All about the art of floristry

The art of making beautiful flower arrangements is called floristry. Today, this craft can be learned even at home, the result will surely please. To create a bouquet, you can use various plants, be it indoor or artificial flowers, they can be a great addition to the interior or a gift for a holiday.

We offer you more detailed information about the history of floristry, data on materials and tools that you may need, useful recommendations.

The history of floristry has been known since ancient times. If we talk about this art as a profession, the beginning can be considered the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Professionals know how to correctly combine leaves, flowers and herbs, dilute them with artificial materials to make a real piece.

It is safe to say that this is an absolutely creative activity, where there are no strict rules, so you can embody your ideas, the main thing is that all the necessary materials are at hand.

It is worth noting that not only natural vegetation is used in floristry, but even artificial flowers, which are often a spectacular addition, moreover, this is the best option for rooms where it is impossible to keep live plants. This art has existed for a very long time: at the end of the 17th century, the courtyards of noblemen were decorated with ornaments from flowers, and in the next, plants began to be planted in pots.

Many will agree that floristic compositions are relevant at any time of the year, especially when there is a lack of greenery. Of course, there is not always everything you need to assemble a bouquet, because you need to take into account the season, however, professionals specially grow plants in greenhouses so as not to depend on the weather, and this is great. One of the main rules of floristry is the observance of proportions, because in the composition, each detail plays its role. For example, it is important to take into account the ratio of the sizes of leaves to flowers, the height of the container and the length of the stems, even the diameter of the buds has its own meaning.

Therefore, experts adhere to a rule called the "golden ratio", the essence of which is to divide the bouquet into 8 parts, where 5 of them are flowers. During the work, the color scheme is taken into account, this is necessary in order for the colors to be combined with each other, because in bouquets only one type of plant is not always used. In this case, seasonality plays an important role, because the composition with daisies is not quite suitable for winter, at such a time it is better to give gladioli.

If you decide to tackle this area, you need to prepare the appropriate materials that you will definitely need. During work, you can use various parts, but there is something that will be difficult to do without. The floral sponge in the design of the composition is as important as the flowers themselves. We are talking about a base that fits on the bottom of the container, it is dense, you can stick plants and various elements into it.

Thin wire serves as a binding material; parts can be made from it. A satin ribbon is a decorative element that will beautifully highlight the composition. For cuts, you will need tape tape. Clay film is a technical material that should not be visible.

An important rule: do not skimp on tools and their quality. The first assistant in the work of a florist is a pruner; you should choose it carefully. If possible, test it, hold it in your hand, is it comfortable. Scissors are one of the most commonly used tools, so it is best to have two pairs on hand. A floristic knife is different from a pruner, it is used with thin stems. It is important to ensure that it is always well sharpened, otherwise the structure of the plant will be damaged. To design a workplace, you will need a table lamp to make the process as comfortable as possible.

When drawing up flower arrangements, different parts are used, which often have to be fastened, therefore, you cannot do without a hot glue gun, you can consider devices with a power of up to 150 watts. You will need pliers to work with the wire, bends are easy with them, and cutters are needed to cut. The color wheel will become a real helper for beginners in the field of floristry, together with it it will be easy to choose the shades of the future composition, this is a cheat sheet for those who have not yet got used to it. You may need a stapler to attach the parts.

As mentioned above, the color wheel will become an assistant in the work, which has several tasks. With this tool, you can achieve harmony, because this is what is required to create the perfect bouquet. The design of the composition is determined from the very beginning, this affects the style of performance, because there are many different types. Each plant has its own surface texture, this is important to consider in order to achieve the right combination.

Velvet will not always look harmonious with glossy, the same applies to brocade or matte, so the presence of a circle will help you make your choice so as not to make a mistake. The structure of one plant is different from the structure of another, they can be divided into small, medium and large forms, so you cannot do without a competent approach. The range of colors is so wide that it is not always possible to choose everything perfectly, but the presence of a circle will save time and find something that will look harmonious with each other. This is easy to learn if you use the prompts initially.

Correctly selected materials and the correct arrangement of elements set the positive dynamics of the composition. There are focal points in the arrangement that attract the most attention, the center should be one, not several. For this, different plant textures are used, leaves of an unusual shape are introduced. As for proportionality, not only the size of the flowers is taken into account, but also the dimensions of the stand or container that is used.

It is not difficult to create a beautiful bouquet on your own at home if you look at master classes for beginners, know the basics of composing a composition and follow the instructions step by step. This can be done from both live and artificial flowers, the main thing is that you have the necessary materials and tools at hand. There are different techniques for decorating bouquets, you can see some of them below.

This option is suitable for those who want to arrange a bouquet of garden plants at home, besides, any flowers are suitable here, the main thing is that the stems are even and dense. If you have roses or daisies, you can start with them. The technology is as follows. The flowers must be slightly trimmed and folded so that the tops are located vertically. Transfer the workpiece to your left hand, and take the next flower with the other, tilting it to the right, place it in front of the workpiece, then the tilt should be in the opposite direction.

The process is repeated until the composition is complete. At the final stage, it is recommended to adjust the height of the buds, while it is important to hold the bouquet tightly so as not to break the sequence. An important rule is that only the stems can touch. As for the decoration, the elements are also added in a spiral, and the greenery is placed in the final stage, it wraps the bouquet. For fixing, plastic tape or wire is used.

Such compositions are often used at weddings; they can be used to decorate a banquet hall. The procedure does not take much time and does not require extensive experience. Pick up flowers with large buds, fern and decor items. The ladder is laid as follows: the flowers are placed side by side so that the bud of the next one is lower than the previous one. The stems are tied with tape, it fixes them better.

For this option, roses are the best choice: they are durable and look beautiful with greenery, which is already added around the composition. It is important not to cover the top of the bouquet with a fern. For stability, you can use wire, making a reliable frame out of it. The stems are cut, and the composition is decorated with bows and wrapped in whatever material suits your taste best.

Experts recommend starting acquaintance with the art of floristry with compositions where a base is used. In this case, a box or box is suitable, and as a plant, you can choose a succulent or even eucalyptus. Depending on the size of the container, a sponge is cut out and packed in plastic wrap, then sent inside and fixed with a stapler. Plants are stacked in such a way that the entire volume is filled, while it is important to remember that the succulent is delicate, so it is easy to damage it.

You can choose standard white roses as flowers, but it all depends on personal preference. Leaves and thorns are removed from the bottom of the plant to make the composition look neat. Use several branches of the fern to make a fan-shaped bouquet, criss-cross. In the center there are three roses, which perform the task of focal elements, then you can dilute with small roses at the edges and sprigs of alstroemeria, which can fill the empty space.

At the end, the stems are tied with a floral tape, the edges should be open, you should not hide everything, this is no longer in trend. White tape works best and can be secured with a heat gun or a needle at the edges.

Silk flowers are in great demand among brides, especially if a solemn event is planned for the cold season, because such plants do not lose their freshness and beauty even under harsh conditions. We are talking about peonies and hydrangeas, you will also need floral and decorative ribbons, wire cutters, scissors. As mentioned above, at the initial stage, all excess leaves that are located at the end of the stem are cut off.

Choose large inflorescences that will be the main ones in the composition and make up the basis of the future bouquet from them. Others are added in a circle, a decorative ribbon is tied to the leg, which should hide the floral one. In fact, it is not difficult to compose wedding bouquets, the main thing is to focus on the main flower, and everything else should only complement the overall picture.

This composition will decorate the interior of the house at any time of the year, because it will stand for quite a long time. A sponge is placed on the bottom of the container. The inflorescences of the immortelle are in great demand, they are large, so they are inserted first of all, to add a little contrast, use black rudbeckia, and fill the free space with pink heather. The highest elements are haretail inflorescences, their stems are quite fragile, so you have to be extremely careful during work.

An excellent alternative to a sponge is kenzan, which is also a more environmentally friendly material. It perfectly captures the composition, moreover, it is often used in transparent vases, because it does not attract attention. It is worth noting that staffage can be used to fill the space, which is offered in different versions. It is a plant material, with the help of which the form and frame of the composition are also created.

This is an important component if you want the bouquet to last much longer than expected. Floristic compositions do not always consist of only living plants - they also use dried ones, so there are several recommendations that will help maintain beauty.

If the bouquet is exclusively from real flowers, they should be in the water, but the decay process can start quite quickly, which leads to the multiplication of bacteria, so it is important to keep the liquid clean. Do not forget that the water must be filtered, use sprayers if necessary, especially in the summer. All shoots with leaves that are in the water must be removed, and the stems must be rinsed well.This is a well-known rule - the cut is done at an angle, there should be as much water in the container as possible.

As for caring for dried flowers, it is not difficult. The composition can be treated with a fixative used by florists. The material should be kept in a dry place, out of direct sunlight. To remove dust, turn on the hair dryer at low power - this will not ruin the composition. To keep the dried flowers longer, they are kept suspended in bunches, and the heads can be put in a cardboard box, on the bottom of which silica gel is poured.

Artificial flowers require less maintenance, but they also need to be looked after. You can get rid of dust with a hair dryer and a soft cloth, remove the composition from the sun so that the material does not burn out. When it comes to storage, a cardboard box is fine.

Here are examples of beautiful compositions created by real professionals of floristic art. Today there are many options for decorating flowers in bouquets, each has a right to exist, besides, everyone has their own tastes, and this allows you to find what you like.

Fashion trends this year are the use of large flower buds at the base of the composition, as shown here.

Here's a great example of a New Year's bouquet that brings a festive mood.

Eco-style wedding bouquets are gaining immense popularity, and there is a reasonable explanation for this - they are delicate and natural.

And here they even use berries.

The rustic style is successful not only in the interior or clothing, but even in floristry.

Here is an example of what interior floristry can be.

The bouquet in the basket will complement the thematic image or become part of the decoration of the festive event.

It is difficult to refuse such a gift.

An unusual solution for the interior will be a bouquet of artificial flowers with imitation of water.

In the next video, you will find a master class in floristry for beginners.