ALOHA FLOWERS GIFTS

Arranging: The Basics of Contemporary Floral Design

All the essentials of floral design - with illustrated step-by step instructions, so you can create spectacular arrangements yourself. A survey of styles and motifs. Discussions with illustrated examples of the latest in contemporary design trends. Procedures for assuring maximum longevity for your flowers. Hints on how to mix colors effectively. The element and principles of design. Basic forms to follow . . . and go beyond. Guidelines for choosing containers that enhance your designs. Tools to have on hand. Seven illustrated step-by-step arrangements. This the definitive handbook for anyone interested in discovering creative freedom and excitement of cut-flower design.

The sun refused to hide behind clouds when taking this picture, making a difficult shot to get! I have dome this look before: I kept the quince blossom I used the previous week in place and added in the 'James Story' orchids. It needed just 20 stems to get this effect.

This design features lecucadendron, curly willow, carnations, gerbera daisies, roses, alstromeria, anthurium, ti leaf, lotus pods and equisetum. Designed by Charles Meier.

INTRODUCTION
Since ancient times, flowers have held a special place in people's hearts, and have been used to provide fitting decoration to various occasions.
In this book, I have tried to stay true to this essence, while emphasizing the simplicity, universality, and flexibility of both western- and Japanese-style flower arrangement.

Typically, flower arrangement focuses on attaining both harmony in color and luxuriance in shape. To these characteristics, I would like to add respect for both the natural beauty of flora such as that found in the wild, and the maximum expression of space by minimal use of materials. In other words, my goal is to adopt the principles of ikebana that succinctly convey the desired mood.
Diverging from convention, I enjoyed expressing myself by combining easy-to-find containers and other modern materials to maintain shape, keeping the contemporary living space in mind.

I have included step-by-step instructions, accompanied by detailed pictures and illustrations, as well as helpful ideas to make arranging easy-to-understand for anyone from beginner to expert. I will introduce the fundamental shapes, and show you example arrangements in which these shapes are used.
I hope that by enjoying your time arranging, you can add a degree of richness to your well-being, and use the seasonal events in your life as an opportunity to express yourself in flowers.