Artistic Flower Arrangements

Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, Valentine’s Day, mother’s day, a new job, a baby; the list goes on. However, these are not the only events when you can send flowers to your loved ones. Floral gifts have a language of their own. Sending flowers express our love, care and concern for those who matter to us. It is common to use floral gifts to convey your heartfelt emotions without waiting for special events. You can send them when you want to tell someone you miss him or her, when you want to say you love him or her, or even when you want to say something as simple as, “You look great today!” The assortment of flowers available is staggering. You could purchase flowers and bouquets from your local flower store, to create your own beautiful floral arrangement, or you could choose online flowers for that special person.

When you purchase flower bouquets and baskets from your local florist, you have the benefit of selecting the blossoms you desire and getting your very own personalized flower arrangement. However, shopping on the Internet for flowers has several merits, too. Firstly, the extensive array of flowers and other relevant offers that are available online are far better than what you can get at the local store. Your local florist may be unable to deliver the flowers if the recipient is many miles away. Hence, picking up flowers from the numerous online stores is a terrific idea.

The florists online offer excellent bouquets, bunches and baskets of blossoms. You can find various types of blossoms ranging from roses, tulips and orchids to lilies, sunflowers and carnations. The arrangements of flower available are also varied. In fact, the cost is often determined by the kind of arrangement you choose. Costs can be quite high if you choose designer arrangements. In addition to flowers these online stores offer to deliver gifts. There are a great number of online stores to choose from. Majority of these stores have online catalogs that tell you all that you need to know regarding their floral products and gifts. The catalogs display pictures of the flowers accompanied by specifications of each item and their cost.

What you need to do when you go online to purchase flowers is simply scrutinize the details of the flowers and gifts being offered, make your choice and purchase. Simple as it may sound, it is important to take care when purchasing these flowers. Primarily, double check the specifications so that you do not make a mistake while selecting the product. It is obvious that you want your recipient to receive what you have selected for him or her. Next remember to check discounts and offers available. The prevalent competition in the market has forced most providers to offer significant discounts. Most importantly, do not forget to carefully go through the terms and conditions of the website or the provider.

Once you have prudently completed the procedure mentioned above, fill in the small online form that the website asks you to and pay through credit card, PayPal account or any other available options that is most appropriate for you. All said and done, always remember to add a little message card to put into words the feelings you want the flowers to convey.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

Flowers make a wonderful gift for any occasion, but most people do not realize that certain flowers have meanings behind them. It was very common during Victorian times for people to use a certain flower to convey a message.  Even today flowers can be used to express a certain feeling to add even more personalization to the gift, i.e., saying “I Love You” with a Valentine’s Day flower arrangement.  What are some of the common flower meanings?

Carnations & Lace

The carnation is one of the most popular and widely used flowers in the world and they come in a myriad of colors.  If you are looking to show deep love and affection, you will want to choose a dark red carnation, but if you are just wanting to show admiration, you will want to go with a light red carnation.  Pink carnations symbolize gratitude and white carnations symbolize purity and luck.  Carnations can be used in a wide variety of different arrangements to add color and beauty that is unparalleled.

Dark Pink Rose

Roses are another very popular

choice. Roses in themselves symbolize great affection and love, but each color of rose has a specific meaning as well.  For example, red roses symbolize love and affection and are considered an easy way to simply say, “I Love You.”  White roses symbolize new beginnings and reverence and are very commonly used for remembrance arrangements.  Pink roses are for those people that you admire and yellow roses are a symbol of friendship and joy.  If you use orange roses, you are expressing your passion for someone, while lavender roses are used to express love at first sight.  Roses are a beautiful way to show someone you care for them.

2 Foot Arrangement

The cheerful Gerber Daisy is a wonderful choice if you are looking to add a touch of brightness to someone’s day.  All of the colors together in a bouquet or arrangement express cheer and joy to the person that received them with their bright and happy colors.  They are a wonderful choice for many different happy celebrations, including birthdays, anniversaries, or just because.  If you want to convey a message of joy and merriness, then Gerber Daisies are just the right choice.

Whether you want to express love, admiration, or give cheer, you can find a flower that expresses that feeling to add additional personalization to your gift. In this way, your flower arranging will speaks thoroughly of your feelings to help make it even more meaningful for you and the person receiving it.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

The principles of flower arranging are very helpful because they help you to pay attention to small details when arranging flowers, and help to achieve an overall effect that is  professional looking and visually appealing. One of these basic principles of flower arranging is unity. Unity helps you look at your floral arrangement both its separate elements, and as a unified whole.  In addition, the purpose of this principle is that when viewed, your floral arrangement will be a complete whole with all the parts of the arrangement, the flowers, accents, container, etc., blending together.

When following the principle of unity, the trick is to start at the very beginning and select the materials like your flowers,  container,  foliage,  stems, ribbons, etc.,  so that they match. Hence, when attempting to unify all your elements, you need to keep in mind the color, shape and size of everything. For example, if you want to have a flower arrangement with orchids as the focus, try to select the container and the other elements that will accentuate and bring focus on rich purple color of the orchids. This can be achieved by selecting a container that is also purple, or in the same color family, by choosing accents that contrast or match the flowers.

Finally, in order to achieve unity in your floral arrangement, you should ask yourself if the final arrangement  looks good to you and fits with the setting in which it is intended. Is the arrangement simple yet effective and sophisticated?  Does it look like all the elements were designed to be arranged together? If so, then you have achieved the basic principle of unity in your flower arranging goal.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

Here is the second article on the Principles of Flower Arranging for your enjoyment.

Principles of Floral Arrangements: Emphasis

‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’. This very popular phrase holds very true for flowers, a true gift of nature. There are quite literally hundreds of thousands of varieties of flowers, each with a different shape, color, size and fragrance. Nature has provided us with flowers which bring a vibrant splash of color even to the drabbest of winters and paint the landscape all the colors of the rainbow in the spring and summer.

For centuries now, humans have used flowers for decorative and ornamental purposes. They have been used in various forms for livening up living spaces. Bunches of flowers, garlands of flowers, even dried flowers on paper have been used as decoration. In fact, one of most common forms of using flowers – the elaborate, yet highly effective flower arrangements, can be traced back many thousands of years.

Different cultures have, over time, developed their own distinctive way of flower arranging. Today, all these various styles are used around the world to achieve different effects. Some of the earliest records of flower arrangement point to China. The Chinese were also among the first to use containers of water to hold flowers so that they last longer. In Asia, the Japanese were also developing their own style of flower arrangement in which shape and form were the focus more than anything else. The practice of using flowers as garlands and wreaths was started in Egypt, Greece and Rome.

Today, the use of flower arrangements is very extensive and more and more people are becoming  professional florists. However not everyone can afford to hire professionals. In this case it helps to know at least the basics of flower arrangement, which contrary to popular belief, are not very difficult to learn. Once you know the basics of flower arrangement, it is relatively easy to play around with different styles and experiment with different types of flowers and  floral combinations.

Flower arrangement can be broadly classified into three styles, which can be then revamped and modified to suit the specific occasion or event. The three styles include the Oriental style of flower arrangement in which lines and form is given importance, the Traditional or Western style in which there is the use of many flowers together, and the Modern flower arrangements in which there are no rules really, except a preference for the Oriental style.

Whatever the style of arrangement, there are some basic principles that underlie flower arrangement. Following these basic principles is helpful as it provides simple guidelines to achieving the best results. One of the more important principles of flower arrangement is Emphasis. Emphasis is basically the dominant part of the floral arrangement or the focal point of the display. This aspect of the arrangement is the one that generally gives character to the entire set up and tells the viewer what is most important in the whole arrangement. Using the principle of Emphasis, the flower arrangement can bring to focus the color, texture, shape and even size of the materials used.

When you emphasize a certain part of your floral arrangement, you are basically drawing the viewers’ eye again and again to a certain part of your flower arrangement. In traditional styles, emphasis was basically one point from which all the other parts of the arrangement radiated out. Hence if you want to have a color theme, the center of the arrangement can have flowers of the same color, and have flowers of a contrasting color, leaves, other materials that provide texture (like dried stems, cones etc) around it.

Finally, using emphasis can also tell the viewer what the purpose of the floral arrangement is. This is  possible by the way you set your focal point up. Hence Valentine’s Day floral arrangements will usually have red or pink roses/chocolates in the shape of a heart in the center, with other material around it completing the display.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

Mother’s Day is a special time for mom. She works hard to make sure that you and everyone else is happy throughout the year. But what about her? Doesn’t she deserve a day devoted all to her, so she can feel extra special? After all, she is your mother. Since Mother’s Day comes year after year, it often seems to get harder and harder to figure out what to get her with each passing year. You definitely do not want to get her the same thing as you got her last year, and you also do not want to get her the same exact thing as someone else might be getting for her. You want to make sure that your gift is unique and very individual, something from the heart. Go to flowers for more information.

Here are some Mother’s Day gift ideas to help you along your way:

1.  Create your own handmade flower arrangement.  What better way than to say I Love You Mom than with a floral arrangement you made. This can be done for very little cost.  You can even use containers from around the house.  An old bucket, a watering can even an old shoe (just be sure to use a waterproof insert), a few of many items that you can use for a container.  Now fill it up with Mom’s favorite flower or flowers. You now have an inexpensive Mother’s Day gift. Use your homemade card from item 3 below and you are all set.

2. Have a portrait made together. She will absolutely love this. There is nothing more dear to a mother than her children. You can also buy her a nice outfit for the family photo together. Tell her that she can keep the outfit and wear it anytime that she wants. After getting your picture made together, get a nice frame to put it in, and give it to your mom for Mother’s Day.

3. Make her a card. This does not mean getting a regular piece of construction paper and some crayons and writing: “I love you mom, happy Mother’s Day” on the card. Unless you are four years old, you need to take some time and really make an unforgettable masterpiece out of your homemade card. Get some old pictures of you two together and glue them to the card. Try going out to a craft store and getting some special glue-on designs and artsy stickers. You could also try to add some pizazz to your card by gluing things like buttons, flowers, and cute, cut out pieces of fabric to the card. Once you have made your card, your mom will never forget the beauty and thought that has been invested into it.

4. Mother’s Day only comes one time a year, so you should make it one that she will never forget by buying her a couple of gift cards to her favorite shops. A girl has got to shop! Everyone knows this. What better way to treat your mother to one of her favorite activities! Refer to flowers for more information.

5. Go all out with the classic box of chocolates and bouquet of flowers. You cannot go wrong with this gift idea – never. Unless you got the same thing last year, this is an idea that is a winner every time. Even if you did get this for her last year, you can always spice it up by adding an extra gift that is not like anything else that you have gotten for her in the past.

6. Get her a custom made gift basket. You can locate gift basket retailers virtually everywhere online. They usually carry things like specialty chocolates, coffees, soaps, lotions, perfumes, gardening supplies, spices, recipe books. Basically all of the nifty little treats that moms love. You cannot go wrong with a gift basket, be sure to throw in a card and you will have the perfect Mother’s Day gift.

No matter what you choose to get for your mother, just make sure it is something as special as she is, and from the heart. This Mother’s Day needs to be the best one yet, and we should all strive to show our moms how important and appreciated they really are. We only have one mother, let’s let her know that we care by presenting her with the perfect gift this Mother’s Day. Visit flowers for further information.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

What can be more special than creating your own flower arrangement for an upcoming holiday or birthday? You will make the gift special and impress your friends and loved ones. The idea may be overwhelming. This is natural when trying something new and you are unsure it will turn out right. If you are creative and have a strong affinity for flowers, than you can do it. It is a lot easier than you think. This article contains suggestions that the pros use when they make those fantastic flower arrangements. By the end of this article, you will be flower arranging like the pros. Refer to flowers for more information.

The first step is picking the right flowers. Try to pick colors and shapes of flowers that will work well together. Place them next to one another and judge how they look. There are occasions that you will want to use the same flower or color of flowers. Sometimes different colors of the same flower might work well together.

Roses, carnations, zinnias, tulips or lilies, usually are the central focus of arrangements. This is because they are single bloom flowers. Think about adding flowers with large stems to make up the back of the arrangement. This helps balance the arrangement out and give it depth. Think about using delphinium, gladiolus, and snapdragons to accomplish this effect. Small buds and multiple buds give an  arrangement fullness and density. Babys breath is a good example of this type flower.

The next item that you need to choose is the vase or container that you plan to use. Again, consider the size, shape, and color of the vase. Does it match or clash with your flower arranging  choices? Think about the width of the container. Will it be to big or small to hold the number of flowers you have chosen. A good rule of thumb is your container should be about one-third to one-half the size of your flower arrrangement. If you pick a short vase, consider you will have to cut the stems of flowers so that they will fit. With some flowers this will not work. If you have short flowers, they may not reach the water below in the vase.

Once you have your vase and container you are ready to make your arrangement. Begin by cutting each flower stem diagonally about one inch from the bottom. Do this while holding the end of the stem under warm water. This cut will ensure that each stem will be able to absorb water moisture and nutrients efficiently. Fill your vase half way with water. As you cut each flower put them into the container so that they will be in water. You are not arranging them yet.

After you have cut all the flowers, fill your actual vase two thirds of the way with warm water. Look at the vase and make sure that it is not leaking. Begin your arrangement by placing your blossom flowers in the vase. Step away and see how it looks. If you judge that the stems are too long you will need to cut them. You may run into the flowers being too short. You may need to change the container if this is the case. You can also add stones or marbles into the bottom of the vase.

Continue to add flowers and cut them as you need to change the proportions and look to your arrangement. As you add more flowers, they will stay in position better.

Once you have completed your arrangement, make sure that you pick the perfect place to display your work of art. It should be in a cool place that is not too drafty. Change the water on a regular basis. If you have trouble getting inspired, look in magazines and websites that have flower arrangement displays. Print them out and try to duplicate them on your own. You may even improve on it. Your friends and family will be impressed. Visit flowers for further information.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

Don’t be chained to the idea of a flower arrangement in a vase or other container.  There are many other ways to add the life of flowers to your home.  A live wreath on the front door is a great way to welcome friends and family members to your home and a swag can make a great addition to any bland wall in your home.  Use your imagination to add flowers throughout your home in new and unique ways to give your home new life and visual appeal.

Take cues from the existing decor in your home to ensure that everything comes together cohesively.  This can help the decor and flowers to come together to make your room look and feel more complete and inviting.  Flowers can be used in all different areas of the home, from small to large rooms, to add life and beauty to your life and your living areas.  Use your imagination and creativity to find ways to use flowers in your home.

The simple truth is, that no matter what the room, or what your decor, flowers can liven up a room. Decorating with flowers is easy, inexpensive, and fun; so what are you waiting for? Grab some fresh cut flowers, your favorite vase and freshen up your home with flowers!

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

In my previous post I have discussed about bringing the beauty of flowers into your bedroom .

You’re sitting there looking around your living room and you can’t help to feel that it needs something.

The furniture is nice, the room itself looks good, but you can’t help wondering what it is that’s missing. Why not bring some life back to your living room with some fresh cut flowers? Anything from a simple arrangement to the ultra-elegant hanging crystal array, can really add that much needed something to the room.

I will leave the actual flower selection up to you, but here are a few great ideas that will bring life back to your living room:

Potted Arrangements

You don’t necessarily have to make a cut-flower arrangement; live plants will work as well. That tall concrete-look planter that you keep on your front porch will likely fit well in your living room. Choose your favorite flowers, and then plant them in a mix that fits.

Keep the planted arrangement in front of your window and you will have a year-round showpiece.

Coffee Table Pieces

That silver vase, or even that glass water jug, may make an interesting container to make a showpiece for your coffee table. If the same old arrangement doesn’t work for you, why not use a crystal bowl? Fill your bowl with water and float some fresh cut flowers. Add some floating candles for some added nighttime flare.

Hanging Arrangements

Another great idea to add some life to your living area is a hanging arrangement. Get hanging planter, or, if you do some searching you can even find crystal vases that are meant to hang. Make your fresh cut flower arrangement, and hang it up for the world to see.

This would look great hanging from a chain.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter