Flowers have always been a significant part of human life. The meaningful act of flower giving goes back to thousands of years ago and despite the changes in tradition or customs over the centuries, they remain as a method of communication. Giving flowers can help you express love and care, a remembrance, a form of support, or even an apology.
Floriography, the Language of Flowers
Many cultures use flowers in their own stories and myths, but it was especially important to the Ancient Greeks as they associated flowers with the gods. Anemone, for example, was linked to the death of Adonis in the Greek mythology. But it wasn’t until the Victorians era that each flower was imbued with meaning. At that time, the Victorians didn’t believe in openly expressing their emotions. However, they did consider flowers as an acceptable form of expression and used them to convey meaning without saying a word.
Today, the significance of a specific flower varies as one flower typically has multiple associations. However, people may agree on the meaning of several common blooms. For example, red roses symbolize the romantic love anywhere in the world while yellow ones are linked to the feeling of friendship and well-wishing.
As the meaning of colors is more universal, it is often easier to pick flower by its color first instead of the species. If you are looking to get some flowers for your loved ones, whatever the location, the table below can guide you to a suitable purchase.
Color | Meaning | Popular Species Choice |
White | Innocence, Humility, Reverence | Lily of the Valley, Rose |
Red | Passion, Desire, Love | Rose, Daisy |
Pink | Grace, Gentility, Youth | Hydrangea, Caellia |
Yellow | Joy, New Beginning, Happiness | Sunflower, Daffodil |
Orange | Sincerity, Grieve | Gerbera, Lily |
Blue | Calmness, Peace, Serenity | Delphinium, Hydrangea |
Purple | Dignity, Pride, Success | Orchid, African Violet |
Green | Health, Resilience, Good Fortune | Succulents, Dieffenbachia |
Violet | Femininity, Elegance | Lavender, Orchid |
Figure 1. Table of Floriography
Creating Floral Arrangements
An arrangement of several different colors may help you convey a more wholesome message compared to a simple bouquet with a single color. If you are using flowers to decorate your house, an arrangement might be more suitable as they attract the eyes with the combination of colors. However, the process of creating floral arrangements isn’t an easy one.
Color Wheel
Source: Google Images
Understanding the color theory is crucial in arranging flowers, no matter what message behind the arrangement is. There are three ways you can use a color scheme to create an attractive and inviting floral arrangement: by primary, harmonious, or contrasting colors.
Primary Flower Arrangement
Red, blue, and yellow are the three primary colors on the color wheel. Other colors are created when one mix these three key colors in different proportions. If you do a floral arrangement in only primary colors, the result will surely pop with vibrancy. It is useful if you are trying to attract attention to a certain area of your house or if you want to breathe life into a room with muted color theme.
Harmonious Flower Arrangement
Colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel make a harmonious combination that is visually pleasing. The reason for this is that they are made of the elements of the same primary colors, just in different proportions. For example, purple goes really well with red and blue because purple is actually a combination of red and blue.
The harmonious floral arrangement is the most used type of arrangement due to its versatility. It can be used as a great complement to your home or office decor, or even be gifted to someone else. When creating one of these arrangements, one must not forget about the tonal value. It can give the arrangement a certain quality such as warm or cool, gentle or intense. Tonal value is the degree of light and dark of a color. If you are using reds, the lighter version is pink while the darker version is maroon.
Too many color combination can end up weakening the design, even when the colors are harmonious. Limiting yourself to three or four colors seems to work best in this type of arrangement. Typically, foliage is also included in a harmonious floral arrangement as the subtle green color and texture can help to tie all the colors together. There are some beautiful images to be found around the web and to even buy, like flower delivery Singapore.
Contrast Flower Arrangement
The opposite of harmony, colors that sit across each other on the color wheel can create a powerful contrasting effect when put together. Arrangement in these colors can create a vibrant, saturated look that can enhance the appearance of any room in your house. Examples of contrasting colors are red and green, pink and lime, or blue and orange. To avoid confusing the eyes, it is best to use only two colors to create a contrast in your floral arrangement.
Contrast Flower Arrangement in Pastel Tone
Source: MaxPixel
Other Considerations
When combining colors, one should be careful in using whites. Improper use of white flowers can end up dominating the arrangement and dull the other colors you want to accentuate. Instead of white, consider using cream flowers instead. In your mind, try and compare the look of a white and red bouquet to a cream and maroon ones. Cream and maroon color combo tend to make for a lush and luxurious bouquet compared to the white and red. For a more subtle use of white colors, try incorporating sparse, small blooms such as Baby’s Breath into your arrangement.
After you are satisfied with the colors, you can then pick the right flowers and foliage. There is no limit to the types of flowers you can use in an arrangement as long as they look good together. There is also no restrictions to pair certain colors together, but some color combinations are just better than others. Among the three techniques described above, there is no best technique. It all depends on your end goal of the arrangement. Are you looking to attract attention to a certain spot or are you looking to completing the overall look of your house?
Flower arranging is a fun process, and all the decisions are in your hand. Picking the right colors is important, be it for a bouquet or a full-blown arrangement. Go get yourself started in the fun now!
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