floristry

Styles, Elements and Principles of Floral Design.

For this series, we will go over the basic elements of crafting floral arrangements. We’ll also dive into the details of designing and putting together flower arrangements.

In Part 1, we talked about the know-hows in processing, storing, and maintaining flowers. In Part 2, we looked at the standard flowers and plants used for decor. We also tackled how-tos in crafting gorgeous arrangements in an efficient way.

Here in Part 3, we’ll combine everything we learned into a clear and practical guide. We’ll discover the origins of floral design all the way to current forms today. As budding florists, you’ll find everything you need to know right here!

Interested in programs on designing floral arrangements? We recommend schools like the American Institute of Floral Designers (www.aifd.org). We also encourage you to check out the Society of American Florists (www.safnow.org).

Three Key Styles of Floral Design.

Several styles of floral design came about from distinct cultures around the world. Many florists continue to apply these traditions in fresh and relevant ways.

The first primary style of floral design is the Oriental style. It highlights the lines of the arrangement. It pursues harmony and balance in combining flowers and greens.

Next is the traditional or Western style. It highlights the look and use of flowers as a whole. It tends towards uneven forms that still spark rhythm and creativity.

Coming in last is the modern floral style. It arose as a blend of Eastern and Western styles. It builds on the form and lines of the Oriental style. But it also allows florists to manifest their creative talent through unique design.

Elements and Principles of Floral Design.

As florists, we have our preferred styles. Our customers also have varied tastes and needs. But for each arrangement, each florist needs to use a few basic elements. This way, you can create top-notch bouquets that still match your client’s demands.

Here is the list of important factors to keep in mind:.

Design.

Every design starts with creating a visual and theme. Are you going with a chic finish or a rustic appeal? Should your bouquet have a bright look or a subtle one? It is essential to consider these questions before creating your arrangement.

Proportion and Scale.

These two elements come hand in hand when you plan floral arrangements. They’re especially helpful when you prep for large events and venues.

Proportion refers to the relationship between the sizes of elements in your design. This involves your flowers, plants, and vases.

Scale is about the placement of your flowers in the desired space. For instance, will your arrangement serve as a centerpiece for a table or decor for the entire venue? This will help you consider if your design fits the space where you put it.

Balance.

This principle emphasizes the form and structure of your floral design. Regardless of your desired style is, each arrangement must have a sense of balance.

To achieve this, your bouquet should have an element of equal color, texture, or weight on each side. Flowers and ornaments need to balance each other well in inspired ways.

Rhythm.

This element brings life to your design! It creates flow and movement that seizes attention. It’s all about aligning flowers based on their shape and form. With this, it pulls the eye to the focus of the design all the way to its edges.

Emphasis.

Main flowers are the stars of your show! They serve as the center of your design. This is where accents and foliage seem to spring from, creating a stunning illusion.

This principle is all about bringing focus to your main flowers. You can create emphasis by contrasting colors and types of blooms. This means you select accents and foliage to complement the main flowers!

Harmony and Unity.

Every floral arrangement needs to be relevant to the event and theme. It must ensure a harmonious blend of varying colors. It also needs to look unified with its container and placement.

For a more in-depth manual on the use of color and design in floristry, see our next article!

Photo by Sarah Johnson on Unsplash

For this series, we will go over the basic elements of creating floral arrangements. We’ll also look into the details of designing and putting together flower arrangements.

In Part 1, we explored the basics in processing, storing, and maintaining flowers. That way, we keep blooms fresh before delivering them to our customers.

For this second part, we go into the common flowers, greens, and plants used for decor.

We tackle inspired ways to put them together. With this, we can create gorgeous arrangements with a personal touch for each order.

For more info on the use of color and design in floristry, see our next article! We’ll connect the various concepts we learned.

We’ll put them together to create a practical guide for every florist. So keep reading to learn everything about floristry that you need to know!

Interested in programs about the principles of designing floral arrangements? We recommend schools like the American Institute of Floral Designers (www.aifd.org). We also encourage you to check out the Society of American Florists (www.safnow.org).

Creating and Designing Flower Arrangements.

Romantic dates, exciting parties, and even our homes aren’t complete without lovely blooms. A bouquet of fresh flowers adds the ideal touch of nature’s elegance and beauty.

We’ve gathered up info about creating floral arrangements from florists all across the country. Here, we give out top tips you need to know!

Flowers, Greens, and Plants.

Every arrangement is unique! But no matter the style and size of your bouquet, there are basic steps each florist should take:.

1. Select and prep all your flowers.

In Part 1, we discussed how to keep your flowers fresh and clean. This is vital to maintaining high-quality blooms and floral arrangements.

Now start with choosing the flowers you want to use. Give them fresh cuts at a 45 ° angle. With this, you can clear away excess leaves to prevent bacteria growth.

Always consider what blooms are in season. Lighten up your design by mixing and matching these blooms!

2. Choose your vase and foliage for the base.

Keep your bouquet flowing by putting green foliage at the base. Put them in various directions for a natural look. This will help complement the flowers of your choosing!

3. Add smaller or accent flowers.

Begin your design by filling accent flowers into your bouquet in sets of three. Make sure to turn your vase as you work. This will help you create a pleasing and balanced look.

4. Insert large blooms in the gaps.

Some florists put in their main flowers before anything else. This is because they want a reference point for the accents and the greens.

But we found that saving them for last is more effective. We recommend you insert bigger blooms in the gaps in your arrangement. This brings more life to your design!

Popular Flowers and Plants You Should Know.

Even newbies to floral design have encountered many famous flowers!

Roses are, by far, the most celebrated flowers. Their simple, elegant form looks perfect when arranged in long-stemmed bundles. Even single stems make charming gifts!

Coming in next are the carnations, daisies, lilies, and orchids. It’s amazing how popular they are among customers of all ages and backgrounds.

Now let’s discuss foliages. Florists often use anthurium, philodendron, and olive branches. They’re long-lasting and easy to look after. That’s why they’re ideal for many arrangements!

For accent flowers, florists love baby’s breath and chrysanthemums. These tender blooms add a classy wildflower note into the mix.

As florists, we have our favorites. But above all else, our top priority is being sure clients get the perfect arrangement they want! This depends on their taste and the occasion they wish to use it for. Our job is to guarantee they get the most stunning, unique bouquets!

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

For this series, we will examine the basic elements of creating floral arrangements. We’ll also dive deep into the details of designing and assembling flower arrangements.

In Part 1, we talk about the know-hows in processing, maintaining and storing flowers. We reveal how to keep them fresh, coupled with other plants in your garden or store. This way, they bloom in full beauty for each customer that walks in!

Check out the next article in this series! We’ll look into various types of flowers and ornamental plants. We’ll also show the types of unique and personal arrangements that last long.

Interested in programs about the principles of designing floral arrangements? We recommend schools like the American Institute of Floral Designers (www.aifd.org). and the Society of American Florists (www.safnow.org).

How to Process, Store, and Maintain Flowers.

Every florist knows that keeping flowers fresh is their # 1 goal. Over the years, we’ve tried and tested different measures to help keep flowers fresh for longer.
With that, we discovered three major points in maintaining flowers! Here are some tips to keep flowers fresh in any weather:

• Temperature Control

One of the most important ways to enjoy long-lasting blooms is to keep them cool. It’s also critical to keep them out of direct sunlight.

Most flower shops keep at least one refrigerated cooler. Some also have storage units to help keep flowers cool and fresh at 36-46 ° F.

Florists also place arrangements in the freezer until they’re sold or sent off for delivery. This helps keep the flowers in top shape until they’re handed off to the customer or their recipient.

Bigger businesses invest in cooling trucks. Others keep 36-46 ° F in smaller vehicles. By doing this, they can keep clients’ orders fresh despite hours of travel.

• Fresh Water and Wide Storage

We all know it’s necessary to change the water in flowers’ vases. Many people do this a few times a week.

It’s different for people who make a living on these lovely blooms, though. Preserving freshness for a long time is more urgent to them.

This way, they can always present blooming arrangements for their clients. Because of this, changing the water in flower buckets on a daily basis is practice.

Florists store blooms in buckets and large containers. They separate them by species, color, size, and scent. This avoids unwanted bacteria growth which leads to wilting.

They also change the water on a regular basis. But they clean the buckets first before refilling. This makes sure flowers remain fresh and free from disease.

• Clean, Sharp Cuts

By now, we know how vital it is to defend precious blooms from germs and bacteria. An effective way to do this is by cleaning all cutting tools.

Make sure to wash and clear away residue from your scissors and shears. Rinse them under running water with bleach or dish washing soap. It’s smart to do this before trimming your blooms’ stems.

Also, don’t forget to cut flowers at an angle before placing them in water. Cut them again before sending them out for delivery. Trimming off wilting ends lets them to take in water at a healthy rate. This keeps blooms fresh and lively for your customers!

Photo by Wan Chen on Unsplash

Timeline of the Development of Floral Design

In the last article, we learned about the history of flower arrangements. We looked at the stories behind the names of flowers.

We also found out how communities used flowers in their daily lives. From there, we learned how floristry developed into the high-profit industry that it is now.

Here, we’ll explain how floral design evolved from ancient to modern styles. We’ll go through each significant period in history. We’ll trace changes in floristry from Ancient Egypt to the Middle Ages.

Then, we’ll cover art movements in France to the Victorian Period in Europe and America. Finally, we get to its latest forms today.

Interested in a formal course? Want to get certified as a flower expert? Look into organizations offering classes in floristry, like:

American Institute of Floral Designers (www.aifd.org).

Society of American Florists (www.safnow.org).

American Floral Endowment (www.endowment.org).

Floral Design around the Globe.

We set out to create a timeline of the changes in floral designs. Here, you’ll find a short yet in-depth account of how floral design developed throughout history.

Let’s see how designs transformed from rigid to innovative styles!

Egyptian Period (2800 – 28 BC).

Ancient Egyptians used flowers for temple offerings. They also set them in centerpieces for banquet tables.

They were also partial to showing off their wealth. One way to do that was weaving blooms like jasmine and violets into wreaths.

These consisted of a single flower with a couple of leaves on both sides. This basic repeating pattern created an elegant design for their ceremonies.

Greek Period (600 – 150 BC).

Much like the Egyptians, the Greeks used flowers in religious customs. They crafted blooms into garlands, wreaths, and laurels.

Cornucopias also became a staple in festive activities. The Greeks often used triangular designs for their creations. They included white blossoms as a symbol of purity.

Roman Period (28 BC – 325 AD).

Romans carried on with the Greeks’ use of flowers in their customs and traditions. In fact, they created much more elaborate designs of wreaths and ceremonial crowns.

It was also during this time that people started to take note of different floral scents. This then became an essential factor in building flower arrangements.

Byzantine Period (320-600 AD).

People in the Byzantine Era adopted from Greek and Roman styles. But they were the first to mix fruits with flowers in garlands.

They also placed greens in vases to create harmony. For charming color palettes, they accented warm tones with cool hues.

Middle Ages (476-1400 AD).

The presence of florals in art waned during this era. They only cropped up in tapestries. This resulted in the creation of a line of cloths called millefleur. This translated to “thousand flowers”.

Monks all around Europe kept floral design alive. They tended to their gardens to grow varieties of flowers and foliage. These would act as the subject of many art forms later in history.

Renaissance Period (1400-1600).

Oriental styles and the stress on balance influenced many Renaissance artists. They featured fruits and foliage in creating harmonious floral designs.

This led to the creation of now beloved Christmas wreaths. Renaissance artists were also keen on using flowers en masse in their floral arrangements.

Baroque (Flemish) Period (1600-1775).

Baroque painters were the ones who set trends in floral designs. (At least, the ones we continue to see today). Floristry then was not yet viewed as an art form.

As a result, flowers of various colors and sizes were often combined together. This was a way for the artist to express themselves. They also favored tall flowers and oval shapes in arrangements.

Artists from the Flemish period also started leaning more towards uneven designs. They used wild accessories like birds’ nests and eggs in their works.

French Period (1600-1814).

This period saw a distinct divide in the styles of floral arrangement.

Elegant, arc-shaped designs dominated the Baroque period and Rococo. Simple, triangular shapes were the styles of periods under King Louis XVI.

Early American Period (1620-1720).

Early American florists copied French Empire and English Georgian style. They set flowers en masse with different colors to spruce up their homes.

English Georgian Period (1714-1760).

Floral design during this era usually consisted of a basic bundle of flowers in a vase.

Later on, they engaged in more elaborate designs. They even built vases for keeping flowers at certain angles.

Colonial Williamsburg Period (1740-1780).

This era gave room for creativity and the arts, including floral arrangements. Artists put together foliage with fine feathers and grasses into fan-like shapes. They finished it off with bold blooms at the center.

Victorian Period (1837-1901).

During this time, floral design became far more lavish. It often comprised of overflowing flowers and foliage.

Round shapes became the standard. They also hailed roses as Europe’s favorite. Lilies, tulips, and other popular garden flowers complemented the center roses.

American Victorian Period (1820-1920).

America’s Victorian period leaned towards deep colors. Colors like royal purple, ocean blue, and magenta were among their favorites. They often used white blossoms to lighten the look. They also carried on with creating vases for holding flowers.

Modern/ Contemporary Period (1890-Present).

Modern floral design started out as a shift from Victorian design. It borrows from the Oriental focus on lines. But it also combines this with en masse arrangements from Western styles.

Photo by Tavin Dotson

History of Flowers

In this article, we will be learning about the origins of flowers and their presence in human history. We’ll examine the records of human interaction with these exquisite blooms. These span all the way back from the Paleolithic era to modern times.

The next section of this article probes into flowers as art subjects in ancient history. We also tackle the influence they had as muses for artists of all kinds.

Last, we’ll look into a list of the most popular flowers and identify the stories behind their names!

Interested in a formal course? Want to get certified as an expert florist? We encourage you to look into organizations that offer programs in floristry, such as:

American Institute of Floral Designers (www.aifd.org).

Society of American Florists (www.safnow.org).

American Floral Endowment (www.endowment.org).

Flowers through Human History.

How far back are flowers documented in human history? Have they always been diverse? How diverse? How did humans identify and use them in early history?

These are a few of the things people wonder about flowers. Here is a list of answers to some of the most pressing inquiries about flowers as recorded in history!

Have flowers always existed? Since when?

Yes, they have. Archaeologists have dug deep to find out when flowers first emerged. Using modern-day technology over time, they uncovered flower fossils. With these, they established that flowers have been around since the prehistoric period. Their earliest estimate is around the Paleolithic age, about 93 million years ago.

Were flowers always as diverse as they are now? Or did that develop over time with human mediation?

Today, there are around 270,000 species of flowers! This number continues to grow with time and scientific progress.

As for the evolution of their diversity, records only go back to about 150 years. History shows only 125,000 species already existed.

Are there flowers that have been here through early history?

Plants like magnolias and herbs go back to 120 million years old. This time allowed them to grow into their forms today.

Experts presume that flowering plants have been around for around 146 million years.

How did humans find them? Did they make use of them in their day-to-day lives and routine?

There is no precise record of how humans identified flowers and plants. But there’s proof on the part of flowers in the day-to-day life of humans in early history!

For example, setting flowers on graves has been a ritual long before current times.

Various forms of art have also used florals both as main subjects and backdrop details. From music, literature, and sculpture, people have used flowers to express themselves. Now we see how blooms have always lightened lives and made occasions more special.

We’ll explore more on flowers in art below, so keep reading!

Flowers as Art Subjects in Ancient History.

From Ancient Egypt to contemporary pop art, flowers have given rise to masterpieces throughout history. Notable works with flowers vary from clay pots to still-life paintings. Its portrayal has been vital in developing several art forms and mediums.

In fact, flowers as artists’ muse in history is a course in arts studies programs. This only affirms how important blossoms are in art!

Here, we’ll look at the impression that flowers have on various periods in art history. We’ll learn what makes them so appealing to artists and audiences alike.

The lotus flower is one of the most prominent subjects in Ancient Egyptian art. This is due to its symbolic significance in their religious myths. It was often represented in paintings, amulets, ceramics, and other artworks.. Evidence also indicates the use of florals as jewelry for the royal court.

In medieval times, tapestries became popular as art works. This gave way to the use of flowers as backdrops for different types of scenery.

It later birthed the form of millefleur, or a “thousand flowers”. These tapestries had duplicating patterns of fantastic blossoms stitched on it.

Artists from the Renaissance also used blossoms in their myth-inspired paintings. Other artists took flowers as a focal point in their work. They created still-life paintings of fresh blooms and fancy bouquets.

The Impressionist and Fauvism movements also involved the use of flowers in art. Flowers often acted as the subject of an indoor scene with a person or two beside it. Fauvism emphasized this using lively colors. Other times, flowers were either the focus of the artwork or the backdrop of the scene.

Today, flowers remain as a celebrated muse among artists through pop art and contemporary 3D art.

Pop art imagines simple common objects in a different light and color. 3D artists often use flowers to construct a sculpture of another figure. They also pay homage to art from the Renaissance and Ancient Egypt.

Flower Names and their Origins.

Have you ever wondered where roses and calla lilies got their names from? Look no further! Here is a short list of beloved flowers and the history behind their names.

Carnation.

Believed to come from the Greek word carnis (” flesh”), describing its original color. Also considered to come from corone (” flower garlands”). This is because they were first used in ceremonial crowns.

Dandelion.

First called “lion’s tooth” thanks to the petals’ likeness to a lion’s sharp teeth. The French translation “dent-de-lion” later changed into the English dandelion.

Daffodil.

In Greek mythology, flowers called “asphedelos” carpeted Elysian fields. Adapting the first d in the name in the future, it translated to the modern daffodil.

Daisy.

Born from Old English poetics, daisies are an evolved variation of the phrase “day’s eye”.

Holly.

Called the “Holly Tree”. Later known as “holly.” Medieval monks thought it would protect them from evil and lightning.

Lily.

From Latin word lilium, from “lily of the valley”. This is because it was often seen in valleys.

Orchid.

From Greek word orchis, “testicle”. Greeks believed if pregnant women ate these, their unborn child would end up being a boy.

Rose.

Coming from the Spanish and Italian rosa. Used to name red flowers.

Photo by Ray Hennessy