The anatomy of a flower arrangement
A formula to plan your floral planning and combinations
The difference between cutting a few things from the garden and sticking them in a jug compared to an elevated, artistically arranged, bunch of flowers is having a diverse plant palette in your cutting patch to gather from.
Before you grow one of everything, and find yourself short of material, read this to understand the different elements of an arrangement.
For a long time, I just grew what the seed lists called cut flowers. I ended up with a lot, of what I now know as ‘supporting material’. Arrangements were often missing the wow factor, or structure. It was a gathered pretty posy. Not what I was after. I wanted a diverse mix of woody, mature elements, bold flowers with wispy airy bits that danced, like meadow grasses do when growing along the base of hedgerows.
I cringe at the word ‘filler’ or florist slang for gyp or euc. The arrangements I’m aiming mimic combinations of plants how plants might naturally grow together. I don’t want to use a foliage or any plant to pad out.
The first part of the planning process is to know why I am growing and what for. We will come to this in the first session of the floral planning course next week.
The next part of the floral planning process is to list plant combinations for each period. Before I worry about when it needs germinating or planting, I work backwards to ensure I have all the elements which make up combinations.
I have a broad formula for these arrangements which enables me to plan growing for the season, ensuring I have all the elements required, at any point of the season, to create the combinations and arrangements I need.
This is a great example of each of those elements in practice for a vase bouquet arranged in late April.
Whilst I am very instinctual when harvesting and creating arrangements, there is a formula of sorts for selection, without each element, the final piece will be missing ‘something’. That ‘je ne sais quoi’.
But don’t mistake this recipe as painting by numbers or reduce the opportunity for creativity. Instead, understanding this structure provides boundaries with which to explore the infinite options for combinations, in any given season.
The Formula is made up of four consistent parts, mixed up in dependable proportions resulting in successful arrangements. Broadly, you’ll want to mimic the proportions on your growing patch to ensure you can cut enough material. More of how to do that in the coming weeks.
Here I am breaking down the elements of this arrangement into its component parts, sharing what materials can be utilised for each and how to use them.
The Formula
Framework - Malus ‘Rudolph’ (crab apple) blossom)
This is woody foliage material that determines the overall shape and size of an arrangement. It is usually the first element to be positioned. Branches are best for this, and just one tree or shrub is used; hornbeam is a favourite. These add an elegance of maturity to an arrangement, anchoring both in season and longevity.
Think of orchard or fruit trees, hedgerow or woodland plants. They can form shelter belts around plots or grown as agroforestry plants in agroecological farm designs. In gardens they are the structural elements or boundary plants for privacy and seclusion. Even fast growing shrubs and trees take 3-5 years + to develop before cutting so are crucial plants to establish when setting up a productive flower space or garden.
Supportive Material - Euphorbia, Hellebore, wallflowers
These are the backdrop to the focal flowers whilst creating an understory to the main framework, blurring in complementary shades. About 2/3rds of an arrangement will be of these elements, and therefore comprise of 2/3rds of your growing space. Supportive material can be annual, perennial flowers and foliage. You want a good stock of plants to cover the whole flowering season you intend to cut for.
These are rarely the most interesting plants but are crucial and the most important to include in planning.
Focal - Ranunculus & Tulips
