CONSTRUCTING AN ASYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE ARRANGEMENT Written by: Holli Bowman & David Lynn Hall County Board of Education April 2003 Modified by Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum Office September 2005

This presentation is designed to supplement the textbook, Floriculture: Designing & Merchandising, Unit 11, “Triangular Arrangements”. The author is Charles Griner and it is published by Delmar Publishers.

Step 1: Selecting Materials A pedestal or cylinder container 5 gladioli or other line flowers 4 to 5 stems of mini-carnations 6 stems of leatherleaf fern 1/3 block of floral foam Waterproof anchor tape Floral preservative

Step 2: Preparing the Container Cut ½ to 1/3 block of floral foam. Soak the foam in warm preservative solution. Trim bottom half of the foam so that it will fit into the tall vase. The size of the foam depends on the opening of the container.

Step 3: Taping the Foam into Place Using the flat part of your palm, push the foam firmly into the vase. The foam should extend about two inches above the rim of the container. Secure the foam with two pieces of waterproof tape. If the fingers are curled down, grooves are made in the sides that reduce the water-holding capacity.

Step 3: Continued The foam should be taped off center so that a stem can be inserted into the center of the foam. The tape shouldn’t extend more than ½ inch down onto the rim of the container. The container rim should be dry before applying the waterproof tape. Fingers should be dry also while handling the tape.

Step 4: Place the Skeleton Flowers Flower #1 will establish the design height and should be offset to the left and rear of the foam. Flower #1 should be two times the height of the container. Flower #2 should be approximately two-thirds the length of flower #1. Place flower #2 to create an L-form with flower #1. 1 2

Step 4: Continued Cut flower #3 two-thirds the length of flower #2. Place this flower at the left edge of the foam at a 45o angle. The flower stem of flower #3 is inserted into the foam just above the rim of the container. Although flowers #2 and #3 don’t form a continuous line, they are parallel. 1 3 2

Step 5: Finishing the Skeleton Flower #4 should be the tallest and placed on the high side of the skeleton. Flower #5 should be shorter and to the right of the center. Use a line drawn from the tips of flowers #1-3 as the boundaries to keep the asymmetrical shape of the arrangement. 1 4 5 3 2

Step 6:Greening the Foam Use the leatherleaf fern to cover the foam. Be sure o retain the triangle shape with the fern. Cover the back of the foam also. Do not pack the fern too close together.

Step 7: Adding Secondary Flowers Add the mini-carnations in the spaces between the gladioli but not extending beyond the boundaries. Follow the triangular form of the skeleton with the mini-carnations. Cut individual blossoms of gladiolus on short stems and place these in the focal area.

Step 8: Adding Filler Flowers Add filler flowers to the arrangement (the flowers shouldn’t touch). Take care not to put too much filler in the arrangement. Statice or other fillers can be used.

Step 9: Evaluating the Arrangement Check your work. Step back from the arrangement, and observe it from all sides. Move flowers as needed, but remember to make a new hole in the floral foam each time. Remember to move the flowers only if absolutely necessary.