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Fresh
cut flower arrangements
that have the look of
wildflowers or garden
flowers have been popular
for decades. These kinds
of flowers have universal
appeal. We seem to enjoy
the unfettered spontaneity
and the casual appearance
of such floral designs,
reminding us of a walk
in the woods or a stroll
through the garden,
whether or not the flowers
really are wild or gathered
from a perennial border.
But cutting wildflowers
isn't always practical
or even permissible,
and not everyone has
access to a garden full
of lovely blossoms just
waiting to be picked.
Fortunately, your professional
florist has the skills
and the materials necessary
to create an arrangement
which evokes the feeling
of a meadow, lush with
wildflowers or the nostalgia
of Grandma's colorful
flower beds.
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While the flowers found in
a typical flower shop aren't truly cut from
the wild, there are many floral materials
available which can give the impression
that they are. A wildflower design will
usually be composed of delicate-appearing
blossoms that are often relatively small
in size or delicate in texture. Such flowers
as alstroemeria, freesia, yarrow, or crocosmia
might be incorporated. The slender, curving
stems and frilly petals of flowers like
scabiosa or lisianthus can enhance the mood
of the arrangement. Small scale line flowers,
such as veronica, lysimachia, or even certain
grasses, mix well with the others. Filler
flowers like Queen Anne's lace, Monte Casino
asters, or Misty Blue limonium add depth
and texture. For foliages, choose willowy
fronds of asparagus `ferns' (they aren't
truly ferns), wispy blades of bear grass
or branching twigs of huckleberry. Visit
the Society Of American Florists website
to see pictures of some of these wildflowers.
Wildflower style arrangements
are comfortable in either a vase or a basket.
In any case, the cut flowers are usually
placed in a random, almost `unarranged'
fashion that incorporates a fair amount
of open space, suggesting the way flowers
might appear if they were growing in a field
or a meadow. Similar blossoms may be subtly
grouped together, just as they are in nature.
Tying a few strands of raffia around the
neck of the vase, or tucking some green
moss into the base of the basket enhances
the casual feeling of a wildflower arrangement.
An empty bird's nest can be a charming accent.
A garden flower arrangement is similar to
a wildflower arrangement in that the mood
of both designs is relaxed and informal.
But an arrangement of garden flowers will
usually feature larger blossoms in a profusion
of colors. The feeling is one of abundance
and variety, just like a well-planted flower
garden. Cultivated flowers such as hydrangeas,
zinnias, stock, and roses are arranged in
a profusion of blooms. Dominant line flowers
like gladioli, snapdragons, or delphinium
may be incorporated for height, while bold
form flowers such as gerberas or lilies
may command attention in the focal area
of the design. Baskets or simple vases are
appropriate for garden style arrangements
as well.
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Garden
flower arrangements
will usually reflect
the offerings of the
season. For example,
tulips, iris and hyacinths
may be featured in the
spring whereas sunflowers
and dahlias make their
appearance in mid-summer.
A garden-themed arrangement
may even feature flowers
arranged in a vegetative
style - that is, grouped
and segregated into
specific zones within
the design to suggest
they way they might
actually grow in a well-planned
flower bed. What you
most likely won't find
in a garden style arrangement
are the tropical cut
flowers, such as anthuriums
or birds of paradise
(unless, of course,
you happen to live in
Hawaii)!
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