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Flower Power: The Art of Flower Arranging
Mass Bouquets. Mass bouquets bring color and
life into a room. Peonies, asters, lilacs, larkspurs, and chrysanthemums are
only a few of the flowers used in such arrangements. These bouquets may consist
of one variety of a blossom with its own leaves, buds and seed pods, or they may
include several harmonious varieties. In a composite bouquet, one kind of flower
should dominate in terms of quantity, attractiveness and, usually, in size,
while another kind should be very inconspicuous. All types of flowers should be
decidedly different in form, size, and texture.
Platter Bouquet. The platter bouquet is a more unusual and more complex
composition of flowers than line or mass arrangements. The stemless blossoms of
dahlias or zinnias look great when afloat in water with a few leaves in a flat
bowl. Less important flowers of other varieties may also accompany them.
Geometric Bouquet. The geometric bouquet is the opposite of the natural
bouquet. Here, flowers are placed in a stylistic, orderly design, which is
particularly suitable for modern rooms with geometric forms. Usually, vases for
such arrangements are simple geometric shapes that determine the lines of the
entire bouquet. Variety in flower form, color and texture adds individuality to
a geometric arrangement. One unusual semigeometric bouquet consists of a tall
phlox stalk with a small tiger
lily and a cluster of geranium blossoms of vermilion and magenta on each side,
with the red-violet stock hiding the stems set in a wire stem holder in a flat,
green dish. Throughout the bouquet are many long stems with downy soft green
seed pods that unify the arrangement.
Uncut Flower Arrangements. Flower lovers who do not like to cut flowers can
make pleasing arrangements by combining potted plants. Bulbs and foliage plants
look very attractive in a single container and cactus plants of various shapes
also make interesting combinations. The possibilities for imaginative
expressions in this kind of plant arrangement are endless.
Color. In arranging flowers, color is even more important to consider than
form. The best way to get a quick and effective bouquet is to have a single
color sequence, such as violet with red-violet and blue-violet, or a more
brilliant harmony of yellow with yellow-orange and yellow-green, or red,
red-orange and red-violet. It is best to decide on the type of bouquet one
desires: "warm" (red, pink, etc) or "cool" (blue, green, etc.)
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