What's this?
Floral design is the art of using plant materials and flowers to create a pleasing and balanced composition. Evidence of refined floristry is found as far back as the culture of Ancient Egypt. It is also an art form of using a variety of botanicals and other natural and artificial materials to create designs that encompass most or all of the principles and elements of floral design. They include: form, accent, texture, depth, line, focal point, contrast, space, harmony, unity, balance, rhythm, tension, proportion, repetition, creativity and absence of visible mechanics.
In additional to flower arrangements, the art of floral design includes making wreaths, nosegays, garlands, boutonnieres, corsages, and bows.
Who are in charge?
Floral designers, or florists, cut live, dried, or silk flowers and other greenery and arrange them into displays of various sizes and shapes. These workers design displays by selecting flowers, containers, and ribbons and arranging them into bouquets, corsages, centerpieces of tables, wreaths, etc. for weddings, funerals, holidays, and other special occasions. Some floral designers also use accessories such as balloons, candles, toys, candy, and gift baskets as part of their displays.
Floral design types
There are different floral design types:
A flower bouquet is a collection of flowers in a creative arrangement. There are different kinds including nosegay, crescent, and cascading bouquets. Flower bouquets are often given for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries. They are also used extensively in weddings. Traditionally the bride will hold the bouquet, and the Maid of Honor will hold it during the ceremony. After the wedding the bride will toss it over her shoulder, and it is believed that whoever catches the bouquet is the next in line to be married. This practice may be related to the Golden Apple of Discord myth.
A boutonniere is a floral decoration worn by men, typically a single flower or bud. The word comes from the French boutonniere, or buttonhole, which is the British term. The flower itself is often a carnation, which is most formal white, while red remains a classic alternative. Other colours may also be chosen to better coordinate with whatever else is being worn, such as a blue cornflower.
Traditionally, a boutonniere was worn pushed through the lapel buttonhole (on the left, the same side as a pocket handkerchief). However, on many recently made coats and jackets, the lapel is made without the stem loop required, which would normally sit on the reverse of the lapel, beneath the buttonhole. Sometimes, the lapel buttonhole is in the 'keyhole' shape, as opposed to the traditional straight cut, or is not even pierced through, in which case the boutonniere may be pinned onto the jacket lapel, although this is considered unsightly by many.
While worn frequently in the past, boutonnieres are now usually reserved for special occasions for which formal wear is standard, such as at proms, homecomings, funerals, and weddings. (Women who wear jackets on these occasions also often may wear 'buttonholes', but more typically a woman would wear a corsage.)
A corsage - 1) a bouquet of flowers worn on a woman's dress or worn around her wrist. Corsages are often worn by the mothers and grandmothers of the bride and groom at a wedding ceremony.
2) the flower worn on a girl's clothing or wrist for the homecoming celebration or other formal occasions such as prom in some schools in the United States.
A garland is a decorative wreath or cord, used at festive occasions, which can be hung round a person's neck, or on inanimate objects like Christmas trees. Originally garlands were made of flowers or leaves. In modern times, other materials have been used.
Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement, also known as kado (the "way of flowers").
More than simply putting flowers in a container, ikebana is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. Contrary to the idea of floral arrangement as a collection of particolored or multicolored arrangement of blooms, ikebana often emphasizes other areas of the plant, such as its stems and leaves, and draws emphasis toward shape, line, form. Though ikebana is a creative expression, it has certain rules governing its form. The main rule is that all the elements used in construction must be organic, be they branches, leaves, grasses, or flowers. The artist's intention behind each arrangement is shown through a piece's color combinations, natural shapes, graceful lines, and the usually implied meaning of the arrangement.
Another aspect present in ikebana is its employment of minimalism. That is, an arrangement may consist of only a minimal number of blooms interspersed among stalks and leaves. The structure of a Japanese flower arrangement is based on a scalene triangle delineated by three main points, usually twigs, considered in some schools to symbolize heaven, earth, and man and in others sun, moon, love and earth. The container is a key element of the composition, and various styles of pottery may be used in their construction.
A nosegay, posey (or posie, posy), flower bouquet or tussie-mussie is a small bunch of flowers, typically given as a gift. They have existed in some form since at least medieval times, when they were carried or worn around the head or bodice to mask the unpleasant smells of the time[citation needed] - literally, to keep the nose gay (to keep the nose happy). In their current form, they rose to popularity during the reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837 onwards, at which time the tussie-mussie became a popular fashion accessory. Typically, tussie-mussies include floral symbolism from the Language of Flowers, and therefore may be used to send a message to the recipient.
A wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs and/or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring. They are used typically as Christmas decorations to symbolize the coming of Christ, also known as the Advent season in Christianity. They are also used as festive headdresses as attire in ceremonial events in many cultures around the globe. Wreaths have much history and symbolism associated with them. They are usually made from evergreens ad symbolizes strength, as evergreens last even throughout the harshest winters. Bay laurel may also be used and these wreaths are known as laurel wreaths. The circular shape of the wreaths is seen as a common symbol of eternity. The use of wreaths varies by culture, tradition and religions. For example, in Canada, wreaths are used as remembrance. In Christianity, it is used to prepare for Jesus' birth and in many cultures around the world, wreaths are used in weddings as a headdress. The history behind wreaths dates back thousands of years and much of the symbolism lies with Greek mythology, Roman tradition with the present day usage being focused on Advent and for festive decor.
