Using Flowers & Colors

 

Use soft, pastel-colored flowers
for special occasions.

• 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.

Note: 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.

Permanent Botanicals is a widely used term for working with silk and dried flora in the same arrangement. When creating a silk or artificial design, the inclusion of dried flowers gives added reality to the design. By using moss, pods, or other dried materials, the artificial flowers are given credibility by the real floral materials.

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.