style, which seeks to reflect the magnificence of nature, stipulates that flowers should be arranged to depict Mount Sumeru, a mythical mountain of Buddhist cosmology and a symbol of the universe. This style involves much symbolism. For example, pine branches symbolize rocks and stones, and white chrysanthemums symbolize a river or small stream. The rikka style enjoyed its heyday in the seventeenth century. Today it is regarded as an antiquated form of flower arrangement. Once considered a suitable decoration for ceremonial and festive occasions, the rikka style has lost its hold on people and is rarely practiced anymore.

The most significant changes in the history of ikebana took place during the fifteenth century, when the Muromachi shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436- 1490) ruled Japan. The large buildings and small houses that Yoshimasa had built expressed his love for simplicity. These small houses contained a tokonoma, or alcove, where people could place objects of art and flower arrangements. It was during this period that the rules of ikebana were simplified so that people of all classes could enjoy the art.

Another major development took place in the late sixteenth century, when a more austere and simple style of flower arrangement called nageire (meaning to throw in or fling in) emerged as part and parcel of the tea ceremony. According to this style, flowers should be arranged in a vase as naturally as possible, no matter what the materials used may be.

In the 1890s, shortly after the Meiji Restoration, which ushered in a period of modernization and Westernization in Japan, there developed a new style of ikebana called moribana (piled-up flowers). This style appeared in response partly to the introduction of Western flowers and partly to the Westernization of Japanese living. The moribana style, which inaugurated a new freedom in flower arranging, seeks to reproduce in miniature the appearance of a landscape or a garden scene. It is a style that can be enjoyed wherever it is displayed and can be adapted to both formal and informal situations.

Today, taking the Eastern philosophy of floral arrangements and mixing it with our Western culture of floral arrangements, can give one a unique style of one’s own.

When our garden is bursting with blooms, it is quite easy to make arrangements. So interesting or odd containers, some wire, string, marbles or pebbles, floral foam and some blooms is all that is needed to create something pleasurable for the eye and the soul. I am always undoing any

floral arrangement that comes my way and saving the bits and pieces that were added by the florist. They come in handy when I use them and they give my arrangements a little better statue. Besides, I am a recycler!

During the Victorian Era, each flower had its own unique meaning. Alyssum meant worthy beyond beauty, Acacia meant friendship, Agapanthus meant love letters, allium stood for Unity and humility. Another example was Forget-me-not stood for true love, while Flowering almond meant hope.

Astibile indicated I’m still waiting while Azaleas indicated first love and temperance. Basil stood for patience and bachelor’s button indicated celibacy. Belladonna meant silence. A red carnation meant Alas poor heart, while a pink one I’ll never forget you, a purple carnation indicated capriciousness, while a striped one told the receiver that you were sorry you could not be with them. A white carnation meant innocence and a yellow one indicated distain. This list is elaborate as every flower and every color of each flower held a significant meaning during those days. Knowing these little tidbits of information can make one’s arrangements more significant, plus contribute some dinner great conversation.

The holidays are always wonderful for making arrangements. At Christmas, boughs of evergreens can be wired to foam wreaths or stretched out wire coat hangers and simple red ribbons or inexpensive ornaments can be wired to them. They can be hung inside and out. How about door and window swags or using them to decorate your banister or newel post?

This past fall, my daughter in law, Pam decorated her dining room table with colorful, edible squash and intended to cook them in due time. A grand idea!

How often have we taken a simple bowl of fruit and made that our centerpiece?

When blooms break off a plant and the stem is so short that it will not stand on its own, then out comes a decorative or simple shallow bowl and we fill it with water and allow the bloom or blooms to float on top of the water. Occasionally when we have some, we add floating candles. Or when the flowers are skimpy, we can blend the arrangement with limes or lemons.

In the fall, when the maples are just bursting with red and orange, I often take out my rose clippers and snip some smaller branches to bring into our home.

Of course there is always that time in Indian summer, just before the first freeze, when I run around the rose beds, taking those last buds and roses and making small arrangements for all over the place.

In the winter whenever we have not left for warmer climates, I make arrangements with one of our local florists to trade home made baked goods for some of their left over or unsold flowers. I bring them home and use them around the house.

For those of us who have planted grains or grasses, we use them either by themselves in an arrangement or to enhance some fall or dried flowers.

Flower arrangements can be horizontal or vertical. Just keep the shapes in your mind’s eye and experiment. They can be short or tall, square, round or whatever. Think about where you want them to go. A buffet table, individual place settings, card table settings, a single bud vase. Anything is possible.

When using foam for your arrangements remember to choose the right foam for the flowers you are using. Generally, green water-retaining foam is for fresh flowers and foliage, whilst the brown stiffer foam is for dried or artificial flowers.

When using foam always soak it as opposed to running it under the tap, since some areas of the foam will not get wet that way. Always cut your foam so it is at least 1” higher than your container. This allows your plant material to look more natural in your arrangement and your leaves will usually hide the foam. Once you push your stem into the foam, do not pull it out again or it will create an air pocket and hinder the freshness of your arrangement. Keep your foam supplied with water daily. You may want to tape your foam into your container. If your floral foam fills the rim of the container, there will be no room to add water without it spilling over the edge of the container. You can get round this by cutting a V shaped notch in the foam before inserting it into the container. It will then be easy to pour water into the notch without it spilling over.

Always add cut flower food, obtained from your florist, to the vase water - it really does make a difference. Change the vase water (and flower food) every three to four days. Use the cut flower food mixture to top up containers using floral foam too, as this will help to prolong the life of the flowers. Remember to remove the leaves from the stem parts that are to be submerged in the water. The flowers will last longer.

Most flowers should be picked when they are in bud or half open. You will then have the pleasure of seeing them slowly open up. The color of the petals should be starting to show. If picked too tightly in bud, they may never open. This is especially true of Tulips, Irises, Daffodils and Roses. Gladioli should be picked when the bottom three or four florets are open and the top florets are still in bud.

Don't place your finished arrangement in full sun, over a radiator, or in a draught. This will cause excess water loss from the flowers, and they will wilt very quickly. A cool room is the best place to put your flowers for maximum life.

Lightly spray your finished arrangement with clear water from time to time, to create a humid atmosphere around the flowers. (Don't spray the flowers near furnishings or electrical appliances though - move the arrangement first!)

When using open flowers such as Roses, Daffodils, Gerbera, etc., try to turn some of them at different angles to show a different shape. Never arrange all your flowers facing forwards as we do not want to have a boring arrangement, do we? Make sure that your colors are evenly balanced - this means not having more strong colors over one side of the arrangement than the other. Fillers such as sand, small stones or gravel can be used under the foam to raise it up so that you don't have to use so much in a deep container. This will also add weight to the container to make it more stable.

When using Lilies in an arrangement, always remove the stamens on Lilies. There are several reasons for this: 1) the pollen will stain the flower; 2) The pollen will stain any clothing or furnishings it may come into contact with; 3) removing the stamens makes the flowers last a bit longer (this is because a flower which has been pollinated has completed its job in life, and therefore dies fairly soon after pollination - by removing the stamens, this is prevented, thus making the flower last longer). NEVER cut off the stamens with scissors. This is ugly, and unprofessional, and causes discoloration. Use your fingers to pull the stamens off, leaving a nice neat point which will not discolor.

I like to use clear containers some times and when I do, I add marbles, layers of interesting pebbles, or shells to hide the foam or just to stabilize the stems.

Nothing looks better than some tulips in a clear container. The stems seem to enrich and empower the arrangement.

Just about anything can be done with even the simplest of flowers, including wild flowers, in and around your home. Do not be afraid to try anything with them. But do bring them into your

home. You will be surprised how much grace it will add to even the humblest of abodes.