Flower Arrangement Composition Methods and Long-Term Freshness Techniques for Floral Art

In flower arranging, the ratio between floral materials and the container is very important. For basin arrangements, the main stem of the floral material is generally about 1.5 times the width of the arrangement basin; for vase arrangements, the main stem of the floral material is generally about 1.5 times the height of the vase. Artistic flower arrangements have the following composition forms.

(1) Scalene triangle composition: take three flowers or branches and leaves that express the theme, and connect the three points at the top to form a scalene triangle as the skeleton of the work (these three flowers are called the main, secondary, and subordinate). For example, take a flower with a length 1.5 to 2 times the length of the basin as the main stem and insert it in the middle of the arrangement, then take a flower whose length is equivalent to 2/8 of the main stem as the secondary stem and insert it slightly slanting to the right of the main stem (about 20 degrees), then take a flower whose length is equivalent to 1/3 of the main stem as the subordinate stem and insert it slanting to the left of the main stem (about 45 degrees), forming a scalene triangle as the skeleton of the work. The remaining flowers or branches and leaves are added within the height and width range of these three flowers.

(2) L-shaped composition: often used in basin arrangements. The flower holder is placed on the left side of the basin, the main stem is upright, and the secondary stem is inserted slightly slanting to the left of the main stem. The subordinate stem is inserted horizontally on the right side close to the basin surface.

(3) Circular composition: generally adopts a composition technique that is not closed, asymmetrical, and round yet not round. In circular composition, flowers often form a semicircle or arc, and branches or leaves are needed to outline an approximate circle. Seven daylilies are used to arrange an unclosed circle. Because daylily stems are relatively stiff, 4 curved ribbon grass leaves are used to break the stiff straight lines of the daylilies, forming arcs and creating a circle.

(4) S-shaped composition: generally used for tall vases or high-footed flower basins, forming a cliff-style flower arrangement. The material usually uses naturally curved woody flowering branches or spike inflorescences as the main body, with some other flowers added as accompaniment.

(5) Radial composition: generally uses sword-shaped flowers or leaves as the main body, such as palm, silver willow, yucca, gladiolus, foxglove, etc., arranged into a symmetrical or asymmetrical radial pattern.